Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
Q: Do you own all the products you blog about? Where do you get them/ how do you pay for them?
Good question! I own about half of the products I blog about, which I paid for with my own money. Other products I obtained by telling salespeople (at stores like Sephora, Nordstrom’s makeup counter, etc.) that I have a beauty blog and asking for samples of specific products. Other products were sent to me to review by beauty product companies. Other products are ones that my friends own and I borrowed for the sake of my blog. So that it’s clear where I obtained the products I’m blogging about, I’ll start making notes at the bottom of every review entry that says “I acquired this product though my own purchase” or “My friend owns this product” or “This review was made possible through press samples,” etc. That way, there is no confusion.
Q: How can you write about products that you’ve only used a sample of?
I don’t. I like to use products for at least a week before I write about them, so that I can provide an accurate analysis of them. For this to be made possible with products I’m using samples of, I need to have obtained multiple samples. If I have only one sample of a product, I won’t write about it because it’s not enough to base an opinion off of.
Q: Do you work for a beauty product company?
My blog is completely independent from any beauty product company. It’s purely an extracurricular activity of mine. I want my readers to be able to trust my opinions and reviews as unbiased. If I have any connections to the companies I write about, I will plainly state my connection in that blog entry.
I do work for various companies outside of my blog, for example Allen Hall Public Relations Firm, a student-run PR firm that deals with real clients, Inspiration Software Company, an educational software company I’ve done marketing work for the past few summers, etc. None of the companies I work for have anything to do with beauty products. Beauty products, at the moment, are simply a hobby and interest of mine.
Q: Are you writing this blog for a class assignment?
As a journalism major, I am encouraged to keep a blog. However, I don’t currently have any classes that REQUIRE me to keep one. I write this blog because I love to communicate, I’m a total product junkie, I love social media and I believe my blogging can make some useful contributions to society.
If you’re interesting in blogging, I totally encourage it. It’s not as hard as it seems. The most difficult part is coming up with a topic. Always write about something you know a lot about and are interested in. In other words, don’t write about politics because you think it’ll make you look smart and intellectual, if you don’t know what you’re talking about. Ugh. I can’t stand it when people start blogs and then just ramble about nothing. It’s a huge pet peeve of mine and I know that other people see right through it too. In my case, I know beauty products. I’m interested in beauty products. So it works.
Sorry about that tangent. But no, this blog is not for a class. It’s for me. And for you. ☺
Q: What are your favorite beauty brands?
+I’m a big fan of Bare Minerals foundation (the new matte kind) and bronzer
+Lancome mascara
+Eyes Lips Face (e.l.f.) eye shadows and basically everything else they make because it’s all SO CHEAP
+ Make Up Forever eyelash primer
+ Bath & Body Works lip glosses (I’ll blog about this eventually)
+ Proactive
+ Murad
All of my favorites are subject to change at any minute, though. I have severe beauty product attention deficit disorder and I’m always looking for the perfect products that will make everyone even more beautiful and happy than they already are!
A bit about myself: My name is Sarah Helfgott and I am originally from Portland, Oregon. I am a senior at the University of Oregon School of Journalism and Communication, focusing on public relations. I love public relations because I understand the importance and impact of great communication.
My email: Sarah.a.helfgott@gmail.com
My Twitter: Shelfgott (my personal account)
I’ll add more information later… What do you want to know?
