Changes at Beautypedia.com

sueeich · ‎04-12-2010

I am a big fan of Paula Begoun and have been using her Paula's Choice skincare products since the very beginning (She just celebrated her 20th anniversary.). I also was a big fan of Beautypedia.com. At the time Beautypedia was launched, it was actually a subscription service - I think I paid around $20/year for the subscription. Obviously now, it is a free service. Ever since Paula's Choice was sold, I am finding that I am more and more frustrated with them. They have been getting rid of customer favorites like their sheer cream lipstick. This was such a great lipstick and one of the few with SPF. People had been begging them for years to add additional colors to their lineup since they loved this product so much. Well, not only did they not add additional colors, they discontinued the product entirely! As far as Beautypedia is concerned, I will still consult it when I have a question about a product, but I've noticed that they removed reviews from entire manufacturers. I was at Trader Joes recently and I remember seeing Beautypedia reviews on their products. Lo and behold, they're gone. 100% Pure reviews are gone as well. They also seem to be taking a lot of time to update reviews. People will comment that a particular item's ingredients have changed and there will be a note from a Beautypedia moderator that the review is being updated but these comments frequently date back to 2015! I've lost some of my confidence in Beautypedia. Seems like everything changed when Paula sold out. So sad!

TY · ‎03-10-2010

I wonder if Beautypedia has become too expensive to maintain since it's free to anyone to use.

The last foundation I tried, a Loreal one that was highly rated on Beautypedia, L'Oreal True Match Lumi, was too shiny and emphasized fine lines when seen in daylight outdoors. It looked fine inside but not outside. Maybe it would look better on a young woman. I bought after trying it in store and reading the Beautypedia review but I got rid of it as it didn't work for me.

sueeich · ‎04-12-2010

@TY wrote:
I wonder if Beautypedia has become too expensive to maintain since it's free to anyone to use.

The last foundation I tried, a Loreal one that was highly rated on Beautypedia, L'Oreal True Match Lumi, was too shiny and emphasized fine lines when seen in daylight outdoors. It looked fine inside but not outside. Maybe it would look better on a young woman. I bought after trying it in store and reading the Beautypedia review but I got rid of it as it didn't work for me.

You might be right that since it's free it's too costly to maintain. I would surely pay for a subscription again if I felt like I was getting quality reviews. And I feel the same about their reviews. I purchased a Physicians Formula foundation that was highly rated on Beautypedia as well and it was not good. The reviews used to be right on - now they don't seem to be as good.

CoG · ‎07-04-2014

Not only have they dropped listings they've totally removed the important content of the reviews like Ingredients, they've downsized the reviews to opinionated comments about the product or the manufacturer. No useful information left! Beautypedia as we knew it is gone.

The he first change I noticed was a complete turnaround on negative comments made about competitors like Dr Denese who are now family. But now there's no substance at all.

In in the world of cosmetics we've taken a step backward to "Trust No One!"

sueeich · ‎04-12-2010

@CoG wrote:
Not only have they dropped listings they've totally removed the important content of the reviews like Ingredients, they've downsized the reviews to opinionated comments about the product or the manufacturer. No useful information left! Beautypedia as we knew it is gone.

The he first change I noticed was a complete turnaround on negative comments made about competitors like Dr Denese who are now family. But now there's no substance at all.

In in the world of cosmetics we've taken a step backward to "Trust No One!"

I'm so glad I'm not the only one that noticed the changes. It's been so frustrating for me. I really counted on the Beautypedia reviews for years and now I feel like I can't fully trust them anymore. And if you try to say or imply anything remotely negative on their Facebook page, they quickly delete your comment. Who can you trust anymore!!??

HappyDaze · ‎06-13-2012

I honestly have not really looked at it since they changed the viewing format awhile back which I think is so awful and cumbersome. I still look up ingredients occasionally but not reviews.

It does not surprise me it is going to pot-since she sold the company I'm sure she isn't going expend energy to keep it up and the new owners aren't going to pay anyone to keep it up since they give positive reviews of competitors as well. No equity firm wants that-they are there to make money not steer you towards other brands' products.

MissSugarKane · ‎01-22-2016

I also haven't gone there as much since they changed the design. I don't find the site to be user friendly anymore. I am not really happy with any of her new products I have tried either and they just discontinued the line I used for years. It's a shame when good things change for the worse.

beach-mom · ‎03-09-2010

@HappyDaze wrote:

It does not surprise me it is going to pot-since she sold the company I'm sure she isn't going expend energy to keep it up and the new owners aren't going to pay anyone to keep it up since they give positive reviews of competitors as well. No equity firm wants that-they are there to make money not steer you towards other brands' products.

I've been subscribing to Paula's newsletters since I was in my 20's. I didn't know she sold her company!

I'm so sick of these dedicated women selling their companies! On one hand I can say I don't blame them because of the money involved, but on the other, NOTHING is the same. The formulas change because the integrity of the products changes. New companies tend to go for quantity over quality, and in the case of Beautypedia, for sure, they are never going to post anything negative about another brand the company also owns!

All of my favorites - going way back to when Jeannie Lobell sold Stila to EL. I was one of her best customers! EL didn't keep them long, and when they started with all of the shimmery products, I was gone. More recently it's been Bobbi Brown, Tarte, Laura Geller, Mally, etc. And now IT too.

I'm trying to find lines I like that are privately owned by the creator(s). I guess smaller lines are always like that, until they do sell. I may eventually go back to Cat Cosmetics!

mimi5775 · ‎03-10-2010

@beach-mom wrote:
@HappyDaze wrote:

It does not surprise me it is going to pot-since she sold the company I'm sure she isn't going expend energy to keep it up and the new owners aren't going to pay anyone to keep it up since they give positive reviews of competitors as well. No equity firm wants that-they are there to make money not steer you towards other brands' products.
I've been subscribing to Paula's newsletters since I was in my 20's. I didn't know she sold her company!

I'm so sick of these dedicated women selling their companies! On one hand I can say I don't blame them because of the money involved, but on the other, NOTHING is the same. The formulas change because the integrity of the products changes. New companies tend to go for quantity over quality, and in the case of Beautypedia, for sure, they are never going to post anything negative about another brand the company also owns!

All of my favorites - going way back to when Jeannie Lobell sold Stila to EL. I was one of her best customers! EL didn't keep them long, and when they started with all of the shimmery products, I was gone. More recently it's been Bobbi Brown, Tarte, Laura Geller, Mally, etc. And now IT too.

I'm trying to find lines I like that are privately owned by the creator(s). I guess smaller lines are always like that, until they do sell. I may eventually go back to Cat Cosmetics!

Well said! 100% agree..had no idea PB had sold her line. How could she when she was so gungo-ho on everything to educate us and many relied on her? It's that almighty dollar..seems to win out every time! it overrides her dedication to her customers who really depended on her :/

On a diff note; BB has a new 50.00 foundation out like It's CC cushion type. NO refill and no brush of course (DUH). Why? it is the same as it says as the skin Foundation as it's named after and you get so little? I don't get it. But will assess soon to compare! goodness how they try to rip us off and jack prices up but we fall for them so we are to blame (not you lol) the masses! and myself as well can be blamed. You made me chuckle I recall 'cat cosmetic's' ...is it still around? boy that was popular such a long a time ago...makeup alley days! ha

My son went to Heaven 4/15/2018
I love and miss him so very much. God Bless you my dear Nicky