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I like it when they are more creative or really showcase the colors/finishes of the launch, but when they are highly-edited and stylized, then they’re just “pretty” but don’t tell me much.
— Christine
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Like: creativity
Dislike: editing and filtering, rarely using models older than like 25, eyelash extensions when promoting mascara.. I know ads are supposed to make a product seem appealing but I wish they would be less shady and more realistic about it.
Lizzie, I am 63 and so when all I see is models 25 or younger, it gives me the sense that we older women are so terribly overlooked and forgotten. Yet, we are the ones purchasing the most, especially in skincare!
I agree with you 100%
I agree, Nancy. I am 58 and am so tired of seeing beauty products being flogged by mere babes. Show me a woman over 50 wearing the lipstick or who uses the cream and I am pressing “order”. OK, not literally, but it certainly influences what I spend my beauty dollars on.
It’s so sad that brands tend to completely ignore such a big demographic. A few weeks ago, I saw the brand About Face use an older lady in a promotional picture and she looked amazing! Her natural skin texture wasn’t retouched (as far as I could tell), her hair was undyed white, her eyelashes looked like average human lashes, and she was modeling sparkly purple eye shadow! It made me so happy! <3 Hopefully more brands start to do things like that instead of just defaulting to 20-somethings with perfect skin.
I was pleased to see an ad for a mascara in a magazine that quoted that the model was wearing eyelash extensions! Finally some honesty, no wonder my eyelashes never looked as good as the model in the shoot. I used to wear extensions for many years and loved them and I can see why people want to wear them.
Most of the time, I think they’re done quite well. But; can we NOT have those terrible photoshopped swatches that are so obviously FAKE looking??? Or, 2nd worse; stenciled swatches, and yes, I mean by the brand! If brands are going to give us promo swatches, and even some looks in some instances, please make them REAL. I despise fakery in advertising!
Those fake “swatches” are the worst!
Lesson learnt is to ignore most of the picture, since they show product with such a degree of saturation, beautiful reflection and shine that I feel unrealistic and impossible to achieve. Yes probably I lack of some skill, but I am tired to buy a shade based on how unique it appears on the picture, only to find a bland colour similar to other 4-5 already in my stash. Long live to Temptalia’s swatches and looks, much more reliable
EXACTLY! That is why I am such a fan of Temptlia!
Oh, poo. I mis-pelled Temptalia!
Love the creative aspect of it. Dislike how you can’t really see how it can apply to the general population that are not models in a specific age range.
They don’t reach out to the older crowd 50+
As some others have said, I’d like to see makeup (particularly those making claims of erasing signs of age or making one look more youthful) on women of “a certain age”. Show me more women in their 40’s, 50’s and above and not just a few rare beauties like Maye Musk. I’d like to see more “real” women, not just models with perfect features and 18 year old skin. And I could happily live without all the re-touching, photo shopping, etc. Let the faces look like they do naturally.
Oh, and those mascara ads…. They say “filmed with lash extensions” (or words to that effect) but the wording is so tiny and on the screen for a nano-second. Why not show the REAL results a person can expect just using that mascara. I don’t need all these falsified “results” and what’s more, they anger me.
The photoshop/filters/lighting is annoying. It would be nice to see more “realistic” ads. I think make up brands would so so much better with their own tutorials of how to use the products. Products are pushed pushed pushed and its like woman are suckers for the next airbrushed product only to buy it and see they are not transformed into the advertised model. I am also tired of the youtubers that push products.. they can’t even keep up. I find that my make up application has improved SO MUCH. I don’t feel the need to buy all the launches.. most of it looks so similar when applied nicely anyway. Also moving toward the future we have seen that many brands respond to models with various skin tones.. I love swatches on light, medium, dark.. I think if they listen more.. we will see more age range. Honestly older women probably have more discretionary income to buy the make up any way!
Show me art. If you’re just going to show boring glam with inaccurate colors/finish of the products? I’m probably not giving the collection a second eye until a real person photographs and reviews it.
I like when they showcase the possibilities that can be done with the product it really gives me motivation to try new looks.
I like the creativity and the looks can inspire you to try things. I don’t like:
– ageism: I hardly see older models. No skincare can make you look 18, let’s see the product on someone 40+
– sexism: makeup and skincare especially do not have gender. Sunscreen for men is just sunscreen.
– fatphobia
– no depictions of skin conditions: show me a model with acne scars or rosacea and let’s see how that foundation actually works!
You’ve summed it up exactly. Show us realistic “results” on people who are less than the idealized idea of “beauty” – people with real skin issues or conditions, people of all ages, etc. There is one model that most of us have seen who has very pronounced vitiligo (hope I’ve spelled that correctly) but she is just ONE model. Why not show us more and people with other skin issues as well. Show us women in their 50’s, 60’s and beyond, people of all sizes and shapes, and a sort of “before and after” of what a product can realistically do, without all the re-touching and such.
I like it when the promo pics show the shades of the collection on varying skintones so that I can get an idea as to how those colours/shades may work on me.
But the overly photoshopped ones where the model looks too perfect to be true are not my cup of tea.
Honestly? I don’t like anything about them. Photoshopped, unrealistic images, and models that only represent a very narrow age group does not appeal to me. There are actually quite a few brands that I’ve started to avoid altogether due to the promo images. I prefer to see actual real life swatches and looks by bloggers I trust for creativity and inspiration.
I like the creativity.
What I dislike is that all the models are in their 20s; it’s as if us mature ladies either don’t exist or don’t wear makeup (I’m 58 and love my makeup).
Brands need to be aware that we look after our appearance just as much as the youngsters!
Love: inspired, edgy, creative, inclusive campaigns
Dislike: the industry largely ignores the demographic that pays for everything.. such is the way of most and a very North American youth and perfection obsessed mentality.
Promo photos, well, I do like some of them, but far too few.
I like when the product(s) are shown on various skin colours and tones.
I would like if they used models of various ages. If swatches looked even a bit real. If they stopped with the filters, the photoshopping, the “bling lighting”, the super glam of it.
I enjoy the creativity and style of the item they’re promoting on the model.
As a 25 year old with dark circles and under eye wrinkles, it’s a bit saddening to me to see it all airbrushed out on the models. It’s such a common thing nowadays. Even with color corrector and concealer, it doesn’t always cover up flaws. And we all have flaws!
If they’re done well then they give me some understanding of the brand or product’s aesthetic but that’s about it.