Oh, yeah! When things get really hyped up or I start seeing multiple people I actively follow post about it, I am more curious and often try out the product.
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When I was younger, definitely. Especially all the Urban Decay releases! Now I still see the hype and get into it, but refuse to buy it until Christine has reviewed it! The most recent social media hype that comes to mind is the ABH Modern Renaissance palette.
Yes and no. I have bought things based on Emily Noel or Lipgloss Leslie’s recommendation. I’ve watched my fair share of blush tag videos and come away with many blushes I never previously owned. But I don’t follow hype just bc of it. I look to see if they give a well rounded review of an item. Not just gushing about something and not trashing something without trying it different ways and seeing how it wears over time etc. I don’t bother with first time impressions bc I think most products need to settle with you a bit before you give a good assessment imo. I also consider how much I’m willing to pay for an item and if it fits with my collection. My likes, skintype, skill set etc. I don’t buy everything that is hyped nor do I like everything that is popular. Gasp I never purchased a Lorac Pro palette, I’m meh about the original Beauty Blender and I just don’t like red lips or false lashes. Tbh there are few influencers I follow bc all they do is haul and like or not like things. I only read reviews that have a solid set of criteria they judge makeup on. I like Christine bc she speaks to an item’s wear time, blendability and gives swatches plus dupes. I like beautypedia bc it talks about ingredients. Otherwise I rather see how to use something or tips. How do you do a cut crease. Best way to apply eyeshadow to a hooded eye etc. So does social media influence my purchases, somewhat, but it’s not everything!
Yes and no. I watch YT videos and follow a few blogs and when things are really hyped up I usually pay extra attention to the product and its description and I think that use to make me run out and buy it right away. Now, I am much more likely to pay attention to who is reviewing it and whether I trust their judgement. Being older, I like it if some of the older women on YT review the product but I still would not run out and buy it just because someone says it is wonderful and I must have it. I mostly purchase after I have seen the product for myself, although that is not always possible. I find myself relying much more on trusted bloggers like Christine whose testing methods are structured, standardized and reliable. When I purchase from a company that doesn’t exist near me or in my country, I make a small order at first and then will place larger orders after I have tried their products, dealt with their customer service and noted their packing and shipping methods.
I know this answer is probably more than the questioner had in mind but I also wanted to mention that companies that over-hype and under-produce get erased from my list of potential providers. I won’t purchase from Too Faced, Violet Voss and now potentially from ColourPop. I think they are going into their 3rd or 4th re-stock on the “Yes Please” palette. They release a few and then a few days another release and so on. I really cannot abide that type of marketing anymore. I wasn’t planning on purchasing the palette but have ordered from them a lot and when I looked at Instagram after their latest restock on Thursday and there were so many people who were working at that time or sleeping and couldn’t get the palette who were so upset, I was upset for them. I know it is only makeup but ethical practices are important. Mini rant done, thank you.
There are plenty of times that it does. Which kind of surprises me, as I am not one to go with the crowds. But there is something fun and infectious about staying in the loop! Even if I don’t wind up buying “all the things”, I do learn about brands I either may not have heard of otherwise or I learn even more about products from brands that I already do. Making for better informed decisions on what I do choose to buy makeup and beauty wise.
Yep. I like Japanese brands cosmetics. Suqqu. Addiction. Kose. Jill Stuart. etc.
I read the blogs that post these fanciful cosmetics.
Likely is why I don’t buy U.S. Cosmetics as much or the French brands.
Suqqu limited editions sell like hot cakes and not always easy to get…sue to social media.
Yes, of course. Social media are my main source of information when it comes to products.
Me too, though I’ve learned to be more skeptical about some reviews and hypes, and learned what doesn’t work for me no matter how popular so I like to think I am swayed less by the hype alone.
Unfortunately! I try to keep aware of what reviews are sponsored or not and take them with a grain of salt, but I’m definitely more aware of products being pushed on social media than those that aren’t.
I agree with Kat, more aware of items being pushed on social media but not swayed very much to buy them. What they were raving about a year ago nobody/s talking about and I don’t trust the people who get it for free to review. I feel like I’ve seen so many phony reviews. And that is why I follow Christine. I feel she does a great job of reviewing and is very honest and from that I can make a decision and thank you for all your hard work!!!!
Totally. Before things like youtube and blogs, etc., I had a small, “normal” makeup collection. But in the past 10 to 15 years, my makeup and skin care buying have exploded and my collection of stuff (none of which I’m likely to finish, except the occasional lipstick) has got pretty out of control.
Yes, I like trying out things that have been recommended by people I like, but it can sometimes be challenging to navigate the “new PR-list product hype” echo chamber that goes on, to find products that I will really love out of those recommendations. (Like UD Naked Heat, and I absolutely love it!)
Of course! Between here (which isn’t but necessarily social media but still), youtube, and instagram I gather 99-100% of my product information, reviews, swatches, etc. Although ironically, if things get too much hype it actually makes me less inclined to buy the product. But if I see a relatively “normal” amount of hype, I start to get curious
dammit, yes.. but I’ve schooled myself into waiting. If the hype on a product remains well after the initial release (and there is still product available), then I usually turn to collective comments from T readers and make my decision based on that. My no rush policy has turned my eventual purchases into real pleasure. Hype rarely lives up to my exalted expectations.
Yes. When I see others hype those products I feel like I don’t want to miss out, but I have learned to take a step back & actually read & watch reviews. After that most of the time I realize it’s not something that great & don’t need. Especially now that there are so many options & some products are even identical.
Definitely. I view social media as ‘window shopping’ on steroids. It’s often the first step to discovering a new ‘find’ that will fit nicely into my collection. (But I’m so done with the temptation to buy something just because it’s the most-trending, most-exclusive, most-limited, most-loved, most-hyped, most most most new thing.)
Definitely. The biggest thing is that I follow a bunch of companies’ instagrams. I always know about new releases from my favorite brands well in advance and (this is probably the main thing) I know when they’re offering sales or discount codes. I don’t buy full price as often anymore because online shopping has made it so much easier to get 20% off if you wait a month or two. If I’m really pumped about something, I’ll snap it up without a discount code, but at least half of my purchases are stuff I waited for the right sale to pick up.
It’s relatively rare that individual people will motivate me to get something that wasn’t on my radar before, but I’m sure the constant stream of FOTDs that is instagram has some kind of general influence. Killer Colours is an exception. I love her taste in lipstick and less done up aesthetic. I picked up NYX Amethyst liquid lipstick because of her and it’s probably the best PURPLE purple I own, over even higher end brands.
I had no idea what you meant by Killer Colours so I googled it. She’s a YT’er I’ve never heard of (obviously), probably because I don’t watch many of them anymore. Anyway, out of curiosity, I watched her contouring video. She mixed TBS Darkening Drops, her foundation and facial spray. I was wowed! This kind of beauty tip is right up my alley. I love her idea and I’m going to try it!!! (I’m positive it’s going to work for me!!!) I own the TBS Lightening Drops (love them), and now I have to get the Darkening Drops. Thanks for mentioning her.
I’m glad you looked her up! Her instagram is great too, and I’ve been following her blog, which she still updates regularly, for years. I’d post a link, but I don’t know the rules about that here. It’s wonderful, and up in English as well as Swedish. I highly recommend looking it up if you like her youtube. <3
How can you not get hyped up when you start seeing stuff on social media!? I love it!! It’s the way I find the newest products!
The only way I get to see new products is via this blog – and if it’s rating is great, shades suit and reasonably priced, then I will consider purchasing.
But I’m not going to purchase products that won’t suit me, no matter what the brand’s hype is about.
Definitely! If a product is being used by a lot of active profiles on social media it makes you interested in how it is so popular and why it is worth the time to prepare posts and share their thoughts. Makes you want to investigate for yourself and try them out.
It does, especially when I am researching a product to decide if I want to buy it! Something print/legacy media still hasn’t been able to catch up on is that most consumers want to know how a product actually works instead of the marketing pitch.
Yes…because it’s how I find out what’s new. I don’t think I buy stuff I wouldn’t buy if I happened to discover it on my own, but social media puts it in front of me before it’s even for sale. Without social media, I wouldn’t have bought Naked Heat, Sephora Pro Palette, Huda Beauty Rose Gold palette, Jouer Skinny Dip, or Too Faced Glitter Bomb.