As a beauty blogger, I’m fortunate to be sent products for consideration. I don’t get a lot of makeup sent to me for review as my blog does not concentrate very much on makeup, but more on skincare. Sometimes I wish I could concentrate more on makeup reviews. It’s still not an area I’m particularly good at but I’m sure you’ll agree with me that it’s far easier to review makeup than it is to review skincare products.
For makeup, I can try out a particular mascara, lippie, eyeshadow, etc for a week, and if I like it (or not), I can review them very quickly. Unfortunately, this is not applicable to skincare products. Skincare products take at least 6-8 weeks per item for the effects to really show. The minimum amount of time for trial should be at the very least 4 weeks. I normally wouldn’t trust any reviews of skincare products that have taken less than 4 weeks to trial (this does not apply to cleansers though, or anything that can be washed off in less than 20 seconds).
I’m quite particular when it comes to trialing skincare products. For me to fully grasp the efficacy of the product (and to write an accurate review), I cannot and will not trial more than ONE product at a time. The only time I trial two different skincare products at a time is when one of the items is a facial cleanser or scrub. For serums and moisturisers, only one new product will be trialed at one time.
Now you will think “Geez Louis, I’m never going to go through all my products if I am to only use one new product at a time!” Well, that’s where my friends come in. I give them some of the products to use (especially if they aren’t suitable for my skin type) in exchange for a review. If I trial a new serum and moisturiser at the same time, then who’s to know which product works better? Was it the serum that gave me the glowing skin, or the moisturiser? Did that moisturiser break me out, or the serum? I think you know where I’m going here.
I cannot, in good faith, review products if I cannot be 100% certain that it was product X that gave/did not give me the results I wanted. It’s not fair for my skin, and it isn’t fair for my readers who read the reviews. That is why sometimes you’ll read reviews of products that have been launched months ago, if not years.
As much as I can, if the product works for me, I’ll try to use it up before moving on to another. This is getting a bit difficult with the pressure to “trial more, review more” on the blog. I’m not in the habit of opening a new skincare product, use it for 6 weeks, then leave aside and move on to another. I would be stuck with heaps of opened, half-used items (funny, because I do it with bodycare products. Go figure *shrug*). I could give them away to friends, if they don’t mind, but deep down, I just don’t feel right doing so. I very much prefer to give them new, unopened items; not something my fingers have dipped into.
I hope this gives you an insight to how I review skincare products on the blog. It takes a lot of time to review skincare products properly as I do only have one face. 😉
How do you trial your skincare products? One at a time, or a few at once?
I agree with you. That’s why the period in between skincare is filled with makeup. haha. But for me, it’s a lot more straight forward with skincare that do not work for me, in that it induces so much breakout I have to stop in a day or two. (I think I commented before that I do torment myself and try it again once my breakout subsides, but still… …) For sensitive skin, the first thing is really does this break me out or does it not. =)
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Actually, I feel that makeup deserve to be used way more than it normally is (on many blogs and youtube) before being reviewed too. I feel that I can’t totally feel whether something works or not unless I test it in different ways under different circumstances. I like to use an item for more than 2 weeks (best 4 and sometimes I take 2 months if I makeup less frequently) under different circumstances, and in different ways, before I say something about it. But I guess, the thing about makeup really is that you can try many, many products on the face all at the same time, because the lipstick is not going to affect the eyeliner.
And this explains why I tend to find so many rave reviews about products that do not work… … always tested to little by people who just want to churn out posts… …
My blog has way lower viewership than yours, but I think it is still important to have that guilty conscience and genuinely try something before reviewing, be it makeup or skincare. haha, anyhow, your philosophy pretty much explains why I have been reading your blog for so long. Good job all these years!
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Jyoan: I take my hat off to bloggers with sensitive skin who blog about beauty. It’s so difficult for them to trial new products as they have to be incredibly selective in what they use.
Re. makeup, I reckon it’s easier to review products like eye shadows as most of the time, the reviews are meant to show what the colours are like, how they work together, etc. It’s quite seldom that I read about eye makeup or lip products that break someone out. I suppose if one is to blog about makeup, most of the time, it’s to show swatches and/or how it looks on the eyes, cheeks, lips, etc.
One item of makeup which I forgot to mention in my post, that I take almost the same amount of time as skincare to review, is foundation. In comparison to other makeup products, foundation (or any base products like primer and BB cream) is used the most on the face. It has to work as well as skincare.
Really appreciate your support on my blog. I thought it was time I shared how I review products as I do tend to write more about the old stuff, and not so much of the new 😛
=) Actually, makeup does breaks me out too… … I am very scared of foundations and blushers, which explains why I favor BB creams, or tinted sunscreens. Blushers used to be really bad because the old versions contain mica and bismuth oxide. But new age blushers tend to cut out those major skin irritants. New age foundations also take more care to cut out common irritants like mineral oil and mica too.
Eye makeup is surprisingly not as irritating. =D
End of the day, I just need to insist on seeing the ingredients list before I buy. And SAs at the counters get so irritated when I ask for the box! haha, because counter brands just hate printing ingredients on the actually bottle/pot.
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Dah-link! Its because you have a conscience and you actually care that people who read your blog and reviews will go out and buy something because you said its good stuff! 🙂 For those who don’t really care about that, and just want to plug, then its a case of churning out review after review after review of skincare. I can’t do it myself and the pressure as you have pointed out, is overwhelming! I’m just as curious as the next person as to what really works so kudos! Do what you do best 🙂
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Paris B: Aww you 😛 I guess the reason I shared how I review products is also to let brands know that hey, this is how I do it. I’ve been hearing not-so-good stuff about certain PRs (thank goodness it’s only a tiny handful) are not happy with bloggers who don’t review their products in under 6 months and give them pressure to churn out reviews.
Mine work like an assembly line. First in, first out. Last in, last out. Unless the product really captures my attention and make me want to use it right away, chances are it will go to the back of the line until I’m done with what I’m currently using. That’s why I don’t often review the latest skincare products. Makeup’s easier to write about. Skincare’s difficult.
If I have a new product, I will do it as what you did! I agreed with you that if at one time try out more than 1 product, then we won’t be able to know which is working well or vice versa. =)
Michelle: My sentiments exactly. If you use two new products on the same area of skin at the same time, how do you know what product is giving you the results? 😛
I never realized how much thought you put into your skin care reviews. No wonder your reviews are some of my favourite, haha! It’s nice to know this because I’m thinking about starting to do reviews on my blog and this help me to think more about how in depth I should review skin care products.
Moira: Thanks Moira 🙂 I think it’s only fair to my skin and my readers who read the reviews that we know if the product really does work as it says or not. That’s why skincare products aren’t easy to trial and review. It takes a lot of time to properly test a new product.
hey Tine…good to know about your review policies!!! yes, even I do try out the products for 1 month. and, make sure to use a moisturizer or a serum only one at a time. even for cleansers and scrubs as well, I do make sure to review for a month only!!!
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Swati: Good on you Swati. Serums usually take at least 6 weeks for the results to fully show and be accurate. I cheat a little on cleansers and scrubs 😛
I agree with you, I normally try it in a lesser period of time though. Normally I use a week for my skin to slowly adapt to the new products and then 2-3 weeks before I review it 🙂
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Dorothy: Best to let the new products do their thing then you’ll know if they really do work. The ones that break you out immediately? Easy peasy. Review in less than a week as the product does not work for me! 😛
That is so true!!! I love your dedication, and your sense of responsibility to give an accurate review. I get invited to so many events that give me free products, and each brand sends you an email a week after and asks how is the product (when actually you know they are expecting the review to be done soon!), and it really annoys me. I wonder if you have that problem too, and how do you deal with it?
Thanks Silver 🙂 Yes I do have that problem, and the pressure to churn out quick reviews is overwhelming at times. I find that the best way for me to do it on my own time is
1) Buy my own stuff. Pressure instantly gone 😛
2) Be polite but firm with the PRs who sent you the products that you require a certain amount of time to review them. Either ask them to touch base with you after 6 weeks or you keep in touch with them regarding the product (if you haven’t used them yet). They appreciate honesty.
3) Be selective of the products that you want to use and review. This will also mean be selective in the events you go to, especially the ones which hand out goodie bags (for me, products in goodie bags are considered gifts and reviews on them are not guaranteed). E.g. I don’t use tanning products, thus I don’t go to events on tanning products nor request for them.
I’m trailing the new Jurlique range. It’s been about 8 weeks so my review will go live soon. But I’m on your side I seeing girls pulling reviews our from left to right and I’m just thinking how can you do that so quick without giving it a true go.
Xxx
Melissa: My point exactly. I don’t understand it either. Sometimes I’m reading one review after another, bam bam bam, one moisturiser after another, one serum after another…and I think, hang on, how many are you using at the same time? So which one’s the one giving you flawless skin? Moisturiser #1, or serum #3?
It’s mind-boggling! 😛
That’s why you write such honest glowing reviews, my dear…I don’t have that *problem* yet, because I don’t get a LOT of products to try…keep up the good work, and yes, I think you should only trial one product at a time, even though you may not be reviewing it on a blog,…just to keep your sanity in check.
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Thanks Joyce 🙂 Not just my sanity in check, but my skin too!
I’m the same. I try to only trial one product at a time unless it’s a cleanser, and because my skin is so fussy often products are palmed off to Mum or friends to trial. One only has so much skin! x
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Chelsea: Haha I know right? There’s only so much skin on one’s face to trial new products. We have lucky family and friends, no? 😉
I think we all wish we have more than 1 face, sometimes! lol! in fact, sometimes I trial a product for possibly 2 months before declaring it’s a gem or a dud! Those hormones could wreck havoc too!
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Daphne: Oh most definitely. Damn hormones. Many a time they mucked up my trial. Don’t know whether it’s the hormones causing the breakouts or the products >.<
I like to review one brand at a time. But I don’t give up my favorite stuff just so to trial products especially not my facial oils and moisturizing sunscreen. I just ensure I don’t introduce anything new other than what I’m currently trying unless it’s just a facial wash. Most of my reviews are for night products because I’m not fond of changing my day routine. Usually I give a minimum of 4 weeks and a max of 6 weeks to actually completely a review.
But lately, I’ve been dragging my feet with reviews. I’ve never really enjoyed writing reviews that much. So what used to be 2 reviews per week is now down to one and I’m definitely enlisting guest reviewers along the way. Also, I’m quite picky with stuff I review. I won’t try anything as long as the ingredients don’t appeal to me.
With body products, I give around 2 weeks or so…sometimes a bit shorter if it’s just a body wash.
And I do have a problem with half opened products lying around.
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Sesame: I’ve been dragging my feet with reviews too. Some are so dull to write. Which begs the question, why am I doing this again? Sigh.
I don’t like having half-opened products lying around too. I had to open a few skincare products to try, and leave them be halfway as I move on to another, and my heart just aches for the old ones, especially since they’re taking up a lot of precious space. Sometimes when I can’t stand it anymore, I just slap them on my arms and legs in hopes that they will finish quickly. What a waste of good product 🙁
I do it the same way as you do too 🙂 One thing at a time, which makes skincare review such a long, long & lonely process. LOL. i would turn down requests when I have too much on hand, or when the companies wants the review to be done in a certain time frame when I have clearly told them I couldn’t make it.
If i am using anything that lesser than 4 weeks, i’ll state that in the review, just so people would know how it works for that time period… makeup wise I am a bit more lenient, I go depending on how many times I have use a certain product, with different methods/ circumstances, especially for base products.
and because of this policy, blog’s progress is a little slow in terms of putting out reviews, but at least I am free from the guilt of having to write semi-honest reviews just to please the companies and or to have a lot of posts on the blog!
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Plue: Good on you for turning down requests when it got too much for your plate. A lot of bloggers (and me too sometimes) don’t do this. Then it piles up to a mountain high of beauty products until we’re crushed under by product review pressure. Ugh, not a good picture.
It’s definitely good to mention the amount of time taken to trial the product in the review. This transparency gives readers a gauge as to how the product has worked out for you, and how it might work for them as well 🙂
What about products that break you out at the beginning? how long do you keep trying them out? because as you probably know, some products might just break you out only at the beginning while you’re skin is still adjusting.
See, the thing is, I don’t ever believe in the words “skin is adjusting”. My skin reacted because it was irritated. Having said that though, I have gone back to products that broke me out at the beginning just to see if they go past that hurdle. A few products stop breaking me out after a few uses but that’s very few. E.g. I’ve been trying out a particular mask I bought a few weeks ago. Every time I used it, it broke me out. Every single time. At this point, I don’t know whether to continue using it or not. Smells really good though. Sigh.