I can’t tell you the number of times I have started to write out a Twitter rant on this topic and just killed it because there was never enough space to put all of my thoughts. So I figured a full fledged blog post would be worth it, since I feel like it needs to be said.
“Wow, look at all of this makeup you get for FREE!”
“You’re sooooo lucky!”
“People just send you all this makeup stuff because you have a blog?? You didn’t have to pay for it??”
“I wish I could get all of this stuff for free! You’re so lucky!”
I can’t tell you the number of times I hear this in a given week. Perhaps a bit less so now because I’m quite aggressive when I correct people on their wording choice, but man is it ever grating. People don’t necessarily mean it maliciously of course, because to them it IS free product and therefore I am lucky to receive it.
But let’s be clear – PR sample are only free in the sense that I did not have to shell out money for them. Instead, I have to use a different type of currency to prove my worth. I have to show brands that I take clear pictures. That I have enough followers/readers. That my face is done up enough (as is my hair!) to be considered attractive. That I write and edit concisely and have a voice that people want to read (or, for YouTube, that I speak well and have basic editing skills).
I have to be on the top of my game (or as close as I can get while maintaining a full time job outside of the beauty industry), which means compensating for the fact that I am not someone who has a million subscribers. I have to put out more work, more regularly than those who can rely on their sub numbers as an indication of their level of influence. (Which isn’t to say that those who have a high level of reach don’t work for it… but it CAN be said that those that reach that level can coast for a little bit without any real ramifications.)
So no, I’m not lucky. I *made* my own luck. I found the PR person and I e-mailed them. I’ve often had to reach out upwards of 10+ times just to get their attention. My record so far to date, was e-mailing a brand I love 23 times before they finally paid attention to me and man does that EVER chip away at your sense of self-respect! I had to show these brands that I was worth paying attention to: I draw attention to how often I post, the quality of my work, how much impact I have and how I can be of value to THEM. And then they send me “free” products. But make no mistake, it took a lot of effort in order to get there and I wasn’t receiving anything until I was a year into blogging.
And then, once you get the “free” product, you have to post about it within a reasonable timeframe. No brand wants to send you product and then have you post about it six months later (sure, it happens, but it should never ever be the norm). They want it up, and they want it up yesterday. So the cycle of proving my worth begins again. I have to photograph the pristine products on a pretty backdrop, then begin testing the product for a reasonable amount of time (which, depending on the product, can range anywhere from a few days to weeks). Then comes the editing of the photos – cutting them down to fit in a browser with a reasonable load time, reducing the file size, fixing the colour to make sure it’s accurate, etc. And finally, when all of that is said and done, I have to sit down and write a bare minimum of 300 words on why you should (or should not!) buy the product. At this point, for a typical blog post… including all of the time spent contacting the person, receiving and photographing the product, testing and editing and writing? You’re probably looking at a minimum spend of 2 hours (3-4 is far more realistic, even moreso if we’re discussing videos). And on top of that we have to tweet out our content (some people schedule it, although I don’t) via Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and whatever else we have access to so that we can try to snag a viewer’s attention.
Plus of course, alongside our time investment, we also have to have a decent amount on equipment. Although many bloggers can (and do!) get away with gorgeous pictures from their phones, most of us invest in DSLRs which will run you anywhere from $600 (which was the cost of my starting camera) to a LOT higher ($1700 is what I shelled out for my current one). Then there’s lighting needed for videos because no one wants to watch you sit in the dark (my 18″ ring light was around $400, but you can get them for far cheaper). Then there’s the microphone for audio recording ($300) and the light stands (~$35 each), tripods (~$50 each) and backdrops (~$20 each) you need as well for video filming. On TOP of all of that? You have to stay relatively current with your makeup purchases because people are always searching for the latest thing online and old product reviews don’t always cut it for incoming traffic. So on top of the time spend, the money invested into your setup and products also adds up!
This may sound like I’m complaining – I can’t stress to you enough that I most *definitely* am not. I wouldn’t be doing this for 4+ years if I didn’t love it! I love the art of it all and I couldn’t be happier honestly – I love the friends it has made me. I love the brand connections I have now (after years of trying, mind you). I love that I get to meet new people and try out new products all the time as it continually fuels my passion for this industry.
But… I’m not lucky and it’s not free. It’s an exchange of value and I just happen to be using a different type of currency – my time.
I spend my time as money and I MAKE my own luck. None of this comes for free and I’m no different than anyone else out there. You too can do what I do and have all of the “free” stuff as well. You have to commit to it, and put in the long hours and yes, spend a ton of your own money as well, but if you love it like I do, it is so, so worth it in the long run.
Let me know your thoughts! I hang out with a lot of bloggers and YouTubers and we all have the same general feeling as what I’ve said above, but I want to get your feedback on it too! Did you realize how much time it takes to test and review products? Or how much equipment is required? Let me know in the comments! 🙂
If you’re curious about how to go about acquiring PR samples please check out this post I created last year.
I couldn’t have said it better myself. And don’t forget the amount of money and time you spend to get the following and put out enough content to be legit. I remember posting about my fave brand once a week for 52 WEEKS until they paid attention. That was a lot of f’n money and time spent. But in the end, it’s all worth it because I am swimming in makeup and I love it. AND because of blogging, I met you <3
Julie recently posted…Bite Beauty Prismatic Pearl Multistick review
Yay! Glad you liked the most and thanks for the encouragement to put it out there!
That’s another thing I should’ve mentioned… you can’t post once a week and hope to get anywhere – no one’ll pay attention to you at all!
And hell yes to blogging for creating amazing friendships! haha can’t wait for our #tacotwednesday and Pitch Perfect 3 date tonight!
Couldn’t have said it better myself! So many things in this I was Like YES. The time spent, building a blog before any recognition, reaching out to brands, finally getting them to notice you, trying the products, photographing, equipment, production/writing and then social support?! NOT FREE. These are businesses, whether you get paid or not, it’s not a gift. At least to the people who treat PR as it’s supposed to be treated. And of course, most people don’t have ill intent, but if you were to go to someone of another profession and say they are SO LUCKY to have the job they do, or the perk they do they’d say the same thing – Work is work. Some jobs are better than others, and I wouldn’t trade it for the world. But if the average person had to do all these steps to get a lipstick, I don’t know that they would. So well written, and the Sephora photo is INCREDIBLE
Yayyy! So glad you’re in agreement! Yeah it’s crazy how much time it takes before you get any kind of recognition. Before anyone acknowledges you, you’re basically just shouting randomly into the void!
One thing I didn’t mention was exposure since the post was getting too long as it was. We’re putting ourselves out there, and with that comes judgement and criticism from keyboard warriors who have nothing better to do. While it’s fine and it does run off our backs, it’s still a constant pressure and knowledge that not everyone likes what we do. Sure, that’s a reality even in the workplace, but you’re far less likely to have someone come up to you in the office and tell you your eyeshadow isn’t blended or your zits look terrible and they want to pop them, you know?
Your wording re: telling someone they’re so lucky to have a job. I was thinking exactly that yesterday on my walk home from work. No one says that to you! Because they know you worked for it! It’s incredible to me how the online world still has this odd sense of entitlement/luckiness to it that people don’t think translates the same as a “real” job.
And yes, bang on the head… tell someone to spend hours and hours of work to get one free lipstick? Yeah right, no one would do it!
That Sephora photo is everything I dreamed it could be. It’s my crowning photography achievement. hahah
Excellent post Chelle. I think a lot of people try and get into blogging for the perks (aka the wrong reason), and that’s why we see such an oversaturated field, but it’s easy to see people like yourself who actually care and work extremely hard! Equipment and time are my biggest barriers to committing to blogging at this point in my life! And I wish I had more of both so I could create more content. Thanks for your view, always enjoy your posts!
Yeah I see a lot of that as well re: the freebies. Beauty blogging is an oversaturated market so it’s hard enough to get attention even now if you’re legit… never mind all the people who just want the free stuff! My most viewed post on a daily basis is “How To Get PR Samples” and I still get questions from people who haven’t even STARTED a blog yet who are asking how to get them. Like whattttt???
Great post Chelle, our blogs are absolutely a labour of love. I also have a draft on this since it boggles my mind how hard we work on our content :’) it’s hard to explain to people how tough the industry can be and how we work hours upon hours for everything we get. I always need to take a step back at times to reevaluate, reflect, and appreciate everything that has come my way in regards to my blogging and other hobbies. I do feel lucky that companies put their faith in me and will trust me with larger projects, or sponsor my work. At 5 years in, I still adore going to events, opening up surprise mail, writing an article I’m proud of, and influencing people to buy something that is so freaking good. It feels great to make positive change and be a “guinea pig” to help others avoid beauty blunders! *ahem* bleaching my eyebrows with acne medication *ahem*.
Take care xx
I’d love to read your take on this topic as well! Get that draft done so we can read it!
I feel elated when a brand puts their faith in me, but I know it’s because I’ve proven my worth. And yes, I’m with you – I still get excited whenever a new e-mail pops up in my Inbox! I wonder if I’ll ever get bored of that? Probably not!
I love makeup but my background is in theater/singing/performing. I know how much good recording equipment costs; the difference you can tell in a professional head-shot vs one done on a phone or more basic equipment and I certainly know how much I used to spend on recording equipment for my lessons and for auditions; including using a studio where it was absolutely necessary to get the appropriate quality. Why spend the time if you’re not going to have a polished product, right? But I’ve seen the comments you have mentioned over and over on various blogs and it amazes me. None of this is free and if it was, everyone would do it. I’ve often thought about creating a blog (I have a passion for electronics, makeup and event planning) and I do have 2 amazing DSLR camera but…. I’ve never taken the time to really figure out how to use them! I blame having 2 kids after buying them, lol. But sincerely, I apologize for what feels like rambling, but I’m glad you posted this to give some perspective on what’s expected of you when a brand sends you items and how much work it is just to be noticed.
Never apologize for rambling! I appreciate your comment so much and loved hearing your added viewpoint!
Do your point… if was easy everyone would do it! And I don’t know why people don’t look at it and go “well then I’ll do is as well then since I want this stuff!”. I get it, fundamentally people don’t have the time to do it, so they don’t… but they should also realize that saying someone is lucky is discrediting the amount of effort that goes into achieving all of this (or whatever they’re commenting on).
I can only IMAGINE what the costs would be for true theatre productions! I’m talking on such a minute scale of things really in terms of producing content in my apartment and yet the cost is up there for even that! Full scale production is quite the undertaking!
And re: your kids. YES they’re definitely a time sink! lol
You deserve your success – indisputably! You’ve worked your butt off and your blog has come so far. Wishing you lots more success for 2018
Thanks Isie!!
Excuse me while I bump the hell out of this post. Yes. Yes to everything you’re saying here.
(I am totally that blogger who takes 6 months to get a post up, and honestly, idek why anyone puts up with me anymore.)
Rae // theNotice recently posted…Make Up For Ever Artist Face Color H106, B306, S118 review, swatches, photos
It had to be said. I see readers saying this all the time (which is fairly normal), but I was pushed over the edge by seeing a PR rep tweet out about “free samples for bloggers” and I was like… are you frigging kidding me. And hence… this post was born.
Great post Chelle! It’s always an important reminder to even those that do blog that your time is worth something and you should be proud of your effort and accomplishments!
Melanie recently posted…Review: Giovanni 2chic Frizz Be Gone Shampoo and Conditioner
Thanks Melanie! I think most people just aren’t aware of the time investment because let’s be real… when we post beautiful pictures… it all looks classy and easy (which is good, we’re doing out job!), but daaaang is there ever a lot of sweat that goes on behind the scenes!
Very well said Chelle, I enjoyed every word put it in here. It’s so true and I am very sad when I see so many comments about how lucky you are in getting so much makeup for free. Nothing is for free in this world let’s put it this way. You need to put a lot of effort, time and money and at the end you see the results. Beauty industry is enormous and so many wants a free slice of pie. Thank you for sharing Chelle I really appreciate your honestly and I really admire you, I think you are amazing.
Thanks so much for your sweet comment Nicoleta! That’s another thing that’s super real… the beauty world is oversaturated and there’s soooo many people all going for the same brands.
As I’m starting out in the beauty blogging world I would say you are spot on! There is nothing lucky about getting PR. I had a small YouTube channel and I was fortunate to receive some PR from some Indie brands, and I agree with you, it’s WORK! Great post!!!
Absolutely! As a few people have said… if it were easy, everyone would do it!
This is INCREDIBLY well said. Also… I supermuch commend you for having the confidence to keep emailing brands and really get their attention – that’s something I’m still working on myself, so I have huge respect for it. But really, could not have said this better myself.
Thank you Trysh!
E-mailing brands over and over again to get their attention is painful and I don’t think people realize that. It can be soul crushing to get no response after the 5th e-mail… but hey, if you care enough, you keep on pushing!
Good luck with your e-mails to them! It becomes old hat after a while!
I am a fairly newbie blogger myself and i do find it a bit challeging to balance blogging with my work. And my social personal and marital life. But i do it because it is my passion and when people undermine us bloggers i find it a bit offensive because blogging is work and it is a business in itself. When we get thigs for “free” it’s in exchange for our honest opinions and recommendations.
Welcome to the world of beauty blogging then!
I hear you on the balance between work, social and marital life and working out – there’s sooo much to do all at once!
Anyone who’s tried blogging should know how much work, skill, and persistence it takes to get any kind of acknowledgement, and I hope aspiring bloggers stumble on the post before they dive in thinking it’s all freebies all the time. PS, I’ve bought at least three products in the past year based on your reviews and recommendations and each time I’ve emailed the company after to tell them that I heard it about it here, cuz damn, you deserve the credit for making me look good as much as they do.
It’s doubtful they will, but I do like to keep my current readers informed since I think it pulls back the curtain a little bit and exposes what the REAL work is like.
And really??? Which products/brands? I’m so curious! Thank you so much for doing that – that’s so sweet!
Annabelle chrome eyeshadow in Germanium, a real find because it’s an amazing cream formula and it’s a great dupe for the Tom Ford Spring 2015 runway LE cream shadow which is discontinued and even if it wasn’t I can’t afford it! Then Mac Turquatic and my first Bite lipstick!
Oh man those are all great choices!!
I’ve definitely thought you were lucky to get these items for free, but also been extremely cognizant of how long your posts must take and how much this is really a labour of love for you. One of the things that I appreciate most about your posts is that they’re always structured the same (IE. your swatch posts have continuity, your reviews are based on the same criteria, etc.), it shows that you actually care about the product you’re putting out.
Anyway, thanks for everything you do and all the products you try out so we don’t have to!
Thanks for leaving me a comment Melinda! It’s nice to hear that some people are aware of the time taken. And honestly, I do get the “oh wow free” aspect of it! I used to think and feel the same before I started doing this stuff myself. Some of this was spurred on by me seeing a PR rep saying bloggers get “free product” and I was like “Okay NO. Not cool, and that totally discredits the work involved”.
I’m so glad you like how I review my products! I’ve been worried that maybe the consistency of the photos and/or format of the posts needed switching up because I always stick to the same formula. But, to your point, it makes it easy to read since the continuity is always there.
Thanks again for the comment. 🙂 I hope you’re having a wonderful day!