When I write an individual product review for this
blog, I have a little tick list in my mind of things to mention in the review
and generally follow this for any beauty product. I personally prefer quite
detailed reviews; I'm not talking an essay, but a good few paragraphs as
opposed to three or four lines briefly describing why the product is good
or bad. I love to read an overview of the product and the writer's experience
of using it. After all, a lot of the time I'm reading a review because I don't
know much, if anything, about what's being featured or because I'm trying to
make a well informed decision on whether to purchase it or not.
This is the format I tend to follow for individual product reviews;
Introduction
I keep this quite brief, but I like to write a few introductory lines to ease the reader into the review - for example, how I came across the product or who/what influenced me to buy it.
Brand and Product Information
After the introduction, I will write some facts that are appropriate to the product type and a sentence about what the brand claims it will do. If the brand is fairly unknown then I will include some facts about the brand too. Here are the key points I aim to cover;
- The size of the bottle/pot
- The price
- The packaging
- Key ingredients
- The formula e.g. a cream cleanser or a powder blusher
- Brand claims e.g. "designed to reduce the appearance of pores and re-balance oily skin"
- If the product comes with anything e.g. brush and mirror with an eyeshadow palette
- Any other appropriate facts e.g. 98% natural, non-comedogenic, contains SPF15
My Thoughts
This is obviously the key section of the review and I try to cover as many aspects as possible to thoroughly share my experience of using the product.
Makeup
- How I apply/use the product and ease of application
- The pigmentation and how well the shade suits my skin
- The formula e.g. is the lipstick dry or creamy, is the eyeshadow overly powdery or smooth and buttery
- The finish e.g. matte, glossy, shimmery
- If there is any scent and what that scent is
- The average wear time on my skin
Skincare
- How I apply/use the product
- The consistency and feel of the formula e.g. it feels silky, it feels heavy
- If there is any scent and what that scent is
- How it affects my skin - this will vary massively depending on the type of product but could include if it's drying or hydrating, if it's soothing or irritating, if it improves blemishes/redness/fine lines/dullness/pores as promised, if it removes makeup effectively.
Summary
This summarises my thoughts from above in a couple of sentences. I try to be as balanced as possible - if the product wasn't for me then I will say so, but I will then recommend who I think it could be suitable for.
Other
I also like to include an external link to a website, which makes it easy for the reader to read more about the product if they wish and even make a purchase if they feel inspired to do so!
I may not always write a review exactly like this or in this order; sometimes I will put the external link at the beginning of the post and sometimes at the end of the post for example. However I feel like following this format as a guideline really helps to me to write a helpful, informative review - hopefully if you read my reviews you will agree! Please note that this does not mean I think this is the best way to format a review or that I do not like other formats, I just find this works for me.
I would love to know your tips for writing a product review?
Beauty Bird xx
These are great tips! x
ReplyDeleteHolly / holly la beau
Thank you Holly! xx
DeleteAmazing post!! I always need something like this when I'm reviewing. I know I always forget things so this is very good! Thank you :-)
ReplyDeletexxx | daisydaisyxxo
enter my Christmas giveaway!
Thank you so much! I'm so glad you found this post helpful xx
DeleteGreat tips! This might be helpful in case I get to review some beauty products. Thanks for sharing them. :)
ReplyDeleteLife With Antlers // A Personal Blog
Thank you for your lovely feedback xx
DeleteSome really useful tips, sometimes it's tricky to put your ideas together in a coherent way. This is would be a good rough guide! xxx
ReplyDeleteThanks Janine! xx
DeleteGreat blog post and tips! I also try and write detailed review posts so I can give a true and honest opinion
ReplyDeletewww.elledeesbeauty.com
Thanks Laura! Writing a more detailed post always takes more time, but it's always worth it xx
DeleteI always enjoy your reviews, it's interesting to read a proper breakdown of how you write them!
ReplyDeleteTara xo
Thanks Tara! It is nice to get it written out, this has always just been in my head!! xx
DeleteGreat tips, I sometimes struggle to think what to write about so I'll refer back to this :) x
ReplyDeleteThanks Kia, that's really nice to hear xx
DeleteI think this is a really useful post and some of the steps you included I often forget so this is actually a pretty great template to refer to! xx
ReplyDeleteAngelica // One Little Vice
Thank you so much Angelica! xx
DeleteI love this little guide! <3 I always try my best to look at ingredients in skincare and see what they do and how they work :)
ReplyDeleteDannie x
www.famousinjapan.co.uk
Thank you lovely! I like it when you list the ingredients on your posts and explain what these are :-) xx
Delete