Today I am going to sit down and share my tips on how I try new makeup. If you have been reading my blog for some time, you will know that reviews are my bread and butter. I have been a makeup lover for as long as I can remember. I love trying new items, picking them apart and sharing my thoughts, I feel like over the past couple of years I have gained some structure to how I write my posts.
It doesn’t just help me to write the posts, but it helps people see my true intentions. So, I thought that for today I would share my plans, how I write and what I look for. To most of you guys who are fellow bloggers, this will be fairly simple. But, I do hope this can help a newbie here in the blogging world.
What are the key features of the product?
With any beauty review, you need to look at what the USPs of the item are. For example, if I am looking at a mascara. I will look into if it smudges, flakes, how hard it is to remove, etc. For each product type, I have a set list of questions that I want my review to answer. Then, each time I get a new foundation per say, I will just get out that standard template. Over time I have added more talking points to the list. This just enables you to knock a post together in a couple minutes because you know the key features you need to analyse. It just makes it easy work. In time, you will also find out the features that your readers want to learn about.
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Think about what people want to know.
Something that is always important to think about is what people want to know. The USPs which I mentioned above are a starting point for this. However, with this I mean if there is any tea behind the item. For example, the Beauty Blender Bounce Foundation. When this was released it was a nightmare due to the horrendous shade range. By the time I got my hands on this, something that I wanted to talk about was the limited range. Even though most people knew about the drama, I didn’t want to seem ignorant towards it. So, it was a talking point that I made sure to include on my blog. There have been lots of occasions where I have done examples of this over the years. Just think about the main interest points and profit on them.
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Do you have any bias towards the brand?
I am sure that many people out there are much like myself. And I find it very easy to create resentment towards certain brands. I believe that a prime example of this was when I received the worst customer service of my life from a MAC employee. They didn’t give me the time of day and were incredibly rude. For years, honestly years, I didn’t want to give them any of my money. However, during my personal boycott period, there were times when they released items that I wanted to try. For my reviews, I put personal feelings aside. No good can come of holding onto negativity. For that reason, even though I may share my experiences, I don’t dwell on them. If there is a good product, I will be honest and say that is the case.
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Put aside how it worked for you.
This is something that I have to particularly do when it comes to foundations and that is I try to put aside how it works for me. I do this because even though I am sharing my own opinion, I don’t want to be negative. I have very awkward skin, one day it is oily, the next dry as a bone. For this reason, I am very selective with the items that I use day in and day out. Most products that I put on my face are not going to work for my skin type and I completely accept that, so I want to share my general thoughts. I do this by really looking into a product. I try it out with many base combinations. Sometimes I will even get other people I know to try it out and give me their opinion.
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Have an open mind.
The main thing that you need to do when reviewing makeup is to keep an open mind. There has been so many items over the years that I have made an instant decision about. Then, by the time I actually get my hands on it and give it a try for myself, I have changed my mind. A prime example of this was with the Nars Sheer Glow Foundation. From the name, I thought this would have no coverage and make my skin like an oil slick, Those things cannot be further from the truth. So, I now approach absolutely everything with an open mind and I think that it has done me a world of good.
I hope that you guys liked this blog post. I honestly adore reviewing beauty items. It kind of makes me think that I am giving something back by buying so much makeup. Strange concept I know, but it works for me and I don’t feel so guilty. As I said, the key things are ensuring you are not biased in your review and having an open mind.
I honestly do feel like beauty reviews are something that will never die out here in the blogging world. Even though I might try an item for myself, I still want to build a complete picture of an item and that includes hearing the opinions of others. As always, please leave me a comment. Let me know if you review the makeup or if you would like to.