If you’re on your blogger game then you’ve already read my last blog post about the beauty bloggers who were selected to create a collection for MAC Cosmetics. At first glance when I saw the collection even I admitted that it didn’t appear cohesive. I have not seen this collection in person nor have any tutorials been published yet, so it’s just my opinion from the ONE image that was released. This is not to say I wasn’t madly in love with the idea of these beauty bloggers creating these products. And I’m not just saying this because I am a blogger. The blogging community is taking over and it would be idiotic of any brand not to take advantage of this wave. And by brand I mean anyone with a business or talent!
Now, if you’re a makeup artist (talented or otherwise) you may feel a little green about this opportunity. Understandably. Perhaps! Here’s where I insert a Twitter beef. Just in case you have never witnessed a “Twitter Beef” all the celebrities are doing it now, lol. It’s just an online fight so to say. Most twitter beefs I ignore but this one I’ve got an opinion on!
See a few of the tweets that I can agree with, a few that I give a huge o_O to, and ones that are just totally hilarious. (Thank God I am a smart cookie because one of the makeup artists changed their twitter handle and made their page private – power of favoriting a tweet for later!)
SMH, I can see some of the makeup artists’ points as valid. Perhaps to save face (no pun intended) MAC Cosmetics should have had bloggers collaborate with more established makeup artists to create these products. My response – that would just defeat the purpose and a budget! If you have those established artists what do you need bloggers for? Or was that her point? Sure there’s tons of makeup artists more than capable of having their own product line. But brands aren’t and shouldn’t be focused on just talent. Beyond anything else MAC is a brand competing with millions of others in the beauty industry. All fighting for the attention of one individual – the consumer. A consumer is that is sick and tired of brands shoving over priced products into their bags. Consumers have now begun to trust the word of a beauty blogger.
Beauty bloggers who stay up into the wee hours of the AM finding the right words to convey how a product made their skin feel, or how hard it was to do makeup application with a certain brand’s brush, or more importantly (or annoyingly) editing those beauty tutorials. Because of all of those personal efforts beauty bloggers put into their blogs, consumers (readers) have grown to know and trust these bloggers with their faces. So why wouldn’t MAC hire these bloggers to create a new collection. It’s simply genius marketing. I have tons of readers, you have product to be sold = let’s make money!!
My suggestion for those makeup artists – START A BEAUTY BLOG!
In light of all this foolery it reminds me of a post from LoveBrownSugar.com. Christina sums up our competitive nature beautifully and gives us a few tips on uplifting each other!
Chime in and let me know your thoughts!
16 comments
Goody @Curvatude says:
May 31, 2011
wow, how completely sad.
instead of applauding other women who are doing thangs, we get this.
seriously?
Caprece says:
May 31, 2011
Well said!! It’s okay to collaborate with Disney or DC comics but with a blogger that draws fire? Yeah cause Wonder Woman is a well informed tester. It’s all about establishing connections, so #UPLift or #GetLeft!
Gorgeous In Grey says:
May 31, 2011
HAHAHAHA! Extremely good point!!
Rocquelle says:
May 31, 2011
When I first heard of the beef, my thought was these MUA should have blogs if they want to be reached out to. I don’t think the purpose of this collection is cohesiveness, but instead to reach the everyday consumer who can’t necessarily afford a MUA, but reads beauty blogs and loves makeup.
I get the points of the MUA, but their feelings could have been executed/shared in a better manner. This initiative should be motivation for those MUA to maybe start blogs of their own.
Aprill says:
May 31, 2011
Every MAC collection has drawn complaints and controversy. And for the record, since you have me included in your post (@SimplyAyeproh) Let me make one thing clear: I can like or not like whatever I want to. I am a beauty blogger, not a makeup artist and my one and only complaint with the collection is that it is not what I expected. And while you all are timeline investigating, you will see where I said I liked 2 colors and not the rest. screencap that. I dont have to like everything you like. I dont have to agree with everything you agree with. And that’s that.
Gorgeous In Grey says:
May 31, 2011
Hiya April! Unfortunately I didn’t go to your twitter page to investigate what your thoughts were so thank you for commenting. Be sure to pass the post along to the others who tweeted about this also. We’d love to hear from them too! XOXO
Sara says:
May 31, 2011
Can we all be happy for each other? It was an great opportunity for these ladies. A life lesson- Some doors open for some. Other doors open for others. We don’t always get the same opportunities but we all still get opportunities!
Xoxo!
Gorgeous In Grey says:
May 31, 2011
In a perfect world Sara, in a perfect world! XOXO
RevealingBeaute says:
May 31, 2011
No matter how you feel… MAC chose bloggers (with substantial) followers. Period! Now here’s why. Bloggers speak to and for the consumer. Makeup Artist for the most part, don’t. Makeup Artist (should be) about artistry and the consumer depending on the industry you work in. Consumers = dollars. Consumers are reading the blogs and the bloggers write for and with the CONSUMER in mind. So it makes sense when you’re talking about $$$$$$. Now, that’s not to say that Makeup Artist don’t consider the consumer, bc we do, bc they are our clients. So, ask yourself this: what’s the difference between me and a blogger such as the 9 who were chosen??? The difference is the consumer see’s themselves in the bloggers. Everyday women. Mothers. Students. Wives. Women looking for the next best thing to simplify my life. When consumers look @ MUA’s…that’s NOT what they see. Our world is about artistry. It’s about the newest technique on applying lashes or the difference between brands’ blushes… So this is why it’s the way it is! Who mad???
Gorgeous In Grey says:
May 31, 2011
Welp!
Nichelle says:
May 31, 2011
Let me just drop some marketing/branding knowledge that many bloggers AND MUA’s don’t know, or realize: #1 – Blogging is not the end all be all of ANY brands marketing matrix, it’s only one small piece of a bigger pie to help them sell product and gain relevancy with consumers – so bloggers settle down and know you’re worth more to a brand collectively than you are individually. But…#2 – Bloggers are indeed becoming worth their weight in gold in terms of influence of consumer purchase ..”78 percent of female American adults online actively use social media, and of those, 20 percent are motivated to consider products promoted by a blogger they know and trust than by promotions featuring a celebrity (13 percent)” — 2011 Ketchum Study
Finally, #3 – No matter if you’re an MUA, designer, writer, whatever, if you don’t expand and leverage your brand/business with social media/blogging/etc. as well as support others and network with other industry professionals in all areas, you’re not setting yourself up for success – period. MUA’s were actually consulted on this make-up line from Afrobella – and were in full support.
…maybe the MUA’s should come to the social media conference like Tia Dantzler did and come to a panel/workshops and take 5 pages of notes (like Tia did) so you too can continue to grow your business and brand like she has…Support/motivate/encourage/inspire/congratulate success and you will pave the way to have that same success come to you…it’s that simple, Murphy’s Law is always in effect…xo
mike says:
May 31, 2011
Should I be up on arms because NIKON chooses Ashton to sell cameras over me or another well known photographer? It’s business it perfect marketing its a part of an ever revolving market. They are just tapping into new markets. If your talents are paying the bills then why should one worry. Your talent defines you and not free product.
LoveBrownSugar says:
May 31, 2011
Honeyyyy! You hit the nail on the head with this one. Honestly, I think the whole concept of makeup artists beefing about the MAC Cosmetics line is absurd. At the end of the day, the main goal is to sell product. Will collaborating with makeup artists make your line more credible to MAKEUP ARTISTS? Yes. Will it make the line more credible to CONSUMERS? No.
Modern day bloggers are relatable, everyday people who’ve found a knack for communicating effectively with a mass audience. Brands need that because, at the end of the day, we bloggers have more brand loyalty than they do! People have to just take these things for what they are.
That said, I’m incredibly proud of all the bloggers who were blessed with this opportunity. And hopefully this will inspire other brands to take the blogosphere more seriously.
Thanks for shouting out my #UPLIFT post Ty!!
thefatandskinny says:
May 31, 2011
This post was perfect. All that bitterness was crazy and just plain sad. Everybody is entitled to their own opinion, but when you come off as a bitter, jealous b*tch… that is a problem. It seems like they were mad about not getting picked, but tried to mask it with other comments.
Toya says:
Jun 1, 2011
I am so sick over this! I mean, ok. I get that as a MUA you would die to have that opportunity but this is not just a blogger’s dream come true but a girl’s dream come true. For instance if they picked 6 female athletes, I would think it’s just as cool. The only way I’d be salty is if someone got to name their own cupcake. LOL! No but for real, Twitter beef is so wack.
nluvwshoes says:
Jun 1, 2011
I am so with @afrobella nuff said xx