Beauty

[TY]

I watch a lot of youtube beauty videos and one thing stands out, it's the brands with a big social media following that also sends lots of PR to youtubers that get showcased and talked about on their beauty channels. But I'm not interested in trying most of those brands as they are too glittery, too scented, too colorful, or have questionable social media ethics and actions. 

Here are some brands I am not interested in trying:

Morphe - I tried some of their brushes and visited their Las Vegas store. The brushes are very average and the youtubers they play up are not interesting to me and have questionable social media posts.

Anastasia Beverly Hills - I gave my daughter one of their Aurora highlighter palettes and she doesn't like it or use it. I've looked at their lipsticks in Sephora and they are scented and their makeup is too glittery.

Pat McGrath - yes I know she's a very accomplished makeup artist but the eyeshadow palettes I've seen in Sephora look like chunky glittery junk.

Huda Beauty - Everything in her line is heavily scented. Ugh.

[tockerman]

do not watch you tube I buy beauty counter I like it safe beauty for the skin

[Snowpuppy]

I stopped watching last year after Marlena Stell of Makeupgeek spilled it all.

The popular "influncers" now want to be known as reviewers after the price sheets for their reviews were made public. Seems they are paid for reviews, positive/negative for up to $65k for a single review.

With that kind of money involved who would be honest?

Now the FTC is looking into all reviewers to see if they should actually be labeled as commercials.

[lkat]

While I get the sentiment as I also tend to stay away from over-hyped products, I would suggest you give some ABH products a try. As an eye shadow junkie, I have more palettes and shadows than I'll ever need.  My favorite palettes and some of my favorite singles are ABH.  They blend like a dream and are highly pigmented.  They also have great eyebrow products.  I'm not a big lipstick person, so haven't tried any of their lip products.

As far as Morphe, I think they are decent for a drugstore type brand.  They certainly aren't the best, but I wouldn't expect that at their price point.  The one product I think is fantastic is their makeup setting spray.  If you use one, I would highly recommend you give it a try.  

While there are a lot of sketchy influencers, there are also some that aren't afraid to give an honest opinion or negative reviews.  Also, it's a law that they have to say if they're sponsored.  Just because there are a lot of sleazy people out there doesn't mean that they all are.

[TY]

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@Snowpuppy wrote:

I stopped watching last year after Marlena Stell of Makeupgeek spilled it all.

The popular "influncers" now want to be known as reviewers after the price sheets for their reviews were made public. Seems they are paid for reviews, positive/negative for up to $65k for a single review.

With that kind of money involved who would be honest?

Now the FTC is looking into all reviewers to see if they should actually be labeled as commercials.

---

Yeah, there's definitely beauty gurus, especially the ones based in Los Angeles who have millions of followers on youtube who I would give the side eye to, especially the ones that always say they aren't sponsored. They are splitting hairs by saying that they aren't sponsored on one social media platform like youtube when a quick look at their instagram shows vacations to the tropics and elsewhere which are paid by beauty brands in exchange for posts which aren't disclosed as the sponsored ads that they are. I didn't fall off a turnip truck.

I prefer watching youtubers who have a smaller following and who are honest about disclosing sponsorships.

[Katcat1]

Sometimes it comes down to focusing in on your target audience and knowing what they like/want.  However, just because you start a beauty business does not mean you have good taste.  That's why I have certain brands that I love:

Acure - love their shampoos and sometimes use conditioner; lotion

No 7 - loving their moisturizers, eye cream, tinted moisturzer and foundation

Herbivore - love their sea salt texturizer and Phoenix oil

Aroma Naturals - handmade candles using essential oils for scent 

Chanel - on the high end this brand has awesome foundations

Origins - lipstick, lotion

Laura Mercier - body butter; fragrances; blush (10 hr. wear)

As far as not liking:

Laura Geller except her marble lipsticks

IT Cosmetics

Mally

The list goes on