a Beauty Blogger’s Touch for the New York Times

Have you seen the commercials for Yilkers? 

 Yilkers does for feet what wrinkle creams do for eyes, sounds familiar and believable…  I reached for my phone, a thought crosses my mind… will these things *really* work? I don’t want to blow $28 to find out they don’t work.

Yilkers’ commercial is so convincing, but I’d rather talk to someone who’s tried it…  where to turn?  I don’t know anyone in real life that has used this, so how will I get an unbiased opinion…

I know there are others like me out there wanting to know if Yilkers really work, does it tickle, have another applicable use or emit a foul order?

The Yilkers website has info and testimonials and that I surely don’t trust! Celebrity endorsement? NO! I may have liked watching that celebrity on that show way long ago but that doesn’t mean we have the same lifestyle and needs.  

Slick ad campaigns in magazines? coupons in the Sunday Times – no! do Times readers care if they have wrinkles on their feet!?

I want to hear from a real person, just like me, no catch phrases or unreal scenarios, just someone who really enjoys removing wrinkles from their feet.  I want to know how a mom incorporates Yilkers into her lifestyle, what do her kids or cats think when she uses it, what about her husband does he think she’s making popcorn or did he polish the floors with it thinking it was a buffer?

All of these unanswered questions because I can’t find someone who’s tried this thing! 

Recently there was a New York Times article by KAYLEEN SCHAEFER  about beauty blogging and how it’s all about free swag.  There couldn’t be anything farther from the truth for me, beauty blogging takes a lot of time to build up, reading up about products, keeping a pulse on the hotness, maintaining your computer, taking pictures, uploading pictures, answering comments and so much more. 

The time spent is an opportunity cost, while I’m blogging I’m not working.  I’m a stay at home mom and it does take money to start up a blog, getting a domain, hosting, design fees (I’m in this stage right now!) and of course the first 100 or so products to review.  Some may wonder, why do it, to them I say, it’s important to have an identity away from my family – Steeping Beauty provides me that.

Beauty bloggers help by providing that personal experience that the manufacturer doesn’t.  In the old days a home wasn’t a home without a woman’s touch…  Now a brand just isn’t a brand without a beauty bloggers touch! 

Of course there are rockstar bloggers out there that may command more than just a little swag – good for them!  If I was offered a free trip somewhere I’d jump at the chance but not ever let that intefere with my review of the brand or product.

Beauty products and blogging is a small portion of my life, I enjoy it immensely but the fact is I have 3 kids 6 and under, a husband – any spousekeeper knows this means loads and loads of laundry everyday, a house/minivan, afterschool activities and so much more.  Make up, skincare, fragrance and more makes me feel good, why not share what I think with others…

There are lots of great beauty blogs out there now and someone is sure to find a blog they can relate to, the law of numbers is on the consumer’s side on sites like Total Beauty. Just type in the product you’re interested in and find out which beauty blogs have blogged about the product as well as Total Beauty user reviews giving the consumer a wealth of information to base their opinion on.

I suspect more and more brands will call upon bloggers to honestly portray their products and services well into the future.