Beauty Bloggers have been getting a bad rap for a while now. It seems that somehow the culture is shocked that we receive beauty samples to test and try. Sometimes, we even receive a trip to an event. I think it’s fair to expect the brands to offer beauty product samples if they want us to help get the word out about their product. I don’t see this as “payment” to run a story (as the image above suggests) but rather a product of research. How can I tell you how it smells, feels or performs if I haven’t actually used the product?
Now, I think you know that I wouldn’t be able to review as many beauty products as I do if I had to purchase every single one. I am a stay-at-home mom with two kids in private school and a step-daughter in college. I shop for fashions at Target, Kohls and whenever I find a great online sale. My “expensive” boots are around $100. I purchase many beauty products myself, mostly from Sephora and Target. Occasionally. I’ll even pick up a product at the grocery store. I’m living on a real budget, just like most of you.
If brands were not offering products to sample, I could tell you that the product is available but I don’t think it would be useful information in deciding if the product is worth your money. It’s much more beneficial to you as a reader to hear how the product works. My team of Mom Panel reviewers and I are honest in our reviews of products. There are plenty of products that we do not like and just because we received them free does not mean that we are going to give them a rave review. Do consider, however, that what may not work for us, may be great for someone else and we do our best to give both the good and bad qualities of a product and/or brand.
If you are looking to see alerts on what’s the latest and greatest beauty product that I have not tried, check the New in Beauty category. For those products actually tested, read the Beauty Product Reviews category.
Why do I share this? Last week the FTC decided that ALL BLOGGERS, beauty or otherwise, have to disclose when we receive a product sample, book for review or a free membership to test out. If we do not comply, there is a hefty $11,000 fine involved. While I feel A Mom in Red High Heels is transparent in it’s reviews, I will be adding a small banner at the bottom of any post that I post when it includes a product or service I received as a gift for testing.
or
This is considered “Full Disclosure”. The ruling goes into effect December 1, 2009 but after today you will begin to see this banner on A Mom in Red High Heels. If a post does not include the banner, I did not receive a product, gift card or other monetary benefit from the featured brand.
If you are a blogger and would like some help in understanding the FTC rulings, please refer to Beauty and Fashion Tech blog. She is an attorney by day, beauty blogger by night. Her breakdown of the FTC ruling is helpful.
For further information on the FTC ruling, read the Guides Concerning the Use of Endorsement and Testimonials in Advertising. Please note that this ruling does not include traditional media such as magazines. It does include celebrity endorsements of products.
You can also check out this Forbes article, “Bloggers Who Get Cash Or Freebies Must Disclose It” in which I commented on the topic.
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Does Oprah have to announce all the free stuff she gets from companies hoping to make her “Favorite Things” list? Magazines and PR ppl have gotten truckloads of free ish forever.
Of course you are gifted things, from people who hope you like it and will tell the world so. And celebs don’t pay for half of their clothes, jewelry, cell phones, accessories, etc. for the same reason. And you, for one, are very honest in your reviews.
As a Mommy Beauty Blogger, you are speaking directly to readers who are on a tight budget for time and money. They want to hear of your personal experience with products and services! They relate to you because you are a Mom yourself, and not a celeb or media corporation! If you had to buy everything you reviewed, that would be quite limiting.
I just hope this doesn’t decrease your access to great
products, because we love hearing about them!
Thanks for your support Jordana. I think we (bloggers/readers) find it fairly one-sided that traditional magazines don’t have to disclose. While the celebrity crowd is also directed under this ruling, I think it will be pretty hard for them to disclose what they are wearing with every photograph taken of them. Can you imagine, “Excuse me! Before you print that picture of me looking fab, make sure to note that I am wearing XYZ and I received it free”. It’s just not going to happen!
I speak to the topics because I love them, they are fun and I have a genuine interest in beauty/fashion regardless of free samples.
I think most of my readers understand that I receive samples for free. I just hope they also understand that I do spend a lot of my own money on beauty products, clothes and accessories as well. If they don’t, they can ask my husband and he’ll tell them so