Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Do Your Research


  Now I don't know about you guys but I don't believe everything I see on the news or hear in advertisements.  I'm not a conspiracy theorist or anything I just think that we should question everything we're told and find out the facts ourselves.  Prior to the internet being a great source of information on cosmetics and skincare, I wasted a lot of money on products I thought I needed.  I got pushed to purchase things that were wrong for my skin and colouring by sales assistants and got drawn into biased magazine reviews.  Nowadays I can easily look up a product on my phone right before making a purchase.  I'm going to give you a run down on what resources I use to make sure I get the most bang for my buck and don't end up with a dud of a beauty product.

Acne.org:  If you suffer from acne or sensitive skin I suggest you make a beeline over to this site as it is such a helpful and unbiased resource.  The reviews come straight from other acne sufferers so you know what products are effective and which ones you should avoid.  I have learned of many cheap and amazing products from this site that I wouldn't have bought otherwise.

Don't Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me:  I'm sure many of you have heard of Paula Begoun's (makeup artist, esthetician, and CEO of Paula's Choice) beauty product bible.  She gives a truthful rundown of brands and lists their best and worst products.  I'd recommend this to anyone who wants to overhaul their makeup and our skincare regime.

Beautypedia:  Beautypedia is the website that goes along with "Don't Go To The Cosmetics Counter Without Me" and offers more up to date insight and reviews on beauty products.  I'm no makeup expert but I have a lot of experience with most cosmetic brands and have to say I really agree with Paula.  For example she gives the Clinque 3 Step Skincare regime a  really bad score and I remember when I used it years ago I got one of the worst breakouts I've ever had.

Makeupalley.com:  In my opinion this is the ultimate mecca of beauty product reviews.  You can filter reviews based on age, skin type, skin tone, hair type, and hair colour.  You'll also find the most reviews on this site which helps give a better idea of which products are the best for you.

  You can also find reviews on website where beauty products are sold (such as Sephora) but I tend to take those reviews with a grain of salt because I think it's hard to find really negative reviews on there.

Other helpful places to help make purchasing decisions:

Beauty Blogs:  This is usually where I hear about beauty products and then go look up more reviews to compare them.  Beauty blogs often give you great product pictures which can help you decide if a product is right for you.  Although I follow bloggers with all types of skin, hair, and colouring there are bloggers I know who have similar hair, skin etc. as me so I tend to trust their reviews.

Google Images:  Can't decide if that blush that everyone is raving about is for you?  Simply type the product name into Google Images and see if you can find someone with similar skin tone, hair colour, and eye colour to you wearing it.

Do you research your beauty products or tend to make spur of the moment purchases?

29 comments:

  1. I feel like I sometimes still get sucked in but I've become better at reviewing things before I buy:)

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    1. I've pretty much just stopped buying magazines, they encourage me too much lol

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  2. very very informative. If you're also interested in chemicals and that sort of stuff there's http://www.ewg.org/skindeep/ which is a database for the level of safety for each product. You'd be surprised. :) Also, another great read is "there's lead in your lipstick" ... I try to do research, but then there's those impulse buys ;0

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    1. I've heard of that website and it's scary haha. I actually have a lot of problems with some natural ingredients so I'm pretty nit picky overall.

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  3. I need to take note of all this as I am definitely a spur of the moment buyer and often end up disappointed! Great information :) xx

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    1. Haha atleast look it up on your phone! I've found some gems that way.

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  4. Great post! Definitely gonna be using some of them now! :) x

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  5. I Google image swatches all the time to see what it "really" looks like! I think these are such great resources - wonderful post!

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    1. For us pale girls Google images is a must! Thanks Jasmine :)

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  6. Awesome resources! The Internet is definitely a lifesaver pre-purchase.

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    1. The internet both saves money this way and encourages me to spend money haha.

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  7. MakeupAlley is what led me to blogs in the first place! I have this obsession with reading MUA reviews before *and* after buying a product, just to see if I agree with any of them!

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    1. LOL I do that too xD

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    2. I do that too! Or if I'm bored I'll look up my favourite things to see if people agree.

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  8. I'm definitely going to bookmark the sites you recommended. I usually try to do my research before I buy but there are times when I get caught in the moment and make impulse purchases. There are a few bloggers that I know I can trust their reviews, while others I'm not so sure. What annoys me most about some bloggers, particularly those who get the free PR samples, is that some will only disclose the good stuff and let you go figure the bads. Typically, when the majority of consumers like a product, I know I'll most likely like it. When there's mixed reviews, I determine if the chief complaint is a user preference or a product defect.

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    1. I really appreciate when bloggers post bad reviews as I like the feedback to be more well rounded. I know it's hard to completely rip apart something you got for free though as they must feel guilty.

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  9. Great post on sharing the sites :)
    I usually don't buy products unless I have read enough about them. Because I have relatively oily skin, I usually check out the products that are thought highly of by other oily skinned ladies. Otherwise I do use MUA.

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    1. Thanks :) Yeah since I'm pale and have sensitive skin I have to be careful even if something is widely praised.

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  10. ah so glad you did a post like this! couldn't agree more, so many people just try to sell the item but don't consider if it is right for the client! great sources listed! will definitely have to check some out!

    -ariel* xoxo
    www.chiclookxo.com

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    1. I find SAs will push things on me assuming that I will get a tan lol. I've been refused to be able to try the lightest shade in foundation etc. Thank god for self service makeup stores like Sephora.

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  11. Great tips! Research is definitely key. I've made enough spontaneous purchases that were so not worth it. Makeupalley has been my beauty mecca for over 10 years! Glad you're loving it too :)

    -Jen

    www.vibrantbeautyblog.com

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    1. I wish I had known of MUA 10 years ago! Teenaged me definately needed help in the makeup department.

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  12. Thanks for sharing these resources. I remember when the clinique 3 step was heavy promoted and I bought one of their special sample set for Christmas, anyway the toner dried out my cheeks even though I have oily skin, xoxo.

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    1. That toner is pure rubbing alcohol I swear! Awful (and stinky!) stuff :(

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  13. Oooh thanks for this!
    Hamida X

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  14. I nominated you to versatile blogger award http://hasu--hana.blogspot.com/2013/05/versatile-blogger-award.html

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  15. Great post, thanks for all the website links. I've heard of MakeupAlley and I rely on it a lot for reviews before purchasing. It's great to have some more bookmarked x

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