I remember reading a blog post a few months back asking if beauty bloggers should be beauty experts or not. My unequivocal answer to that is "No." If the prerequisite for being a beauty blogger required certification or work experience, then only dermatologist, chemists, certified makeup artists and certified beauticians could blog about beauty. Thank goodness this is not the case. Let me explain why.
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There are different types of beauty content
There are so many niches within beauty that require nothing more than for a person to be able to read and comprehend what they read. Blogging about what makeup celebrities are wearing does not require a degree or even a high school diploma. Many bloggers blog about what they just purchased and why they like it. Others blog about the newest beauty products coming out, while some write about what makeup look they created for the day or evening. None of these topics require any special certification or degree in order to blog about them.
Product reviews can be based solely on experience
A beauty review can be in two different formats: experience only or experience plus analysis. Product reviews based solely upon the user's experience is something anyone can do. A person's experience with anything is unique to him or her. When it comes to reviews that require experience and analysis, then perhaps one can argue that an expert should do this. I still disagree.
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If bloggers researches the ingredients of the product they are reviewing and compares their research with what the product claims, they can give a thorough review that combines experience and analysis of the product. I did this recently when reviewing a beauty product that gave vague beauty benefits that did not seem to match the ingredients. I found out that the key was in a "power trio" that helped to balance the skin's pH level. I have no degree in a scientific field, but research allowed me to provide more information about products so my readers can make a sound purchase decision.
Sound research and a clear disclaimer are useful blogging tools
Research on specific beauty topics can give a blogger enough information to write an informative blog post. There is one caveat to doing research: You need to make sure your sources are experts or the site gets its data from expert sources, such as interviewing a dermatologist. Even with all your expert sources, you still need to throw in a disclaimer when recommending any specific beauty regimen to address physical problems. After all, you are not a doctor.
Websites to use for beauty research
I have a handy list of websites I frequently visit to look up information. Here are a few easy-to-use and understandable websites that give useful beauty knowledge:
- The Beauty Brains — This is run by scientists who have worked in the beauty industry.
- Cosmetics Info — Provides basic information about common ingredients found in beauty products.
- American Academy of Dermatology — They provide easy-to-understand information about skin issues and various treatments that work.
- P&G Science — P&G Science has useful information about emerging discoveries that affect P&G products. I have found information about a lot of skin and hair topics.
Don't allow anyone to make you believe you need a degree in science to be a beauty blogger. If you choose to provide in-depth content on your beauty blog, you can do so. There is information out there you can find and pass along to your readers.
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