I was recently reading a thread on a beauty forum regarding Youtube, and a lot of people voiced their grievances about various issues pertinent to the Youtube beauty community. And while I disagreed with a lot of the complaints that people had, a lot of the issues raised also had valid points.
In recent weeks I have noticed a lot of respected videographers trying to disguise promotional items they were sent for free as personal "hauls". Now let me say right off the bat - I do not think there is anything wrong with receiving free stuff and doing a video on it if the product is to your liking, even for clothes, tanning products, brushes, etc. In those instances, a video will benefit everyone: the company gets more exposure for a good but relatively unknown product, and the viewer will find out about a great new product that otherwise would have remained in obscurity.
I even do not have a problem with Youtubers making money through other means, such as commissioned videos - recently you might have noticed that some popular Youtubers like nigahiga, smosh, or hotforwords were paid for product placement from a burger company, or Adidas in the case of smosh. You know what - more power to them! They are able to secure another source of income doing something they love - good for them. It's obvious to the viewers, and they have not tried to disguise this sponsorship. I don't think it is wrong for a videographer to ask for a fee for product placement on a video, be it beauty videos or otherwise, because let's face it - that company can stand to make a lot of money from the sole work of the videographer, all they had to do was send out a couple free samples. It is naive to think that big companies wouldn't eventually catch wind of the potential advertising that could be done through Youtube - the only question is how to deal with this in a manner that is fair to everyone involved. I'm sure nigahiga, smosh, and hotforwords were paid well for these endorsements and so they should be! But even then, the videographer should have enough integrity to not endorse products that aren't to their liking.
But recently there has been a worrying trend of beauty videographers not being honest about some of these things - saying they "hauled" or "ordered" an item when it was actually sent for free. Why is there the need to be dishonest about these things? No one is fooled when there's 3 or 4 people doing videos on the same exact product or online store at around the same time. Maybe they were paid for it, maybe not - that's not the point. I don't think there's anything wrong with that if it's done in an honest and upfront manner - either by stating in the video that the items were sent as a promotion, or writing it in the sidebar, or by mentioning something in the credits like "sponsored by ...", or at the very least not alluding that you are just a regular customer. When people write "haul" it's understood as a person showing items they purchased themselves.
I have to say that I find this an unfortunate development in the Youtube community. I can say that I was recently offered a large sum of money (I won't say how much) from a company to upload a review of their product on my channel. I am sure this company was hoping to secure a glowing and positive review of their product by offering me a substantial payment, but the product was absolutely useless! Sure, I admit the money was a tempting offer but in the end I knew I would lose a lot of respect from my viewers, and the idea of giving a glowing review of a junk product that my viewers might go out and purchase because they trusted my review and waste their hard earned money on something I'd been given for free, it just didn't sit right with me. So I just passed on the offer and the money, and gave the product away to a friend, never to be seen on my channel.
The funny thing is, another beauty videographer has reviewed this product and given it a glowing review, and I can see this video was viewed many, many times. Now, perhaps this person did have a positive experience with the product and maybe opinions and experiences just differ - I'm not ruling that out - but I also wonder if maybe the allure of the money outweighed their personal integrity.
Now I know you are all thinking - name and shame! But honestly, it's not about that - I'm not going to cause a huge shit storm over this, but I just want you to know that I always have and always will be honest in my reviews. I have turned down money and commissions for many products that were just junk, and I will continue to do so. Also, some products I initially liked, but over time I changed my opinion about them for whatever reason, so in that case I just removed the video from my channel (I only did this once so far and I learned my lesson to take much longer to test before reviewing!) If I do receive a product that I can absolutely stand behind, I will not hesitate to do a video on the product, but I will not make out that I "hauled" and purchased the item myself. I have always tried to be upfront about that - for example when I received some of those eyeshadow or lip palettes from eBay from the seller, products I truly like and continue to use myself, or the promo package from Illamasqua, or my sponsorship from BeautyChoice. I have even received products from BeautyChoice that I did not do videos on because I personally did not have a good experience with them - and the company was completely respectful and fine with that, something I highly value.
My protocol is if I get sent a free promo product and I don't like it - I just won't do a video on it. I will not go on Youtube and blast the company and say how crap the product is - I don't think that is fair especially as opinions differ and just because I didn't like it, doesn't mean someone else won't. I am well aware of the size of my audience and my "power" so to speak, if I go on Youtube and say how utterly crap a product is, I know that could potentially cause huge financial damages for a start-up, small family run business that is just hoping to get their name out there. So, I just deny them that exposure on my channel - I think this is a fair resolution.
But again, no one has to purchase any of the products I show on my channel. I can only offer my own opinion on something, and if it's something you're interested in then maybe it's helpful, if it's a product you have no use for - then please do not buy it. I don't want people to run out and just buy everything I use or show, and I always, always want everyone to do additional research and get a second opinion on something before making a rash purchase that they might not be 100% satisfied with.
Lastly, I can only implore other beauty videographers to wake up and realize what they are doing - they are not only alienating their own viewers who have helped them get this far on Youtube in the first place, but they are also casting a negative light on all of us who make beauty videos, because many viewers end up generalizing and thinking that all of us are like that, willing to give less than honest reviews on products to make a quick buck. I can only hope that these viewers will differentiate and make up their own minds on who or what to believe.
I am not trying to glorify myself or cast myself in a good light and put other people down. That is not the intent of this post. The point is that I want my viewers and my subscribers to know, that I am always honest in my reviews, and where I purchased things or if something was sent for free. In the beginning I may not have been so clear about this because I honestly did not know it was such an important point to my viewers, but I realize that it has become this way. So, I make it a point now to mention if something was sent to me as a promo item or not. If I am ever commissioned in the future by a company to make a specific video, I will be honest about it and not try to disguise things.
Thank you for reading.
Note: I've become aware this blog entry has been linked on various videos. I do not condone Internet bullying of any sort. This post is not about about any particular person or persons, just my own experiences. I do not wish to get pulled into any drama or pick sides on anything that is going on. These are my own thoughts on an issue, that's it. Nothing more, nothing less.
PS: Comments will be moderated. I will not publish trash talking about specific people or videos - I am not here to start drama or make anyone look bad or piss people off. I just wanted you to know my own personal stance on this issue, that's all.
PPS: Completely unrelated, but an archive of my radio show interview is up now in case you want to listen to it. The interview with me starts about 30 mins into the program, you can fast forward to it. Click the BlogTalk icon below my profile to tune in. Click here to go there now.
Wow. I know exactly what you are talking about. Crap clothes that I would never buy. And one of the Gurus stated that she was a size Medium because she was "big". I am a size Medium and have never thought of myself as big. I always thought I was normal.
ReplyDeleteI think some Gurus are casting a bad light on you guys and it sucks because we want to be able to trust your opinions.
Thank you for writing this and for the video about personal appearance.
:)
Hi Julia! I understand where are you coming from and I value all your effort to bring us viewers an honest review of a product. I can tell by your review videos that you put a lot of thought in using the product to give us an honest opinion, always with pros and cons. I´ve been a suscriber of your channel for about nine months or so, I know is hard to get to know someone by just videos, but somehow I feel I know you and you´ve show to have integrity and a "no bs" personality if you know what I mean. I trust your reviews and I´ve purchase stuff that you have recommend like the clarins eye spf, the mac brushes, the nyx eyeshadows, the ghd flat iron. I guess what I trying to say is thank you for your concern, thank you for always thinking of your subscribers and to always be true to yourself and honest to us. I know you don´t like to be called a role model but you truly are!
ReplyDeleteWow, I see what you mean.. I was watching a fairly popular youtube guru earlier. I don't want to name names, But she had a "haul" on clothes, From a certain site. First thing I thought was, OH they were sent to her. In previous hauls when she did have clothes, she just showed them, like in a normal haul video. NOT show every piece on her and link each item to the site. lol IDK, its funny. Maybe they just don't like the hate they get once people say, "OH You didn't buy that"! It also sucks when a youtube member gets popular, and they change. Its like you watched them when they had 1k subscribers then they get like 50k and their videos change, attitude changes.. What ever makes them happy. The ones who do clearly lie, ruin it for other guru's who may actually spend their hard earned money to try something and review it for their subscribers. It ruins it for them because there will always be those people who are doubtful of you. Who will assume you're just reviewing it because it was sent to you for free. They will also be skeptical about taking your review serious, due to the fact they think you HAVE to give it good reviews since they think it was sent to you for free.. lol Its a mess!
ReplyDeleteI recently saw a video on a product that I thought was absolutely useless. I won't say the name of the company or the product. However, what I will say is that they did threaten to sue a YouTuber for voicing her opinion on the product. The company continued to spam her comment section of her video. She did indeed say that she enjoyed the product, but that the fault was on her for now following directions carefully. (I don't know why, but the company blew that totally out of proportion.) It was sad watching the original guru's video (the video in which this other video was posted as a response), knowing that the guru actually supports the company. I trust that guru's reviews on some things, but it's obvious that there are some products that gurus get paid to review.
ReplyDeleteAll I can say is amen. I agree with every single point you made in this post. To be honest, you are one of my favorite YouTube beauty gurus BECAUSE you are so honest and insightful. I really appreciate the fact that you give detailed reviews on products as well as detailed tutorials. I have been a subscriber for nearly a year and I can say that you have stayed true to yourself unlike other various YouTubers (I won't name names, either). I have to agree with Fer99's comment: you are a role model.
ReplyDeleteYou know, I first found YOU on youtube and frankly you were the first one i subscribed to. I honeslty got a bit dissapointed with other beauty gurus...And I really trsut you. I see your videos and they don't follow the "trend". Actually you make the trends...(it's true to me)for example: the nail polish videos (love them).
ReplyDeleteI do hope some videographers will understand there viewers have enough inteligence to understand...
Oh well thank you for this blog post...
Cat.
I completely agree with everything you said, Julia. I mean, I don't know who these people think they're fooling, stating they purchased these items themselves, or that they did a research and ordered some things or wathever, but it's pretty obvious they didn't and in my opinion they just end up looking like liers. I've realised I can't trust these "gurus" (even though I used to love them dearly) and so I've started unsubscribing from them because I just don't like being lied to in such an obnoxious way.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's all about the money at the end of the day... Sad.
I agree with most of what you said. I'm glad you're actually being honest about everything; to our concern. In my case, I won't go out and buy something because a guru recommended it. I always look into the product or something similiar to it and see other people's responses.
ReplyDeleteI'm more into watching guru's do tutorials. It's not that I don't watch their haul videos or anything like that but, I don't feel the need to buy something expensive when I probably already have something similar to it. I just learn from their techniques and try to make the best of it in my own version.
Sometimes I think some of the stuff guru's review/"haul" aren't purchased by them but, that's their own thing. I'm not going to be quick to judge if a guru haul's a certain amount of things from a particular website. Maybe they actually bought the stuff because uh... they liked it obviously.
It's just really nice to know that we can trust you with good honest feedback on products.
It's nothing new that people do things their own ridiculous way just to make money. Honesty isn't around anymore, it's all about selling. Sad, but true.
I think that even if someone is paid for a review, I don't think that is a big deal tbh if the product is something they can truly stand behind. Like I mentioned, this happens a lot on Youtube now, not exclusively in the beauty community, where companies commission videos on their behalf (eg nigahiga, smosh, hotforwords, etc.) If someone makes a commission or is paid something for a video, I personally don't have a problem with that. I do have an issue with people being less than honest, or maybe endorsing a product solely for the money, and not even liking that product themselves. Just wanted to be clear on that. I don't have a problem with videographers earning money from their videos and being compensated for their hard work, but I think that maybe we need to be more selective about what we choose to endorse. :)
ReplyDeleteYou know what I admire about you Julia? It's the fact that you support TRUE TALENT and not some gibbery gibbery stuff. And it shows especially from your other channel videos when you done a "Pay It Forward" Tag and those gurus that you chose were amazing.
ReplyDeleteI think we should stand up to those who like make comments pending approval when they advertise products and know for sure people are going to be suspicious and then they approve all the 'nice' comments so innocent people don't know
ReplyDelete^Well, that depends - I have comments on pending approval on some of my videos just because they are featured on the YT homepage and that usually results in a huge influx of jerks making very rude comments that have nothing to do with actual video - just saying "ugly, hideous, get a life" etc etc. So I just filter those comments out. I do think gurus have the right to remove comments from their videos if they are being derogatory to their sponsor, but like I said, I think everyone should get a second opinion before making any purchase decision.
ReplyDeleteCompletely agree with you on the statement that things like this are making everyone distrust other beauty gurus. It has certaintly made me always think twice whenever a guru has praised a certain product.
ReplyDeleteWhenever a beauty guru pushes products which are obviously sponsored, I don't hate on them or leave nasty comments, I simply unsubscribe because when people put money before everything else it just makes me lose any respect I had for them.
However, one thing I do disagree with is that any type of sponsorship is ok sometimes or product placement is ok. It makes me feel cheated as a viewer and lied to, even if the guru says they DID infact like the product, because I suppose there is no way to tell if they genuinely did like the product or not- for example, the company could be paying the guru to say that.
Anyway, just my opinion.
Great blog post!
^You're right - if it's a paid product endorsement, you have no 100% proof if they did indeed like the product or not. That is where trust comes in - whose opinion do you trust, who have you received beneficial advice from in the past and do you think they are likely to maintain their integrity? Whose recommendations have you gone on and actually liked the products in the past?
ReplyDeleteOn the other hand, think about any commercial with a famous spokesperson - Dita Von Teese as the spokesperson for the MAC Viva Glam campaign for example - do you think they did it for free? Did you still feel cheated? Probably not. So in the future, we are likely to see more of this, that beauty gurus are commissioned for companies to endorse their products. If that is indeed the case, I personally don't see why they shouldn't be reimbursed for their work. But it also means that gurus have to be more selective about what they choose to endorse and who they partner with. I mean, if MAC cosmetics came knocking on my door one day, and commissioned me to make videos for them (haha yeah right) - I'm not going to turn that down because it's a product I already use a lot and can stand behind. :)
Wow, very honest of you Julia. As you said, In the beginning you weren't very clear about it. Kudos to you for learning how important is it to clearly state "I was given this product for free".
ReplyDeleteHey Julia,
ReplyDeleteI totally agree with you and respect you for what you're doing.
I am not from the "You Tube Beauty Industry" but I agree that honesty is the most important thing when building a relationship with the viewers.
Receiving money for the videographer's hard work (as well as the initial hard work he/she has done to get the subscribers)is - in my view - the same as getting paid for any other "desk job". It's the same as charging for a doctor's examination, a mechanic's work or lawyer's consultation. Not only is it legitimate but it's an honorable way of making money! You work hard and get compensated for that.
However, concealing a promotion video as a haul is not honorable and isn't legitimate! They may get money or products in the short run and the company may get publicity - but in the long run they may lose their hard-earned stand.
I agree on the points you've made, Julia, both in your post and your later comments. I think it's the guru's perogative to endorse whatever product they like, but I think courtsey should keep negatively review out (unless something truly hideous and important for consumers to know results from use of the product, say your eyelashes drastically fell out, or your skin turned green or something).
ReplyDeleteI think there are three types of gurus. One type is the gurus who do solely tutorials and rarely, if ever, "haul" or "review" anything. There are ones who do both tutorials and haul/reviews. And there are ones who do primarily hauls/reviews. In my opinion, if you do primarily haul/review videos, you should be more wary of taking endorsements because the viewers are not able to onnect with you a level other than as a place to get opinions. But, like you said, people have to make up their own minds and if you buy a product solely based on a guru's review you cannot blame them that you failed to research the product.
Good topic. Thanks for always being honest with us and for the post!
Hi Julia,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all, I've been watching you on YouTube and reading your blog for quite a while now and Ive become a bit of an addict. Your creativity and talent are amazing and I really like how respectful and composed you seem to be as a person.
As for this blog post, I see where that comes from, I appreciate your honesty and I totally share your point of view.
Keep up the good work. And the high standards that you've set for yourself and, in a way, for other gurus.
Jurate
hi,
ReplyDeletelove your blog and videos...love the professionalism you are bringing...
My personal experiance was not so good, thanks to reviews of some YT gurus...whn i started wth make up, i blindly believed what they said, and ended buying some crap stuff and neglecting some good stuff.
Worst, gurus who raved about a product like HG...ended up swaping them..i understand, bloggers and gurus can't keep buying every stuff and to keep the blog running, swatches, reviews are important....i wish they would be honest in giving opinions...
Hi Julia,
ReplyDeleteI completely agree with you on all points stated. I feel like, for the most part, if someone is being genuinely honest about a product, we as viewers, will catch that vibe.
CrystalS
Even though this isn’t an issue that really affects me, this was a really interesting post to read. (Like Jess I tend to watch for ideas and techniques. I don’t really concern myself with the brand unless there’s a specific reason I should.)
ReplyDeleteYour willingness to recommend alternative products, especially drugstore products, is one of the reasons you’re definitely my favorite to watch. :)
I'm really glad you put out an opinion on this. I think it's very important.
ReplyDeleteHi Julia! I so agree on the points you made..I'm so happy because you did not change even after a year (of watching you in YT)..I watched many gurus that I liked when I was just starting as a regular viewer in the beauty community in YT but I chose to unsubscribe to them (one by one) these past months because I noticed that they are just endorsing items..it is really so sad that many gurus that I love to watch and trust their opinions ended up like this..
ReplyDeletethank you for continously thinking about your viewers..Kudos to you..and keep up the good work ^_^
I totally agree , maybe they just don't understand that for some people reviews are important.
ReplyDeleteLike me for example, I don't have much money to spare, I can't just throw my money in something useless, when I need something like makeup or personal care products I go and read some reviews (I go to makeupally mostly) I take in consideration the opinions there and then I buy what if feels that may work for me from what I read, so far had worked.
Well thanks for sharing your point of view, and have a nice weekend :D
I agree with you, most of us get these videos as a guide and if you say that x product is SOOO GOOODDD,if I want to try it, I might buy it because a trusted youtuber tried it and says it´s good, so I totally understand when you said you prefer to decline the money and being honest with your viewers. I also think it´s ok to get money or free products to make a review but please if you think it´s cr*p be honest and say it was not good.
ReplyDeleteIf only everyone could be as honest as you are! :)
ReplyDeleteI agree that it's totally obvious when three or more people do a video on the same product at the same time that it is a promotion. I think you have an advantage here, Julia, because you are older and (I'm guessing) not in need of money or tempted by money like younger people might be. For someone still living with parents, or working in a dead end job, that money is a lot more likely to be tempting.
ReplyDeleteI really respect you as a person. Money can change poeple easily. Stay the way you are and keep up the good work.
ReplyDeleteThank you! I love your reviews becuase you have obviously taken the time to use a product and test the results. Many gurus use a product for a couple of weeks and rave about it and then the next month they are talking about how they dislike/hate it.
ReplyDeletei totally agree with what you said...im glad that you spoke up about it, i hope that other youtube gurus would read this and be honest about their "hauls". its really not fair to go out and buy a product that they raved about because we truly value your(gurus) opinions on products, only to find out that its a huge waste. The point is that deception is never good. when a guru does that i lose respect for them because to me integrity and honesty is a big thing. thanks so much for this post. You are fab
ReplyDeleteI really appreciated how much time and consideration you took to write this blog for us. I never realized that perhaps some haulas are actual promo items received instead of the person actually spending their hard-eaned money on these products. This is why I stick to a select few on YT b/c I can trust just by their character and techniques, that they are being upfront with their viewers. This was a very well presented blog...you stayed neutral, yet still made it clear where you stood and where we, as viwers/subs, stand with you. Thank you Ms. Julia.
ReplyDeleteI watched a "haul" video today with gobs of clothes from one website and I couldn't help but feel like it was a promotion in disguise and not a true haul!
ReplyDeleteyou're the best!
ReplyDeleteIt is for this reason that I will continue to watch your videos and read your blog because you have integrity and I wholeheartedly agree with what you wrote. I hope that other bloggers actually realise that it is apparent when they are just being a mouthpiece for a company because they have received the product for free or have been paid money to do a favourable review. Love your work xo
ReplyDeleteit really annoys me how gurus change with time. one of the most popular gurus on youtube used to be honest and i enjoyed watching her videos. but over time she started promoting products that were obviously sent to her and that cost a ton of money. i dislike how some rave about a product but then you never see them use the product ever again.
ReplyDeleteHi Julia..
ReplyDeleteThis is one of the many reasons I like your blogs and I watch your vids.. You just say it how you see it which is a rare thing these days and you have integrity that many people these days have seemed to have lost.. Most people would take the Money, gift, or whatever and lie through their teeth about a product... I have watched ads on telly and thought "I wonder if *insert celeb name here* has even ever worn, tried, tasted (etc) that item" Stay true to you and keep up the great work you are doing with your vids and blogs. X
Thanks Julia! Very refreshing and I appreciate your honesty, especially because I have bought a few products that you've reviewed. It's nice to know that you haven't been corrupted by greed or selfishness even though your channel is ever-growing in popularity.
ReplyDeleteKeep your wonderful, helpful and unbiased videos comin! :)
Hi Julia, I am glad you wrote this piece on your blog. I too was sort of wondering why is it that you and lollipop26 call the Illamasqua items as those that were sent to you, whereas some other gurus say its a 'haul' - when the list of products is the same! I have always appreciated the amount of time and effort you put in for a review. I think it has also got to do with your financial status - people who work usually have a bit of integrity(I think) as against college kids making videos - I guess for them its like yay! I get some pocket money - so lets just talk about it positively - again not to generalise - not all college kids would, but I know some that do. Love your work..and happy with all your success...Oops..thats too big a commment!
ReplyDeleteHey Julia,
ReplyDeleteFirst of all I want to thank you for being honest with your viewers. I really appreciate you for that. That's why you are my favorite guru from all youtubers. I have subscribed to other gurus and I actually realised when they didn't buy those products. I was disappointed cause they couldn't be honest. So I watch them now only for technique. I'm a teenager and I can't afford to buy expensive makeup so I go with drugstore ones or the ones that you recommended(such as NYX).
I don't buy tons of makeup, I buy what's necessary because my budget doesn't allow me to spend so much money on beauty products and after that waste the money.(not using the products after a period of time because I'm not pleased with it)
YouTube Gurus have a huuuge influence on people who watch them and it's sad to see what they have become(some of them). If they have been honest I would have still watched them with joy...ut now...not that much.
As for MAC sponsorship I'm holding my fingers crossed for you. :)
Thats why Im your fan...=)
ReplyDeleteRegards from Pakistan
Again, well put as usual Julia! As I'm totally away with the fairies lately, I hadn't noticed that any of this was going on to that extent but it doesn't suprise me. Fair play to those who get paid for honest reviews. I haven't been sent any free stuff as of yet, but if and when it happens I'm totally in the same school of thought as you. As long as everything is dealt with above board it's ok in my books. Great post!!
ReplyDeletexx
Salut Julia,
ReplyDeleteJe suis d'accord avec toi. Je trouve absolument scandaleux que des "beauty guru" acceptent de faire la promotion de produit qu'elles ne connaissent pas ou qu'elles n'aiment pas. Je trouve que les "beauty guru" ont une certaine responsabilité envers ceux qui regardent leurs vidéos. Ceux qui les suivent croient en elles et risquent comme tu le dis très justement d'acheter de mauvais produits. Merci pour ton honnêteté.
Sonia
Great article, thank you Julia.
ReplyDeleteThanks you for saying what everyone is thinking!
ReplyDeleteThose (hotmiamistyles) clothing 'hauls' have been especially annoying lately. I mean come on, the clothes are cheap, tacky and the models on the particular website aren't helping the clothes look any less tacky.
Free shipping worldwide is tempting (especially for those of us living abroad) but come on, it's all too obvious this company is paying youtubers to 'review' the clothes and make it come off as something they bought themselves when they probably got it for free.
Maybe I won't express myself very clearly but what you talk about in your post is the main reason I subscribe to your blog and your YT channel... I hate above all feeling cheated and it is true that it becomes more and more difficult to know who to trust on YT. I do not care that people are paid to review stuffes, I even find it logical, as long as they do not loose ther integrity.
ReplyDeleteKeep going Julia ^^
(Sorry for the English mistakes, I am French ;p)
Hi Julia. Thank you for your honesty! I have NO PROBLEMS with YTers and beauty bloggers getting free gifts or items to try. However, I have no interest in people who will endorse something just because they are paid for it.
ReplyDeleteThe beauty of the bloggers and YTers is that unlike the celebs out there - they are the voice of the everyday user - or beauty addict really - and they know their stuff!!
I have purchased quite a few things you have used on YT and I have been really really happy with them. But really, what is good for one may not be good for another and people should not be following blindly like sheep - it is important to make an informed decision. Or at least get it on a massive sale so it doesn't hurt as much!
I have found a lot of fantastic products out there that I have only found out about because I read so many beauty blogs. I don't think that will ever change.
I think YTers and bloggers should be honest at least and tell you if there were sent the products for free or if they paid for it. If they endorse crap, they will lose their audience - simple as that.
Thank you for your honesty Julia - this is why you truly and utterly ROCK!!
ps I seriously do not understand why people put stupid comments on YT or blogs about my fave beauty bloggers. It really makes me angry in fact! To all those idiots - go elsewhere and annoy someone else.
I agree with you on everything.
ReplyDeleteI actually think is good that gurus are getting paid, because to me they are just like teachers, and most of the time I pay to learn something, but then it comes the honesty thing, and how do I know if I should trust this person... so I'm really happy with you, and I love your honesty =)
I admit it. I am a person who constantly buys cosmetics due to reviews on forums, blogs or You Tube.
ReplyDeleteI think guru's are extremely brave promoting products on their channels and they can tread a fine line when it comes to tutorials, product reviews and hauls in the fact that they may not be honest about the products in their reviews.
While your honesty for this post is appreciated, clearly you know that you are not a dishonest person and you would know that your viewers love your matter of fact approach, researched and well structured videos.
It's because of your professionalism that I continue to tune into your channel and read your blog and why I will continue to research, look for and then purchase products recommended by you.
Hey Julia,
ReplyDeleteI released a similar post a few months ago on my blog. Here in Germany the beauty-video-community is much smaller than the english one, but I think it has the same potential for the companies on the market. Reviews are so important and I can't understand why some oppinions are so easy to buy :-( Why do some girls feel pushed to make compliments on something only because they received it for free?
I think it's very important for all quite popular "gurus" to think about their roles. Not only that some people might spend money on crap but also that a true positive feedback makes some companies earns lot of money without paying anything for it. The ads on TV are super expencive, but more and more people watch YouTube instead. If everyone reviews for free or for a bunch of items, it's to easy for some companies.
I am very curious what will happen in future with our already quite powerful community. It's such a difficult issue and I hope that all of us take some minutes to think about their influance... Great post but I trusted you before ;-) Unfortunately you are one of a bunch only :-(
Have a nive weekend!
Magi
Julia, just want to say that i love ur channel. i trust ur opinion and ur right, we all differ in things we do like and not like. i appreciate ur honesty.
ReplyDeleteI agree with you one hundred percent!! Great post..
ReplyDeleteI have changed my opinions of a lot of gurus recently because of the free stuff that they lie about & the big heads they have gotten.
ReplyDeleteI have a perfect story for this. When I was at IMATS I saw a very "popular" guru. This guru was very full of themselves & didn't feel like they really needed to talk or say Hi to the subbies that may have noticed them. It was really sad how much they thought of themselves. What I also saw is this same guru going around giving a card & trying to get free stuff. They didn't want to pay for it. The people at this booth didn't know who they were. Then I heard them say how many subbies they have. I was so sick at this point. 2 days later the product was reviewed as a purchase. I am no longer a subbie. I think others may have had a similar experience because this person was never discussed by the other gurus that were there on YT.
Sorry it's so long. Thanks for being so honest. Thanks for writing posts such as these.
Your honesty, your integrity, and love for your subscribers always come through very clear on your videos. I thank you for showing us, your subscribers, respect and honesty. That is why you are and will remain tops in my view. Love, SparklemotionX
ReplyDeleteHonestly, I'm not a fan of "haul" videos to begin with. Never got the point (seems a bit braggadocious imo. Reviews, great, but saying I just bought a bunch of stuff, let me show it to you, eh, not my cup of tea). Anyway, great points you raise, I agree, and keep up the great -- and integrity-filled! -- work.
ReplyDeleteI appreciate your sincerity very much. You have truly always been a very honest youtuber and very professional in all of your videos. I thank you for all the hard work that you put into all your videos and etc. and don't worry we'll never think you're like the rest:)
ReplyDeleteHi Julia!!
ReplyDeleteI just wanted to thank you for standing for the right values and for taking your time for pointing out this whole situation.
You do have an impact on your subscribers (you have it on me) so I appreciate your honesty,
Thanks,
Gaby :)
hi julia!
ReplyDeletethanks for posting this! in all honesty, i was starting to wonder too because i watch your videos all the time and when you give good reviews on things you get for free it makes me nervous so this makes me feel sooooo much better! i watch your videos mainly for your reviews because i like you and i do trust your judgement (of course that is to a point LOL) and i'm glad that you've chosen to be honest with us (your subscribers). i really appreciate it!!
Thanks!!!
charlie
My favorite guru, and the title of this blog post is one of reasons. :)
ReplyDeleteCan I just say that there is a huge difference between product placement in videos of people like Hotforwords or Smosh and people from the beautycommunity. The main thing that beautygurus do on youtube is offering their opinions on certain products. Their whole business is therefor based on their own tast and knowledge. That is a totally different thing than just entertaining people with your videos, they don't offer their opinion on products! Imagine that for example critics from the NYtimes would get paid by Universal for the reviews they do on their movies! They claim that they are there 'to help people out'. Well, if that is true than that puts them in a position of power that they should not abuse for their own benefits.
ReplyDeleteI used to think extremely highly of you, now you went even higher and I did not think it was possible. I hope this will invite other 'videographers' (I just call them ' beauty gurus' cause 95% of what I watch on youtube is beauty related stuff) to be truthful about the products they are showcasing in their videos. How very noble of you to have turned down a nice attractive little pocket of money to advertise something you did not truly believe in. I love your honesty and I love the fact your respect of big companies. I love it also when you use inexpensive makeup on eBay (was so upset when you were slated for having mentionned the name of a seller, everybody would have asked you the question anyway!!), and your boldness of saying that that peach apricot shampoo was utter crap haha, and we all knew it would not offend anyone. All of this,and millions of other reasons, have made you one of my favourite gurus out there. May the little pocket money from being partner help to sweeten the pill a little bit when we are a bit thick or too demanding or just utter pain in the backside haha :) x
ReplyDeleteGoogle new FTC guidelines and you'll see that advertisers aren't the only ones who have taken notice of this trend. There are new laws proposed by the Federal Trade Commission that would make it possible for bloggers to be held accountable for the claims that they make. It would also make it illegal if a blogger doesn't disclose if they were compensated for a review, which is considered "valuable information to the consumer". I don't think enough bloggers realize that they soon could be breaking the law if they're not careful/honest.
ReplyDeleteI don't think there is anything wrong with getting paid to review things, as long as you stand up and say something like "I was paid to do this" or "This review is sponsored by ____" and also, if the product is not very good it shouldn't be reviewed either.
ReplyDeleteIt annoys me and I lose a lot of respect for gurus who were very obviously sent things either for free or were paid to review them and they try to pass it off as a haul they bought themselves. That makes me not want to buy the product regardless of if it works or if it's cute.
Beauty gurus are for the most part awesome. I don't care that they get paid to review something, or that they made money from a video.
WOW!!!! Thank you for this. I have started to hear about all this drama on Youtube through Twitter. This is so very sad, but I guess it has to happen if there is going to be a change. I don't mind Gurus getting paid for reviews but I don't appreciate lying about how good a product is just to get money. Now I am skeptical about trying a product until I see reviews from other Youtubers. Hope there is a change and quick so we can move on.
ReplyDeleteHi Julia,
ReplyDeleteYour honesty and integrity is much appreciated :)
From your fellow Canadian,
Bernice
Well as a person who knows products, would you recommend Sun Love tanning product for a person who is pale and is scared of the sun's rays?
ReplyDeleteI understand your point however I still think that the main point of doing reviews is to help others regarding bad quality products. Good products usually find their way in the market, it is inevitable! In case of low quality products, usually, they are scammed in expensive marketing advertisements or cheap prices. Sometimes is not quality but price, some expensive products can be easily substitute by cheaper brands without any problem on final results.
ReplyDeleteThis was the main reason why I subscribed to your channel and others: to find sincere bad and good opinions about any product. Not only the favourites of the month. So, if you refused to say your opinion on products that you do not like how are you going to help your viewers on their future purchases?
I know that it is a difficult and fine line to draw, but nevertheless necessary. As you wrote, you have a responsibility with your viewers through your popularity on YouTube, so you should considered ethics as an important point to set the level of your channel.
As a suggestion, you should think about a disclaimer about how you handle the profits of your channel since they come directly from your audience. It would avoid a lot of problems, including losing your viewers because of gossip.
Hope my comments will help you somehow.
Cheers, Ana.
I agree completely with you, Julia.
ReplyDeleteI`ll add only a sincere "thank you" for your honesty and your incredible work in the blog and in the youtube channel. You have the respect and love of your followers and you will continue having that.
Best wishes from madrid, spain
rosa
I REALLY APPRECIATE everything you said regarding this matter!!! You're so right. I've discovered your channel & blog very recently and subscribed immediately. Too bad I didn't find it sooner. I used to watch a single person's youtube channel and I liked her videos very much but with time she started promoting lots and lots of new products and I don't know which ones to trust anymore...Integrity & respect are really important and I believe they're actually essential for all the beauty gurus. I support you in everything you do and keep up the amazing work!! Thank you for being HONEST with us. :)
ReplyDeleteAna Paula:
ReplyDeleteI'm not sure what you mean about a "disclaimer from my profits". I do not think it is anybody's business how much money Partners earn or what they chose to do with that money - in fact, it is against Adsense rules to reveal how much is earned. And the money is not coming from the viewers, the money is coming from Adsense. You wouldn't ask a total stranger how much money they make and to make that information public, so I'm not sure why that should be expected of YT Partners. And while the money is generated by views, the profit stems from their own hard work. The viewer doesn't pay anything for the service of watching videos - it's totally free.
I was not saying that you should discriminate every single detail about how much you earn and what do you do with your money. This is a private matter.
ReplyDeleteWhat I meant about disclaimer is the same thing that NGOs or Foundations usually do to explain where the money is not going. For example, I do not receive money to sell a product on my website. Something like that.
Just to clarify, I was not trying to criticise in a bad way your post. I like your videos as your blog too. Because of that, I made the last comment. My intention was only to help you and other bloggers to avoid this kind of gossip. I apologise if my comment made the opposite impression.
Cheers, Ana.
Thank you for this post Julia. It is nice to see someone with a bit of integrity and honesty speaking up.
ReplyDeleteThere are some "gurus" (hate that term) who are really making the make up community look bad.
I think your age and maturity is something they could learn from.
Why does it even matter if you received an item for free or if you paid for it? It’s no ones business. In the same respect if your reviews are always honest then why don't you feel okay making a negative review? Just because you don't like something doesn't mean you have to trash it or the company. I find that negative or less than glowing reviews are even more helpful then all the gushing positive ones and IMO get more respect because it shows true honesty not biased honesty. Companies that are sending out free items to people on YouTube are doing it for free advertising plain and simple. Think about the actors/actresses and models that do commercials, do you really think they stand behind that product 100%? Everyone benefits from free advertising and as a YouTube watcher and as a consumer I feel that negative reviews are just as important as positive and they can be done in an equally professional manner I just think people are afraid to do so.
ReplyDeleteI have always appreciated the manner in which you present items that have been sent to you, but I do have a problem with some gurus who simply gloss over the fact that they were given items for free. It is impossible for their opinion not to be swayed at least a little by this fact. Spending hard earned money and having expectations for a product is completely different than receiving something for free. I appreciate this post :) Keep up this thoughtful and inspiring work ;)
ReplyDeleteTo a previous anonymous comment - if you research guidelines behind product reviews you will find that most consider receiving a product for free taints the review and the review can not be considered impartial. I think this is valuable information to the viewers. If the FTC guidelines that have been proposed are passed it will require that anyone who has received a product for free for a review will have to disclose that information. I do think it is everyone's business who reads a review to know if the person giving the review was compensated in someway.
ReplyDeleteTo Lynn - so does that mean if a company offers to send you something for free for you to review that you will ask for payment so that your view is considered impartial? And maybe I'm alone on this but I'm not out there researching the guidelines when someone sends me products for review. Its free advertising. If that guideline gets passed is there going to be YT police patrolling everyone's reviews?
ReplyDeleteFTC (Federal Trade Commission) enacts guidelines to protect the consumer and they have proposed laws that will include bloggers whereas before there weren't any. This is only if the blogger received compensation for the review! Anyone can say anything they want about anything but if that reviewer is getting compensated in anyway (free products or payments) for that review then they can be held accountable for the claims that they make. It's because they are being considered "company employees" since they are being paid by the company.
ReplyDeleteThe second part is that the reviewer has to disclose (let it be known) if they received compensation for their review. Under the proposed changes, that is considered "valuable information to the consumer". It doesn't matter if you like the product or not...reviews that are paid for are not impartial.
Do I think a bunch of youtube gurus are going to start being sued? No, absolutely not but they should know what the changes mean. This is all done to protect the consumer. I should mention that these are only proposed guidelines and they haven't been approved yet (but most think they will be soon). Seriously, google "new FTC guidelines" and you'll find a lot of articles discussing the changes and what it will mean for bloggers and the companies giving out free products. Most people feel that companies will limit giving out products as to not risk a lawsuit because of something a blogger did.
Another thing I should point out is that beauty is such a small part of this. The debate really got started because of a lot tech blogs that were being given extravagant items like laptops, phones and then reviewing these products without letting their readers know that they had received the products for free, which is considered unethical in the product review realm.
This is all being done to protect consumers so that when someone is reading a review they can deduce whether a review is impartial or more of an advertisement, which I would think most people would want to know when making a decision. I hope this helped but I really recommend looking into it if you want more info.
The thing about that proposed change to these laws - are celebrities also going to be held accountable to this? Celebs constantly endorse items, either through commercials or ads, or by being sent free stuff like clothing, handbags, apparel, etc which then get photographed by the paparazzi and published in magazines, then everyone suddenly wants all those products. It's a very similar concept, celebs probably get tons of free stuff thrown their way, and their impact on consumer spending is much higher than some bloggers.
ReplyDeleteThe other thing is that would only be national laws within the USA, but won't affect bloggers outside of that country, so its effectiveness will be limited as Internet bloggers are prevalent on a global arena.
Current FTC practices all ready include all other forms of the advertising medium (ie. tv, print) they just don't take into account the internet because the guidelines haven't been updated in 30 years. So celebrities are all ready held accountable for what they claim in an infomercial. It's also considered "general and public knowledge" that celebrities receive items for free. Whereas there are still a lot of people who read blogs and reviews that may not realize that the reviewer could have been given the item for free. Another thing is that the celebrity is only "owning" the item they aren't always reviewing it or telling everyone what a great product it is and when they do that they are held accountable under current practices as is the company that pays them to endorse the product.
ReplyDeleteAs for international users...they could still be held accountable if the product they are reviewing for compensation is from a US company because the company is held accountable and as I said above a paid review is like being employed by the company. As for international companies and international reviewers I don't know how that would be treated.
I can't say this enough...it is only being done to protect consumers so that they can make an informed decision on a purchase. If a reviewer was paid that is considered information that a consumer should have. Everyone can be paid to review a product but they have to disclose that they were.
Well this post wasn't really about that anyway, especially as it's not in place yet. But I do not think that someone who charges for product placement can be considered an "employee" of said company, it is charging a fee for services rendered of producing a video. An employee is afforded many other rights and obligations under law that do not apply to bloggers.
ReplyDeleteWhether that should be stated or not - I don't really care either way tbh. I don't get paid for my reviews so it doesn't affect me personally at this point in time. Also, I don't see how a person outside of the USA who is not a citizen of that country, can be held accountable to US law so if that does come in place, it will have a limited reach, as I said. But, this is kind of veering way off topic...
But thanks for bringing that up.
This has become such an issue with many people. Thank you SO much for this blog, I knew the facts all along but it is nice to hear pure honesty from a well established guru like yourself. You and a few others should be what we think of when we watch youtube beauty videos, I am seriously annoyed and kinda tired of crap products being pushed onto us viewers ( especially after trying one)
ReplyDeleteI love you! You're amazing and I am so happy that you stick to what you believe in and what's right. Don't stop!
ReplyDeletedear julia,
ReplyDeletethanks for your honesty really. i absolutely appreciate the fact that you are not letting your opinion be influenced by offers.
i agree with you that wellknown youtubers do have a kind of responsibility for their viewers, especially as they easily can (unintended) influence peoples opinions.
the thing is, in general people are often not aware of how subtile they can be manipulated by ads or tv commercials and even other people. thats sad somehow but unfortunately the world is just like that.
i think it helps people to be critical and not "leichtgläubig" (sorry, forgot the word) when they have a kind of role model that shows them to be aware of things like that.
so, thanks a lot julia :)
Hi, All. :)
ReplyDeleteThis topic has been very enlightening thus far. I'm fairly new to youtube and especially beauty gurus. Can someone please explain why a guru with well over 100,000 subscribers keeps 'pushing' viewers to subscribe, rate and/or leave comments. Does this have to do with sponsorship and commissions? Any insight would be much appreciated.
Regards, Kim
PS: Julia you should change your username from 'MissChievous" to "MissIntegrity" (yes, that's spelled with TWO 's'!)
I agree with everything you've said; in your original post and later comments. I've just loved your tutorials - I already consider myself something of a makeup addict but I've really got some brilliant tips from you. I have gone out and bought products you've recommended and have always been thrilled with them, for example the Mac 187 brush, and I'm upgrading to pair of ghds thanks to your showcase. Believing your integrity stems from a genuine passion for products that work has seen me become something of an avid viewer of yours! Keep up the good work! And yes, if Mac or any other company comes knocking on your door offering you boatloads of money for a product you believe in -you should take the money and we can all be proud of your deserved success!
ReplyDeleteI am surprised that the people who complain about make-up gurus on Youtube endorsing products don't seem to realize that celebrities they look up to are doing the same thing except they are getting MILLIONS of dollars from it and they are acting not actually reviewing the products. All these gurus are business wo/men who are not only helping themselves but also unknown companies and their viewers, besides we can obviously tell what products these gurus actually like enough to use on a daily basis by just watching their tutorials.
ReplyDeleteTo Filthygorgeousgirls,
ReplyDeleteRemember the old adage your mum used to preach?: two wrongs don't make a right.
Besides I think people are arguing that, yes, while youtube gurus are actually reviewing products, the reviews themselves are not 'honest' because they are being paid for the plug.
Hopefully, everyone above the age of 16 knows that most celebrity-endorsed producs are paid--with the exception of a few (ie Dita Von Teese for MAC) who stand behind the product. This is where integrity comes into place.
wow. u r brave to state the pts here. yea.i noticed as well..guru tat has a few thousands subscribers then slowly turned dozen of thousands..their attitude started to change..they started to hide more stuffs from us..where in the 1st place is cos of the viewers tat made them who they are.im starting to notice one particular mexican guru tat is becoming like this..i used to like her so much b4 she gt "famous" =(
ReplyDeleteCompanies like hotmiami and beautychoice.com are companies which sent stuffs like hot tools, makeuppouches, clothes to the gurus..but the gurus just didnt want to admit and replied.. or they would just say " i received this.." so vague..it makes me dun wanna buy these stuffs anymore..so the review doesnt seem real.. =(
fortunately they are still some nice gurus out there like YOU, lollipop26 and whatstyleisnickel. hahah. i trust yr and their words.
wow. u r brave to state the pts here. yea.i noticed as well..guru tat has a few thousands subscribers then slowly turned dozen of thousands..their attitude started to change..they started to hide more stuffs from us..where in the 1st place is cos of the viewers tat made them who they are.im starting to notice one particular mexican guru tat is becoming like this..i used to like her so much b4 she gt "famous" =(
ReplyDeleteCompanies like hotmiami and beautychoice.com are companies which sent stuffs like hot tools, makeuppouches, clothes to the gurus..but the gurus just didnt want to admit and replied.. or they would just say " i received this.." so vague..it makes me dun wanna buy these stuffs anymore..so the review doesnt seem real.. =(
fortunately they are still some nice gurus out there like YOU, lollipop26 and whatstyleisnickel. hahah. i trust yr and their words.
I agree 100% with you Julia !
ReplyDeleteIf you are making add to a company there is no shame to be paid for that because you are giving them back way more money than they gave you.
Add is the most expensive thing for a company (not only makeup, clothes, every sort of companies)so they know people on YouTube can help them for that and it will cost them something ridiculous compared to making a real add.
But I agree 100% when it comes to be honest with our subs or viewers. I will never do a review on a product that I don't like and say to my viewers : it's awesome go and get it. NEVER ! It's a lack of respect and a lie for me. And at the end will cost you a lot in a negative way. People will be angry at you for not being honest and fool them. I will just say to the company : sorry but I won't do a review on that product because I don't like it.
I respect the business of each company so no bad add for them just no vid no opinion on it.
But some gurus are so into money that they choose to be fake with the viewers. It's sad but at the end it will turn in a wrong way for them because everything is known one day.
xoxo Claire0147
Hey :D i totally agreer 100% with what you said, honesty is the best policy, i respect you are honest with us subscribers & viewers :D
ReplyDeleteI'm always surprised at how quickly people become media savvy! There are some who are bound to jump on a bandwagon and others who are trying to figure out a way for their very time consuming hobby to pay back a bit, I guess. But, think it is always, always best to be completely upfront, then there is just no problem. Ironically, if the YTs had been honest from the get go, these posts wouldn't be happening.
ReplyDeleteI think both sides should do their job. Yes, it's up to you as the consumer to get more opinions before you by a product. But then again, it's also the responsibility of the guru/videographer to give an honest review and keep reviews free from monetary swaying.
ReplyDeleteMisschieviouz: you mention the names of some people who get commision such as nigahiga, smosh, hotforwords, etc.
ReplyDeleteI dont have a problem with people like them getting paid ...they have never lied about it which is why you can comfertably mention their names.
What I do have a problem with is lying...about everything from names to pretending they went shopping and are now showing an innocent haul or tutorial or room tour. The links from only certain companies mentioned in the sidebar are te ones they get paid to mention. Its disgusting. Not to mention how some gurus hold fake contests giving out "prizes" from companies who paid them and gave them the products to give out for free then the gurus pretend they are having a special 6 month or one year anniversary personal contest with that free stuff they got.
There is nothing wrong with getting a free product or getting paid IF A PERSON IS HONEST ABOUT IT. Its that simple.
ReplyDeleteIts one thing to get paid for a review and ignore people when they ask if you were paid. Its a completly different thing to straight up LIE claiming "Ive never been paid!!!" Even AFTER companies you did reviews for come out to the public with proof they paid you. As shady as that company might be for doing that they are being honest and its quite obvious since these gurus dont quickly jump up and deny all claims.
Its one thing to get sponsored by a company and have them give you say 6 brush sets or 5 palletes to give out in a contest. Thats fine...call it a contest for that company "Im hosting a contest sponsored by XYZ". DO NOT title that contest a "THANK YOU TO MY SUBSCRIBERS here is my one year personal anniversary contest" and suck people into thinking you are so thankful for all the support from subscribers that you went out and got them all these prizes. Then in attempt to get more subscribers leave that contest video up as an "open" contest so random people subscribe to you to enter and then wait a few months to announce a winner so you can grab onto every last contest entering random sub you can.
You are very comfortable listing people like Nigahiga etc...because they dont lie and have nothing to be ashamed of.
"Fred" for example, is number one on youtube for a reason. He deserves it. He has a hollywood agent who is good at what he does. He has never lied about having an agent like some people try to keep that secret.
Lukas never once threataned anyone who saw that his real name isnt Fred or lied saying "My REAL name is Fred!" Lukas admitted from day one he has a hollywood agent and his ultimate goal is being a famous actor. Lukas admits that he gets paid for product placements in his videos. Lukas will even admit to being a 15 year old self made multi millionaire from his videos with youtube partnership and the other money he gets from his videos and has even publically stated in a newspaper article that he earned over $50,000 for one 3 minute swimming video alone.
Lukas also says in interviews he doesnt want a huge random fanbase he wants LOYAL subscribers and he knows how to do that....HONESTY.
The reason Im pointing out Fred in a beuty column is because the truth is not all beauty gurus are what they seem to be. Some of them are not beauty gurus at all...they are acting and saw that by claiming to be a beuty guru it would increase their chances of fame since they found a way to target a certain young age group as huge followers "fans".
If I was a beauty guru I WOULD be naming names because why shouldnt you? There are a few people that caused all this drama in the first place by their disonest, unethical behaviour so why shouldnt they be pointed out? How people support them is beyond me
Thank you for this post ! I have emailed some gurus personally about this very issue because I believe honesty is the way to go. I'm in 20's and an adult and can make good choices but most girl's who look up to these gurus are young and that is why this is such a problem! They often get lured into buying these products they might not even need. It's not fair to the viewers especially the young ones :(
ReplyDeleteI stumbled on on your videos during the halloween season when I needed a mohawk/faux hawk. And since then i have been hooked. I love your and TiffanyD's videos bacause you are truthful and honest. Your not afraid to give your good points and bad points on a product. Not many gurus can do that. Kudos to you. Although I still watch the gurus who can be dishonest I now need to be careful who i trust.
ReplyDeleteI think that everyone who subscribes to a channel has the power to voice how they feel by unsubbing if they feel they are being lied to. That's what I do. If I feel the blogger is being untruthful about a review on a product or how they came by it, I unsub. I have better ways to spend my time and I'll not help someone earn money by being deceitful. I recently saw a very popular beauty guru say that she was doing a review on a product that was sent to her because she knew the company was trying to help us, the viewer. The review was totally for our benefit. Hello! Companies are in the business of making money; that's their purpose. Getting bloggers to do reviews on youtube are not for our benefit. It's for theirs. I can't stand it when a blogger tries to feed the views total bull and I will no longer stay subscribed to one who is obviously being deceitful. The viewers need to wakeup and realize that they have the power.
ReplyDeleteI like to watch various makeup tutorial videos on Youtube. I don't have any specific people I watch often, I'll just search what I'm interested in and watch whatever video that comes up first.
ReplyDeleteBut I've noticed an increase in bullying and high school antics lately. Why are there blog entries, Youtube videos and comments about who gets paid for what? Why do people care? If you don't like someone's video, don't watch it. If you don't like a product, don't buy it. It's so childish that people feel the need to make these blogs and videos. :/
I like to watch various makeup tutorial videos on Youtube. I don't have any specific people I watch often, I'll just search what I'm interested in and watch whatever video that comes up first.
ReplyDeleteBut I've noticed an increase in bullying and high school antics lately. Why are there blog entries, Youtube videos and comments about who gets paid for what? Why do people care? If you don't like someone's video, don't watch it. If you don't like a product, don't buy it. It's so childish that people feel the need to make these blogs and videos. I saw this blog link on someone's Youtube video and you can be sure I won't be watching anything they post again :/
I can't even express what this means to me :(
ReplyDelete