And moving swiftly on…

to another controversy. Here’s a post from a site that I spotted yesterday (late to the party, because it was posted ages ago back in August)…but, still..

The beautiful elephant in the room…

Wednesday, August 18th, 2010

OK, so this make up range is much loved by notoriously difficult bloggers. But I feel like I’m taking crazy pills – does no-one else find Edward Bess a little freaky? Looking at the image he chose for his homepage (see below, pictured with his 3 sisters) he looks rather like an extra from the Twilight series, posing with his next lunch.
Edward Bess
I have been inspired to write this by the insane amount of sycophantic twaddle twiddling its way round the super highways. All you read about in reviews of Edward’s range is his aMAzing bone structure, charming manner, tumbling chestnut locks and background in modelling…not one word qualifying why. Why should we buy a range formulated by a boy, where are his beauty credentials other than being ‘pretty’ himself?
Where are the years of experience in the industry honing skills and understanding the needs of the women using his product? There are so many brands out there so much more qualified to receive such gushing praise. Bess’ range, while good quality with easy to wear colours, is nothing unique. This idea has already been executed beautifully by Laura Mercier, Bobbi Brown and Trish McAvoy.

Excuse me??? Sycophantic twaddle? That would be me then…because I adore this brand and haven’t been backward in coming forward about it – I’ve been chasing it down for 2 years to try and get it in the UK and finally, finally Zu at Zuneta.co.uk took the bull by the horns and shook Edward B til he said yes. Sorry, honey, but he is charming, does have hair to envy, and does have amazing bone structure. It’s not fair, I know, but it is true. Why should we buy a range formulated by a boy? Well, maybe we should ask John Frieda, Daniel Sandler or Peter Phillips? They might know. And as for years of experience? Imagine not embracing entrepreneurship in the beauty world, because if we didn’t we’d be all stuck wearing the same make up churned out by the big guns for ever. Much as I like Laura, Bobbi and Trish, it’s not all I want to wear. I want to look to the new and support smaller brands that have entered the very competitive and scary area of beauty. Edward Bess is a range that has managed to combine style with substance – yes, it is expensive, but that’s the idea of luxury brands – and the products do deliver. And, as for freaky? Freaky beauty is what has been selling magazines, brands and movies for just about ever and I’ll cite the new campaign for Givenchy featuring Albino model, Stephen Thompson, as a perfect example of that. If the boundaries of beauty can’t be pushed and attitudes to conventional beauty challenged, then it’s a sad, closed and spiteful little world, no?


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14 responses to “And moving swiftly on…”

  1. Anonymous

    This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.

  2. I’m so happy there’s an Edward Bess line of makeup, I cannot tell you. His products are, in a word, phenomenal. I reach for his bronzer and Smoky Eye palette so often, and I have many other choices in my makeup drawer. Some people are talented very young, prodigies really, and Edward Bess is one of them. If his products didn’t perform, he wouldn’t be getting raves. I can’t wait to get to a counter at some point so I can get color-matched to his foundation. You know, sometimes buzz is just buzz, but sometimes there’s truth behind it. Everything I’ve tried from this line has been really lovely and I hope he continues to innovate for years to come.

  3. These ladies are his sisters? Gosh this family won at the genes lottery!

    Received my very first Edward Bess lipstick from Zuneta yesterday. I’m somewhat relieved, considering the price, that it’s not feeling like Holy Grail material for me (was hoping it would be more moisturizing but it still doesn’t beat Guerlain KissKiss) but it is, nevertheless, an excellent product as far as I can tell after one day of wearing it.

  4. “notoriously difficult bloggers” ooooh I’ve been waiting to be called that my whole blogging career 🙂 Sounds very Bette Davis diva-ish doesn’t it? Love it.

    And love Mr. Bess who I have met briefly and totally charmed me. He does know what he is doing, that’s clear after conversing with him. And if the products are good, then who cares what his background is. I wish I could have made my own MU line at 20something. Who doesn’t ?

    Is he beyond young and beautiful, yes( and I met him several years ago already when he was younger) but who cares? Not me.

  5. simone

    His products may be phenomenal but they are also ridiculously expensive. I will not by makeup from a small line that is sooo overpriced, no matter how “pretty” the maker of the line is.

  6. I’m adding in this edited comment as it couldn’t be published in its original form

    ‘Hhhmm. I’m sure there’s no SOUR GRAPES here WHATSOEVER.
    Good job the rest of us don’t take such an attitude – you know such as – ‘why should we read reviews about beauty from someone who comes from FASHION?

    Spare me.

    Edward Bess make-up is beautiful.
    HE is beautiful. Inside and out.
    Unlike the bitter person who wrote about elephants in the room.’

  7. Grace London

    Goodness, that does read as more than a little bitter.

    I’ve searched on my blog, and I’ve written 9 posts on the Edward Bess products I own, from August 2009 onwards (US friends helped me to get them before they launched over here). I like to think I’ve mostly focussed on the make-up 😉

    This puts me off the website that published this blog, rather than the Edward Bess brand.

  8. Jennifer

    In my opinion, any praise Edward Bess (the man and the brand) has received is well-deserved. His line of products is nicely edited, and the colors and textures never leave me wanting. Items can be somewhat pricey, but I consider them to be luxurious basics!

  9. lady jane grey

    Well, I’m happy I’m not the only one finding E.B. looking freaky. The whole family looks a bit plasticky unnatural… The quality of his products might be fabulous, but the colours are rather boring. Anyway, I’m still not sure I want to pay GBP 44.00 for a trio of eye shadows, or a mere GBP 175.00for his “private eye” (5 eye shadows, plus two mascaras)…

  10. Anonymous

    What is a bit freaky is the amount of Photoshop that has gone in the picture of Bess and the ladies.

  11. I think it’s very funny that the author of this article is saying how all the bloggers were praising Edward’s good looks and not talking about this products, when the author himslef/herself dedicated the whole post to just talking about his looks and in their opinion lack of experience and only one short line actually mentions that the products are indeed good quality even though in their opinionnothing unique.
    And the market and the consumers are the ones that will “say” whether the products and the new makeup ranges will have a lasting presence or not.
    In my opinion, it was a very narrow-minded post and without any firm points at all.

  12. Dee

    I’ve never heard of this guy (he looks a bit Twilighty for my tastes) or his makeup line, but I can honestly say I have never given a second thought to whether I am buying makeup created by a man (he is a man, by the way, not a boy)or a woman.

    The whole tone of that post is just… stupid.

  13. Eileen

    I don’t understand why that disgruntled writer said that there is only gushing about his physical appearance and nothing about the quality of his cosmetics. The blogs I read do a beautiful job of swatching, describing, and reviewing his cosmetics. As for EB’s youth, he’s worked in the beauty biz for years, first as a model and then as a cosmetic creator. He’s had more than enough experience to know what works and what doesn’t. He’s been exposed to some of the greatest stylists, photographers, hairstylists, and make-up artist in the world. In my book, that makes him highly qualified to create a line of cosmetics. After all, it’s not like he sits around with a chemistry set figuring out formulas and then whips them up in his garage! He knows what he wants and relates that to his team whose job it is to work with him to meet his standards and expectations. And so far, that has been the happy result time and time again.

    Not everyone will share the EB esthetic and that’s as it should be. Variety is the spice of life, etc. It’s not like EB is trying to make-over the world in his image. If you don’t like his sophisticated minimalist concept, then select another brand. If you want something more razzle-dazzle or shot through with glitter and glitz, look elsewhere. And once again, that’s as it should be. I’m sure most of us make our cosmetic selections from a large number of excellent brands depending on what we need or want at the time.

    Personally, I hope EB remains a small cult brand. Despite his expansion, he remains in close contact with his customer base and spends many an evening at his counter in Bergdorf’s. He takes an active interest in his customers and genuinely enjoys doing their make-up or offering suggestions. Consequently, his cosmetics are responsive to customer needs while remaining true to his ideal.

  14. beautywoome

    Your response is spot on, and what a nasty original post. Not incredibly articulate or convincing either (like another commentator said here, if you’re going to bemoan other people regularly invoking his appearance, perhaps don’t make that the cornerstone of your argument against him!). Sour grapes, indeed.

    Edward is a lovely man who happens to make very good beauty products.

    End of discussion.

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