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Do beauty blogs help you save money or splurge more often?
Do beauty blogs help you save money or splurge more often? Do you buy more? Or do you shop smarter?
I buy way, way more as a result of being a beauty blogger! I think it ends up being a wash, because beauty blogs show you so many things that look amazing, so while I’d expect I would get better products overall, I don’t think I’d buy less!
Thanks to Arian for today’s question! Got a question idea? Submit yours here.
On the whole, I’d say save. While I do splurge occasionally (such as on Guerlain) far more often I see something and see the review and it helps control the craving as it were 🙂
I definitely spend way more on beauty products after seeing them on websites!
I’d like to think it’s a little of all of the above. I do shop smarter because of blogs because I’ll see reviews of products but at the same time I’m enabled so I end up shopping more!
Probably both….
I don’t bother purchasing products that aren’t worth my money, but at the same time I’m introduced to so many new brands/products that I want to try them out!
I definitely spend more because of Beauty Blogs….but I think I am happier with my purchases overall, because I am more informed before I buy!
Reading beauty blogs makes me buy way way way more… but having a beauty blog is the symptom of my disease 😉 It’s my justification for all the stuff I buy because I read about it!
I think I buy way more too, but I feel that I don’t have a lot of duds or misses with products whereas if it weren’t for beauty bloggers, I would. 🙂
Both! It helps me save when I want something, but the product isn’t as amazing as it first seemed to me after reviews AND reading reviews make me spend more money because I find out about products I didn’t know about so I end up buying them to try out the brands. 🙂
Since starting to read beauty blogs, I buy a bit more but not much. I mostly buy better products. I used to now know where to start with things and usually ended up buying whichever product was cheapest or had the prettiest packaging. Nowadays, I actually care about the quality of the product and am willing to splurge to get a higher quality.
Christine, I feel the same way. I have spent way more money since reading your blog. Don’t get me wrong, you’ve saved me from some bad purchases. In the end though, your wonderful photography makes all the products you review look so alluring and enticing!
SPLURGE!! No doubt about it. If i see a product being raved about on a blog or you tube i always want it!! 😉
I buy more…if I dont know about it, I wont buy it even if I already screen out many brands and items due to the costs or where they are made.
I would say save. Beauty blogs really help me decide what to spend my very limited extra money on. Thanks, Christine!
Beauty blog => Pretty swatches => Lemmings => Purchases
I will revive my theory about how a mob of broke beauty junkies may be on their way to you, Christine. Waving their pitchforks and all. 😛
I’ve always bought a lot of make up since I can remember,but now seeing swatches and seeing more varieties,some i wouldn’t think of getting till seeing them on beauty blogs. So,beauty blogs def opened my eyes and my wallet a lot more ,lol.
It used to effect my purchasing more, but I’ve found that my buying has ramped up since my employee benefits include year round 20% off of Chanel, Dior, Mac, Estée Lauder, Stila, Urban Decay, etc. That really does not help!
Where do you work and are they hiring? LOL!
Well, I’d have to say both. I think that following beauty blogs steers me clear of some duds, but at the same time, it makes me aware of brands (like Hourglass, Christine!!!) that I might be missing. I’d say that blogs affect my purchases, but that my overall beauty budget remains about the same.
Splurge. Haha!
Agree. LOL. Maybe we do buy better products, but definitely not less.
This site has maybe pushed me into some brands beyond what I can afford, but to me…it’s fun and makes me feel happy and better about myself. I’m so thankful to of learned about Le Metier De Beaute!! Also, the swatches on your site “Temptalia” have really opened my eyes to the girly wonders of Dior & Chanel; haha…now I am addicted and in love…hehe!! Thank you Christine ;c) **Happy New Year Beautiful Ladies**
Beauty blogs,especially Temptalia,makes me spend a lot more smartly.So I would consider that as a great help for the wallet.
Returning cosmetics is nearly impossible in my country so I want to make sure that a product I buy will work for me,or at least worth the money.Like the new Chanel Velvets case,I almost bought several shades of an expensive products that I will never be using.But I told myself “check out Temptalia,maybe she has written something about those”.And 100 bucks saved successfuly:D
I often find myself extending my to-buy list with stuff I didn’t actuallly plan to buy,like an another red lipstick.But happily being a make up addict,it is not a problem for me:)
I think, overall, I splurge more often, since I often see some amazing product in a blog and have to head out and buy it. On the other hand, it has been a really long time since I bought something I had to throw out or give away, because it was poor quality.
SPLURGE!! But it’s a good thing 🙂
Definitely more. The Giorgio Armani Eyes to Kill or Chanel Illusion d’Ombre eyeshadows, for example, weren’t even on my radar until I read your reviews and saw your swatches. Though it probably would have been a lot more if it weren’t for reading blogs and knowing what products to avoid, or on which to proceed with caution. Without them, I’d be going in blind and probably wasting a lot of time – and money.
Definitely: I buy more 🙁
First of all: Happy New Year!It really helps me to save money, as it happened many times that I was crazy about a new product, but when I saw several bad reviuws, I simply lost the interest…
When I started reading them, they compelled me to spend more! But now I’m more careful about deciding what I will really use, and since a lot of times something will look nice but get poor reviews from bloggers, I actually save more by reading beauty blogs. 🙂
Blogs make me want to spend more, usually. If it wasn’t for beauty blogs, I wouldn’t be aware of new products and collections. If something is a dud according to the blogs, I won’t buy it, but I definitely spend a lot more than I would without blogs. When I see those gorgeous swatches, it turns a maybe into a must-have.
Both, but I definitely end up spending more! Beauty blogs are great for figuring out what might/might not work for me, and to avoid buying products that are totally duds. However, it’s also so easy to come across products that I didn’t think I want/need, and now I’ve GOT to have because people make it look/sound so amazing!
Saved money! I’ve been able to pass on many on the recent MAC collections thanks to Temptalia. 🙂 Being able to see swatches on a real person (with similar coloring) has been wonderful!
Save money, no doubt about it!
I’ve saved a lot of money by living vicariously through beauty bloggers! Instead of making impulse purchases, I check things out on beauty blogs first to get an idea of product performance/colour. I’ve become a lot less likely to buy gimmicky products that don’t perform well, and more likely to use that money on quality products that I’ll actually use. Thanks Christine!
I spend WAAAY more because of blogs and youtube tutorials than I ever did before discovering all the makeup sites online. I think my purchases are well informed because of the information at your site, Christine, and some others but I also know that just seeing all the “new to me” stuff creates cravings for things I could probably live without quite happily only I get hooked into wanting them. But, hey, at least my purchases are well-informed!
I feel the same way. As a blogger, I feel like I have to try more and review more so my readers can see what works and what doesn’t work. But I would probably spend as much anyway, because I’m such a makeup addict. 😛
Both! Thanks to beauty blogs, I’ve saved a lot of money on products that just aren’t good quality or worth the price. But since I’m exposed to so many beautiful things, I end up wanting more!
i end up saving. unless something gets an amazing review i dont buy it. i work too hard for my money to waste it on sub par product. it was weird, i looked back over what i bought this year and realized i only bought 3 LE items(hibiscus lipstick from surf baby, theBalm cast your shadow and the urban decay anniversary pencil set). most of my makeup purchases this year were tried and true favorites that i have been buying for years.
I buy more but I buy smarter. I always check reviews before I buy something.
spend more… but on more effective products! so i feel like it’s a smarter investment haha 🙂
It’s hard for me to say because I was never into makeup all that much before I started reading beauty blogs…but I do choose what I buy more wisely than if I didn’t have blogs to use as reference, so I guess it saves me from wasting money (though I don’t hesitate to return stuff I don’t like). However it also lets me see brands I wouldn’t have bought from otherwise, and be up to date with collections so I think most likely overall I end up spending more.
I’d say both! I shop smarter, since I read all the reviews, search for swatches, and see what other think about the quality and value of the products before I buy. However, I buy products that I would never have discovered on my own without seeing them on blogs first. A blessing and a curse, I guess. 🙂
I splurge more in high-end and high-quality products (say, brushes) but I save in a long run for color make-up. Although once in a while I disregard reviews and spend hours at make-up counters to experiment with anything that catches my eyes.
Christine, thanks so much for buying products and reviewing them so thoroughly! We all appreciate it!
I’m a bit of a mixture, I think. I like seeing your reviews because they’re so detailed and influence what I buy. I shop smarter because of this blog but at the same time, it opens my eyes to many great (and sometimes expensive) products!
At first I think I spent more, but in the last year I can honestly say I’ve curbed the habit quite a bit and the blogs are instead a very helpful source to determine
1 – how well will this product fit in with the rest of my makeup (like to create looks)
2 – is it worth the price (Guerlain, YSL, Chanel I love you but you don’t love my wallet)
3 – do I have something already that is a close dupe
And finally, I can hear my mother’s voice in this….
4 – do I really need this product
So to you and all the other bloggers I follow daily, many many thanks.
Definitely buying way more as a result of Beauty Bloggers. However, it also saves me from buying the items that aren’t worth it, because you guys get to try it for me! I think it helps the cosmetic companies too, because it helps them narrow down what they do really well and what needs improvement based on what we end up purchasing. Everyone wins (except my wallet)!
I def spend more, but I shop smarter.
Reading beauty blogs *cough SPECIFICALLY TEMPTALIA cough* has really turned me on to makeup in general, and how to use things and what to look for. I’ve tried to use makeup regularly in the past and failed miserably, but with the blogs to guide me toward the good stuff, I haven’t given up and thrown up my hands in despair that makeup just isn’t for me! So, while I am spending more thanks to beauty blogs, I am spending a lot more wisely.
I consume a lot, but I’m now a well informed consumer
This blog has shed me a good amount of money. Especially on the Urban Decay book of shadows 6.
Actually, I think I’ve been spending a bit too much money on makeup lately thanks to blogs and YouTube. I’m going to try to cut down how much time I spend on beauty blogs or watching YouTube because when I see an amazing product, I want to go out and get it. That said, beauty blogs have helped me stay clear of some products that I might have been interested in and curious enough to buy.
I think I end up spending more because without beauty blogs, I wouldn’t know when various MAC collections come out saving me money until i feel i need something and Temptalia is my go to blog for MAC because the photography and reviews are top notch and I’m able to pick out my favorites so it’s easier when I go to the counter.
It evens out – I know to avoid tempting products that don’t perform, but end up buying products that might not have caught my interest otherwise.
If it weren’t for beauty blogs, I’d have so many of the same color of the same product! I rely on honest opinions and reviews to keep my collection current and keep my bank account positive!
I definitely spend way more now that I read so many beauty blogs. But I have decided not to buy a few items that I thought I would love because of bad reviews.
I first started looing at blogs because I had a specific product type in mind like ‘long wearing eye shadows’ and wanted to buy a good one straight away rather than waste money though trial and error. In that respect they help me save money.
BUT
they have also introduced me to so many things. I used to think primers were completely pointless and just hyped up moisturisers cosmetics companies had invented to get us to spend more money. Had I not read such blogs…I wouldn’t own THREE primers now!
i definitely spend way more…on my own i don’t actually think much will work on me, then i see pictures and it completely sways me -_-
I used to buy haphazardly, just doing my guess work, and tending to be frugal. I regretted a lot of purchases.
Then I started reading beauty blogs, and I started shopping much, much smarter. I regret far fewer purchases than before. And at the end of the day, it’s my choice when I cut off my spending. Beauty blogs just help me find better stuff (and sales!).
Then I started my own beauty blog and youtube channel, and now I’m spending a lot more, LOL, but that’s because it’s an investment in the site and my readers.
Both. Sometimes I read reviews that make me not want to get a product, or inform me that I already have a product close to the one I was thinking of buying. However, sometimes blogs introduce me to products that I didn’t know about, and make me want to buy them. So, I would say it likely breaks even between deterring me and making me go crazy trying to find the product!
Definitely buy more. I see more products I want and then splurge. If I didn’t have a blog, and didn’t look at them, I would have more money lol.
I have realized that I have way to much beauty products, I’m in my 40’s and probably I won’t be able to use all the makeup I got, for the rest of my life! and I don’t think I got as much as YOU HAVE, Cristine (I would say I have like 10%) so in my case, when I see something it’s been review in beauty blogs, I question myself IF I really need to buy, sure, everything looks nice, but I really can’t afford to buy everything I see.
definately shop smarter 🙂 thank you so much christine!! your blog is amazing
I’m such a beauty nerd that beauty products and makeup is a legitimate part of my (strict!) weekly and monthly budget. I am going to buy a certain amount anyway, so I use beauty blogs in order to be a wise consumer! Your blog helps me to be informed about what I’m buying and make sure I’m using my makeup dollar wisely. Since I started reading beauty blogs I have all but eliminated buyers remorse and haven’t returned ANYTHING in about two years. When I make up my mind about getting something, it’s because I’ve checked your review and the dupe list to make sure I’m growing my stash wisely 😉
I’d say both! I love beauty blogs cos I can look up reviews on the things I want, and if they turn out to be not-so-great, it saves me money! If it weren’t for the blogs I would have already bought it and then just wasted money and be disappointed…
On the other hand, the blogs introduce me to new products and brands that I may have never even heard of or thought of trying, and that is when I get sucked in and the money I saved goes bye bye…
I do it both – save and occasionally splurge Beauty blogs help me in doing it and they keep me updated and informed because there is so much going on in the beauty industry.
Both! I would barely buy makeup at all if it wasn’t for beauty blogs showing me all the cool stuff I could be using, but they’re also a huge help in helping me find bargains and learning about what products are worth my money.
They save me so much money! Now I will wait to see swatches and reviews on about 90% of new releases. Before, I would just buy and then be out of luck if the product was a dud. Also, it helps with Limited Edition pieces that I want to purchase before a swatch is posted. I know when they are going to be released and pre-order online when possible.
The only thing beauty blogs do for me is provide information on what’s out there, when collections are released etc. I don’t base my decision to buy or not buy based on the reviews/swatches I see. I prefer to check things out for myself and luckily I live in a city that has most brands/products available. For the things that aren’t available here, I simply won’t purchase them (online) no matter the good review/swatches are on beauty blogs.
Save money from wasteful products!
PS- Christine, the title for this post reads “Do you beauty blogs….”, I tried to wrap my head around that, confuses me. LOL. So Im guessing typo?
Splurge! And at the same time, reading blogs such as yours, helps me save on a lot of crappy stuff that’s out there.
Yes and No. But more often my favorite blogs entice me to buy products!
Fortunately I have saved A LOT of cash from the help of your blog, because I might be craving a purchase and your reviews are not so great so I pass. Thanks Christine! 🙂
Save AND splurge! Checking out reviews has been so helpful to make better choices, so in that way I’ve saved…but beauty blogs have also introduced me to so many different brands and products that I cannot deny I have splurged as well! However, there are products I have bought even if I have not read about them in a beauty blog…I’m a make up addict, there’s no denying that!
I agree with you and so many others. I spend more, but I also spend wisely. I have fewer disappointments and fail products because of reviews, but I get those lemmings too!