In the last edition of Bi-Weekly WTF, I alluded to PR being a factor in beauty manufacturer budgets.
In short, it is common for these brands to invest in and distributing extravagant PR packages to send to social media influencers.
That’s a topic in and of itself.
Sometimes, I don’t even have to look for ridiculous marketing.
Sometimes, it walks right into my inbox.
Email from Ulta advertising some new, shiny products includes this:
Ulta e-mail ad for COOLA Organic Makeup Setting SprayOh, setting spray! Good. Even better, it has SPF. Wait. Organic? Organic setting spray?
“Basic,” as an insult has been a thing for several years now. Paired with, “bitch,” for most millennial sorts it conjures certain imagery (UGGs, PSLs?) that some find funny or #relatable.
I’m not a fan of using the word, “bitch,” as a deprecating term of endearment amongst girlfriends. To me, it isn’t cute or clever; it is catty and perhaps trying too hard to be edgy. It’s clear that when we do use such words in those context, others do not understand when and why they should not use those words, too. Bottom line, the term is pejorative. You aren’t taking, “bitch,” back.
So when an e-mail from MAC Cosmetics with the subject line, “Get the Basic Bitch Look! Available In-Store and Online,” landed in my inbox last month, I was surprised. I hardly feel it is appropriate coming from a company!
Here’s a screenshot of the message. The graphic is a gif and would change between what is shown below and another shimmery, light-smoky eye look.
This is a post from the Beauty Skeptic archives that has been given a facelift, but content and opinions are the same. Favorites are being rescheduled and will appear by next Wednesday.
I don’t always bother with liquid lipstick, but when I do, it’s Stila Beso. I wrote about receiving a compliment on some bold red lipstick that made my morning. In turn, that inspired me to compliment someone else, and an awesome chain reaction resulted. Time to talk about the lipstick itself.
My skin is pretty agreeable to reds – so I didn’t have to go on a crazy hunting spree for, “the one,” because my options are plenty. Friday was National Wear Red Day; I opted for a red lipstick, specifically Stila Stay All Day Liquid Lipstick in the shade Beso. Stila and Sephora describe this shade as a, “true red,” meaning it has no blue, pink, or orange undertones, and is not particularly warm OR cool.
When I first got this lipstick, I swatched it on my lips not having looked up swatches online or having any idea of how pigmented it was; I exclaimed when I saw it. A little goes a very, very long way. Given how pigmented it is and how quickly the color takes, the doefoot applicator wand can be a liiiiiittle bit difficult to work with. Doefoot applicators are awesome for speed and ease of use, but a bold red lip requires careful application. If you have a lip brush, I recommend keeping it handy to help ensure clean edges.
InvisibobbleI often come across new products when aimlessly browsing. It seems like it has been a while since I encountered something that elicited a, “They can’t be serious…” response, but the Invisibobble Traceless Hair Ring did just that.
Yes, the Invisibobble looks eerily similar to one of those coil wristbands used as keychains in the 90s.
That’s because it is.
Why anyone would think, “I want to do my hair with one of those!” is entirely beyond me. It’s like they decided to market a product after finding themselves in desperation needing a hair tie and not having one. Can it hold the hair? Probably. That doesn’t make it a chic or functional solution to shill at Sephora.
If there’s anything I abhor, it is the overabundant use of BS as a tool to drive sales. Be it marketing that promises miracles or a salesperson desperate to meet their quota (commissioned or not), there are just some things that should be left alone.
Namely? False flattery. It doesn’t matter what is being sold, but since this is a beauty blog, let’s talk about the use of BS to land a makeup sale.
I’m a regular face in my local Sephora. Sometimes I’m browsing what new stuff they have, sometimes I’m buying, sometimes I’m getting a sample before committing to a product. If they don’t know my name, they at least know my face and recognize me.
There’s one employee, though… I haven’t had this issue with any of the other employees. We pleasantly chat without awkwardness – we talk about product and technique and YouTube and weekend plans (and it all happens way more comfortably and naturally than that time I got my hair cut).
The particular associate is friendly, energetic, and personable… but trying entirely too hard to make me feel warm and fuzzy, to butter me up to buy product. Yes, I have done my time in retail. I get it – you have sales goals to meet! Landing this makeup sale or upselling directly impacts your store’s labor budget which translates to hours for you and your teammates. You want me to feel good because customers who feel good tend to spend more money. There’s a way to build a positive relationship and leave a lasting good impression without bombarding me with false flattery.
It feels insincere. And I can tell. Why?