This is a spin off post from a comment left by reader Jen on my previous post about beginner blogging tips. I felt quite upset when I read it, and felt for the blogger in question although I don’t know who she is. Here’s Jen’s comment:-
I’ve read from a blogger that I’ve been following that someone told them that they don’t have the right to have a beauty blog because they’re not beautiful.. And I thought, what the heck? Do you blog about beauty just bcoz u’re beautiful and u wanna flaunt u’re pretty face? And do you think that if u’re beautiful somebody will read ur blog even if its not worth reading and you’re talking nonsense?
You see why I get riled when I read things like this? It is so wrong! 🙁
I’d like to know what you think. Should beauty bloggers all be young and/or beautiful? Does not being young and/or beautiful preclude you from blogging about beauty? When you read a beauty blog, do you have it in your mind that the blogger should be young and/or beautiful?
I’m going to step up the plate and tell you that I think this pure and utter nonsense. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder and there are many aspects to beauty, not just the superficial common place perception of photoshopped beauty that is being doled out by the bucketloads by magazines, tv and the like. Every single one of us is beautiful even if we do not fit into the cookie cutter ideal of beauty. The key here is to look groomed. If you’re putting your face out there, looking groomed is already the first step to looking beautiful.
As for youth, it comes with it the attendant beautiful glowing skin, less hang ups, more imagination and perhaps courage to just get out there and do it without fearing repercussions. The more visible beauty bloggers are the younger ones who aren’t afraid to put themselves out there. Once you hit your 30s, and have more commitments, more social interactions in your life and just more responsibilities, you becomes less willing to be more “out there”. Speaking for myself of course 🙂 Please feel free to disagree.
Some of the best beauty blogs I’ve come across are written by “older” women who have an elegant beauty and who show us a more wearable, polished look which is how most of us would wear our makeup. They have more to share than just the conventional notion of a pretty face. And when they tell me about skincare products for older skin, I pay a little more attention because they would have been round the block longer, and lets face it, in your 20s you don’t need anti-aging skincare no matter what the brands say, so when a blogger in her 20s claims an anti-aging cream or serum works wonders, I just take it with a pinch of salt.
From the point of view of a “reader” and not a “skimmer” I prefer reading these blogs. I do not deny however, that in the main, many bloggers who focus on beauty fall into the “young and beautiful” category and to be honest, its sometimes daunting from an “older blogger” perspective. There will always be comparisons drawn in terms of looks, talent and courage; but I’d like to think that readers, as well as bloggers grow older and grow up and the older we get, the wiser we get and the less tolerance of giddiness we have. And perhaps then, that’s where the “older bloggers” like me fit into 🙂
Its not to say that young bloggers have no place in the beauty blogging world. There are matured young bloggers out there too as well as giddy “older” bloggers. There is a space for all of us because there are different niches that we fill. I just do not think that beauty blogging is the domain of the young and/or beautiful only to the exclusion of everyone else.
I remember that Sesame of Vivawoman asked this question on her blog a while ago. In light of Jen’s comment, I thought it would be interesting to get your views.
Your Say: Are beauty bloggers supposed to be all be young and/or beautiful? Is that your first thought/impression when you come across a beauty blog or blog primarily about beauty? Be honest. But be nice whichever side of the fence you sit on.
Paris B
p/s I’m not feeling insecure or upset that I’m not young and supermodel material (very happy with my age & how I look at this point of my life 🙂 ) but just upset that there are stereotypes like this persisting and infiltrating the blogging scene. Enjoying reading all your thoughts!
Amber says
This is an interesting topic. It’s a total misconception to assume beauty bloggers MUST be young and beautiful. There are heaps of beauty bloggers out there that are almost the same age as me(I’m 20) but I don’t find their beauty tips that useful because most of them already have near perfect skin and are somewhat beautiful. Some of them don’t even provide any useful tips. Instead, I often find myself reading beauty blogs with owners in their late 20s and above. They have more experience and some can provide some useful information. One of my favorite blogger is Jen from head to toe. A beauty blogger doesn’t have to be beautiful as long as they look decent after makeup. The most important thing of a beauty blog is to provide useful information, not just flaunting their beauty.
Aylwin says
Blame the corporations.
Blogging is a corporate thing now.
Ever heard of MHB (Msia’s Hottest Bloggers)?
Have to be pretty, camwhore loving, drink happy and love clubbing to apply.
That’s why big sponsors like carlsberg, samsung, bmw like them cause pretty young things grace the events attended by rich old men.