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{affiliate} I’m so thoroughly pleased with my new Fitflop Wonderwellies – I got them from Mr BBB for my birthday (I did ask for them!) – that I thought I’d show you them. They’re so far from the plastic tubes I’ve had in the past in terms of comfort and warmth and they’re definitely needed for the muddy morning walks. They’re expensive, but feel so and to my eye, look so and I like the way you get a slight lift in them, as well as proper grip and durability.
I don’t really know what this year is going to hold for me – it’s hard to say. It’s definitely going to be a pivotal year for ‘influencing’ – everyone is over it and brands can see that it’s not the money raker it used to be. The thing is that many brands now employ a system to decide who they work with that just works on numbers – whether that person allies with the brand is neither here nor there. With this lack of personal touch, influencing is purely transactional and it shows. So, of course, the very people that brands want to reach are tuning out which in turn affects sales. Since all beauty brands are (obviously) about the money, it’s not really working for them. But, there’s no Plan B. I hear along the grapevine that some bigger brands are somewhat regretting their decision to be transactional but it takes a long time to put the brakes on when you’re a global company.
Speaking of Plan B, plenty of influencers don’t have one either. While one of the greatest things about social media is that it’s available to everyone and a great leveller – if you’re making a living on it then I have every respect because it’s not as easy as it might seem. But, a Plan B is probably the most valuable thing you can invest in right now. In the interim, those who have the most attention from brands will get more of it because they’re still translating to the best sales. Remember when brands were actively looking for new talent? Not so much now – there literally isn’t time, in the face of so much pressure, to seek them out and take a chance. Eventually, even the stars will dim. And I don’t know what happens then!
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I took more of a back seat last year – there are some brands I don’t expect to work with again but we will see. I went back (briefly) to journalism to discover that the attitudes I hated are still alive and well and I’ve never been so sure that I did the right thing all those years ago in starting my own place in the world of beauty. I think I will take even more of a back seat this year – the brands I work with on a commercial basis are the ones that I trust, with whom I have a solid and usually long-standing relationship and feel comfortable translating what they do to you. The absolute majority of what I do is not paid for but you can see how that’s not viable for ever.
I know what many people think about bloggers/influencers/instagrammers now – I don’t blame them – but I can at least learn (and want to do so) from open conversations where the issues lie. The bottom line is trust – there IS something ugly about watching people receive and receive especially if it’s done in a way that makes others feel uneasy (unboxing, perhaps?) about the ensuing reviews and ethics surrounding it. If indeed there are any reviews. What I think beauty influencing needs is purpose – tips, proper reviews, critical thinking and ideas with a dash of understanding that what you write and show should be for the people who read or view it. Not a show and no-tell. Speaking of show and tell, please use the comment section to ask me anything about the behind-the-scenes mechanics of blogging if there are things you’d like to know…why we use affiliate links or how to declare terms fully.
And now I’ve rambled on, I’m climbing back into my new boots (£75 HERE, non-affiliate HERE) where this post started (I literally have just gone with my immediate feelings here! It just started as my new boots…) to move a plant in my garden!
Transparency Disclosure
All products are sent to me as samples from brands and agencies unless otherwise stated. Affiliate links may be used. Posts are not affiliate driven.
20 comments
“What I think beauty influencing needs is purpose – tips, proper reviews, critical thinking and ideas with a dash of understanding that what you write and show should be for the people who read or view it. Not a show and no-tell.”
Yes this! A constant stream of instagram pictures showing new and shiny things doesn’t help. A blog post with an actual review, maybe some swatches and comparisons says so much more than a picture with a tiny caption.
Those PO Box unboxing videos always end up making me feel sad about the waste and amount of “stuff”, but also start that awful inadequate voice in my head. It’s almost like a drug, there’s the instant rush of “ooh pretty” but you just end up feeling crappy and unfulfilled at the end of it.
I have unfollowed most bloggers over the last year both on Instagram and on YouTube. It just all feels wrong eg fake, excess consumerism etc… This blog is still my favourite, I trust the reviews. I like the variety. I prefer looking to someone older with more experience. I am 36. I also look at Arna Alayne too but purely for foundation reviews – I have rosacea and extremely pale skin and we’re the same paleness. It takes the work out of it for me. I don’t ever buy magazines. Mostly in makeup and toiletries, I am paring things down a lot. Buying a lot less and looking for eco-friendly packaging (Kjaer Weiss, Paradoxx, Soap and Co, using Lush “Naked” products ). The most important thing for me now is if a company is ethical and environmentally aware.
That’s so interesting Roisin (thanks for sticking with me btw!). I think this next year will see a drop in the mass make up acquisition – there are a lot of us looking carefully at what we consume in terms of personal care and paring back seems very appealing in a way it didn’t a couple of years back. I hope that this blog allows for considered purchases rather than just gathering things. I find Kjaer Weiss SO expensive though – I can’t see why it costs as much as it does and that’s another thing to be wary of this year – ‘clean’ brands charging an absolute fortune because it’s a trend.. there will be plenty jumping on the bandwagon hoping to make a fast buck or two and I’m questioning the glut of eco-friendly brands when surely it’s more mindful to have less brands.
Jane you are one of a few oases in a vast landscape of internet desert when it comes to beauty reviews. Even though your journalism days were not what you might have hoped for, they clearly taught you great skills. I trust and value your thoughts on your product notes, but I think you add far more to the world than just beauty reviews. I love your business updates, and your perspective on other topics from time to time always stimulates my thinking or teaches me something or both. I have learned a lot from you and look forward to continuing to do so.
I’m curious about the last few months since the new rules for source of product disclosure went into effect. Do you find them onerous? Do you think readers tune them out? Find them a bit distracting? I confess I find them somewhat intrusive & distracting though the more disclosures there are, the more I ignore them. I’m not sure they are having the desired effect with me. I would be interested in other readers’ thoughts on this.
Thanks! Julia
Thank you so much Julia – it’s really heartening to hear words like this. I think it’s right to disclose whether products are samples and make it clear that you will get some payment, whether from sponsored post or affiliate. I hate the term ‘gifted’ unless it really is a gift – maybe it’s my journalism background that makes it jar so much: you would never consider a make up sample a present as a journalist. It’s a sample for publication consideration. At most publications that I wrote for, the periodical charity fund raising sales were super popular and raised a lot of money. I still do this now at home before Christmas. So, I’m happy to disclose – that’s not an issue at all although I am uncomfortable with the idea that they’re gifts which only suits brands to make influencers seem more beholden. And, you’re right – it doesn’t look nice to have it there all the time but clarity is key and personally I think if #ad/affiliate/sample is NOT there, I am asking questions more than if it is!
What I like about you and your blog is that you don’t just show us stuff for the sake of it, you always tell us what you really think and that’s definitely refreshing in this day and age. On certain blogs ( this definitely was never on your blog ) when it was all about the massive hauls that never sat comfortably with me and i am so glad that that seems to be stopping now as it’s just so wasteful. I would much rather read blogs like yours as I know I can trust you and the products you recommend. I shall continue to look forward to your posts everyday.
That’s so kind of you Kelly – thank you x
Happy New Year Jane and thank you for being a voice of reason. As the other commenters have said I am so tired of being ‘sold’ at and the stream of wholly uncritical endorsements of everything that influencers/bloggers are sent, gifted, etc. I like an honest review so that’s why you are one of the few I still follow!
Thank you so much Catherine – I think a lot of the newer bloggers have no idea how it all started and what they need to bring to the table – I’m going to sound like I’m 100 now but there’s literally no moral responsibility. It’s scary.
I keep eyeing the FitFlop brand and always think of you when I do so. £75 isn’t a lot for the brand when you consider you can’t get a pair of Hunters or Barbours for that price. Re the future of blogging and social media in general – let’s face it, the last decade got awfully ugly on so many levels. I miss the old school blogging days when posts were written with thought and care (even if it does take more time) and you could interact with the author and other readers on the site. Instagram is fun for a quick flip through what folks are doing (I don’t follow brands much) and Twitter is almost unusable now. I don’t know what the answer is, you can’t change human nature, but I hope that the new decade will see a return to a saner, more user-friendly, people-friendly environment.
Happy New Year!
Ali xx
Thanks Ali – I miss those days too! Actually becoming a fitflop convert is a life long thing so think carefully before you proceed :-)) They’re honestly the most comfortable footwear I have although I have a friend who hates them … so if I were you I’d buy a pair of sandals in the sale – the most basic ones to see if they’re for you. Everything is unrecognisable from how it started – particularly the intention of blogging. I think it’s right to be able to monetize so that we can do it in a more committed way but on the other hand, that’s what ruined the ‘realness’. Sigh :-))
Thank you for your balanced articles. You are different from most of the SM I see.
I’m in my 50s and perhaps I’m now just too cynical but if I see a product being promoted on SM by a Love Island contestant or a TOWIE/CHELSEA actor then I’m immediately disinterested in that product and its brand. We know it’s being done for the money or exposure. But let’s be honest, everyone has to make money. The rules on paid-for content need to be made stronger and the enforcement more visible. It seems too easy to bypass them for some influencers whilst others are very clear that they are being paid. I agree with you on the term “gifted”.
It is going to be an interesting decade for social media/marketing.
There are strong rules but not everyone abides by them and enforcement is patchy which is the main problem. Thank you so much for your comments Sue x
Yours is one of the few beauty blogs I read – I value your integrity and honesty so much, so a massive THANKS!!
Thank you so much, that’s great to know x
Thank you for these insights Jane. This is the first time that I have heard an industry insider acknowledge issues that I have as a viewer and consumer. The online beauty community is a fantastic place where information is available to consumers in ways that we have never had previously. I have huge respect for people who have worked at it and who have made a career from it, and I love that the big companies don’t control all of the information that we receive, although they are still trying to control the community by various means as you point out. But it’s not just the big companies who need a reality check, it’s the inflencers too. I’ve seen a very successful You Tube inflencer doing an “unboxing” where she tossed PR around as if it was nothing, and that was some time ago. These items are the tools of her trade, content for her channel, delivered to her free of charge. Viewers did comment about that video, and good for them. It’s the viewers/consumers who are paying for the PR. What a terrible lack of respect. I’ve seen “what I got for my birthday” episodes with inflencers showing items that most of their viewers could never aspire to, never mind be gifted in abundance, and why is that relevant content anyway? There are gift guides that are totally out of touch, Vlogs of lavish free trips with brands. Some viewers seem to enjoy this. Influencers work to numbers too, so they post more of this content. It will all backfire I think, because there is less and less of any real informative value, and consumers aren’t stupid. Perhaps the thing that is most out of touch of all are the influencers who actually say that they haven’t posted because they were sick/ too busy/ had family problems/ other issues/ were upset about something/meant to but something got in the way. Really? Don’t tell that to women who have full time jobs and have to work regardless of any of these issues. It’s become so self indulgent! Subscribers may be watching out of habit, or because they like the influencer but this type of content won’t attract new subscribers. Let’s see where it all goes.
So Jane, keep up the good work, at least we still have you!
Thank you for your insightful comments – there is such a fine line between being professional with the tools of the job and being disrespectful both to viewers and brands. The root of it is the brands that were so fast to ‘gift’ (their term) and turned our ‘tools’ into presents. No wonder your average working woman feels bloody furious at how easy it seems to get showered with products. The point is that the translation to sales isn’t working out as well as it did at the beginning so I think we may see a paring back of product gifting. I genuinely think that a lot of our ‘influencers’ literally have no idea there might be some onus on them to deliver something back to the viewer that’s useful – the world of ‘me’ isn’t a long term strategy! I just do my thing in the only way I know how – there is no way in the world I could, or would want to, compete. I’m happy, comfortable in my skin and content to let things play out as they will. There are the odd frustrations of course but really, I’m quite happy being an outlier although it will inevitably lead to less content over time – I am not prepared to scrap against a 17 year old for ‘samples’. Just can’t do it :-). Thanks for continuing to read.. it’s very much appreciated. x
Oh Jane I just love reading your thoughts on all things beauty and the personal little things that you share with us here and there.
I like how you review a product, and in a way I have learnt about you and come to know you as a trusted friend that lives in my phone 🙂 for example, I am very pale and appreciate your comments on colours and shades, I’ve also learnt that we have opposite tastes when it comes to fragrance (how hard it must be to try and describe these things into words, you do it well – I don’t think I ever could) so I have a little chuckle to myself when you say you love a smell I know I will hate it but if you really don’t like a thing (which I always appreciate you saying) then I know I will probably love it 😉
I think what I’m tying to say is, I love the relationship you have with your readers, the things you like and dislike help to guide us and let us know what is out there.
Whilst I wish you well and hope you to be successful, I love the fact that you have remained the same in all the years I have been reading your words. One thing I have lost with all the others is that where they might have said years ago that say a particular foundation sat well through a shift in a hot kitchen, they have now effectively retired and it is all designer handbags and vulgar waste of endless amounts of product and I can no longer relate. You always give suggestions and examples of people in your life who might benefit from a particular product that isn’t suited to you in one way or another.
I always always look forward to reading your page and especially delight in the beauty news updates! Thank you for staying true and sharing your personality with us. I barely follow anyone now in this field but I feel like the few I do are best placed for me.
I hope 2020 brings lovely things for you 🙂
Leanne thank you so much for these lovely words – definitely a comment I will come back to when I’m tearing my hair out! Maybe it goes back again to my journalism background where the job is to inform… when you write for a publication they could not care less about personal circumstance and what I got for Christmas (e.g.) so sticking to that format is where I’m most comfortable. I do include some personal information but try and keep it mainly about the products so that it acts as a guide. I love the fact that you know you’ll hate all my favourite fragrances – I really feel out of my comfort zone writing about fragrance because as you say, it’s so difficult and all the words you think you have to talk about smell disappear too readily when faced with a computer screen! So, at least I know that I’ve guided you away – that’s something! Your comment is so appreciated – thank you for sticking with me 🙂 x
Happy New Year! Love the wellies too.