Welcome to Swatch-all-idays!
Welcome to Swatch-all-idays!
One of my resolutions for 2011 is to be more organized, stay on top of things, and be more realistic about the volume of products I can review in detail with full swatches. Ideally, I’d love to start off with a clean slate so-to-speak by clearing out an ever growing backlog of products I’ve photographed, swatched, and often tested, but for whatever reason, never got through the photo editing process and thus were never written up. I am often ambitious and well… don’t have as much time as I’d like! I would like to do better for you in 2011!
For the next couple of weeks, I’ll be doing quick reviews. I’ll try to include as much relevant information as I can based on my notes, and I will, of course, indicate if I haven’t tested and only swatched. These reviews are going to be quick and dirty–and sometimes posts are not as detailed as I like (e.g. a blush is not shown on the face, only swatched). I’m clearing out photos I’ve had since June with the total number nearing 10,000 (these are all raw, unedited photos).
A couple of weeks ago, I asked readers whether quick reviews were helpful as opposed to not reviewing at all. I would love to do full, detailed reviews for every product–trust me, I would!–but I’m recognizing that I need to stop the bleeding before I can heal the wound. Readers said that photos and swatches are helpful enough and worth posting, if I am unable to do a full review. I will still have regular, full reviews being posted everyday, just like usual, but I will also be posting additional quick reviews. Like stocking stuffers! All extras on top of normal daily content.
This sounds awesome and helpful!
This is a cool idea! Photos and swatches are very good for quick references.
Christine, i just wanna thank you so much for all your hard work! I wouldnt know what to do without your blog. So dont worry about “only” putting up quick reviews and swatches.:) I still love them and your blog!
Love your blog Christine!
You take excellent photos and have great in depth reviews. I understand that you dont have time to do that with every product!
Short reviews, photos and swatches are great in between the testing you feel you have time to do. Blogging should be fun, not work!
Enjoy the holidays!
Greetings from Norway:-)
Hi Christine…i like the detailed reviews better because swatch on the skin and actually on face(lips,eyes)are so different…i esp wish i cudve seen the tartan tale eyeshadows on ur eyes:) to decide which palette to buy :)…bt better than no reviews are quickies ofcourse
Hi San,
I think I mentioned it in the post, but this is a special “series,” and it is not a change going forward – I’m just trying to get as much up so I can start the new year off without the backlog nagging at me!
I love it! And know that we appreciate everything you do! You do a great job!
Thank you 🙂
Really looking forward to it!
Sounds great! I love your swatches 🙂
I rarely read the review if you write one. I usually just scroll right to the swatches and pictures and then your rating of it.
The only time I might read the review is if it’s MAC and I’m unsure of the product.
I’d be totally happy if you just posted swatch pics sometimes. 🙂 I know your time is limited and I do appreciate in depth reviews if there’s an issue we need to know of (lasting power, etc) but most of the time I just like to see a clear picture of how a product looks on skin.
Good luck with that!
You already do so much!!!☺
Nothing wrong with swatches. You can’t test for longevity but you can test for quality and consistence with swatches. ^_^
Definitely looking forward to this 🙂 I don’t always have time to read full reviews, so I end up skimming the photos and pertinent info anyway!
I’m looking forward to this, and I already like your first couple of posts! I don’t always have the time to spend reading the entire article, so I skim & get the important stuff, your rating head to the swatches.
Christine, you are awesome and so dedicated. We thank you for any and all information that you provide for us makeup maniacs around the world 🙂
That sounds great! I love swatches even without full reviews. Excited for all the swatches. And what a smart way for you to clear out the swatch photo backlog.
“stocking stuffer” reviews sound like a great idea!
This is a good idea (I voted yes!). And ofcourse I hope you won’t mind if readers chime in about their experience with the product in case it’s an incomplete review?
I always want readers to share their experience, regardless of the review itself 🙂 That is the best part about beauty blogs – the reader feedback!
I just wanted to drop you a line & say you are already so amazing, you don’t need to do any better! This is by far my favorite beauty blog & the one I trust the most. I’m amazed by all you do already! Honestly, thank you for all of the hard work and care you put into everything, I truly appreciate it!
Wow, 10,000 photos! I’m expecting a lot of eye candy 🙂
Don’t worry about not being able to write full reviews, you’re already doing so much!
Love it! The clean slate idea will let you start off new.
Plus I get lots of quickie reviews, which is great because I have nothing to do in winter break!
Christine, you’re doing a phenomenal job so never feel like you’re letting us (your readers!) down because you’re already so thorough and honest that we know those characteristics will still shine through in the “quick and dirty” ones 🙂 I’m going through a similar process as I do food photography and scrapbooking and let’s just say I take pics faster than I can scrap them! I have a mondo backlog myself, but it’ll all sort itself out eventually, lol.
I love your blog and everything you do! 🙂
Thank you so much, Deb! 🙂
LOL… I feel your pain! I take WAY more photos and do more swatches than I have the time to crop and/or write-up reviews.
I love that you are doing more drugstore reviews!!
I don’t need the full blown descriptions. If you will just swatch and then describe the formulas as u have been, then I think that’s enough. If one brand of lipstick feels a certain way and is sheer or opaque, there is no need to repeat it for every swatch of the same brand.