A message

Some thoughts on a Wednesday afternoon:

Being a part of our global Beauty Community is both immensely rewarding and sometimes challenging. Everyone who follows TLF here or on Instagram knows about my interest in the people and philosophies behind a brand. I’ve always claimed that it makes up for a great part of how I perceive the actual products. That has always been my standpoint.

And then recent event occurred.

To make a long story short: a Founder of a very well loved skincare brand completely lost it and went on social media to repeatedly verbally assault followers and consumers. The reaction from the Beauty Community was immediate and fierce: most encouraged their followers to dump the brand, find suitable products from any other competitor and use their influence to create awareness of the situation.

In one go: one person’s actions (the Founder) and his alleged opinions was now equal to an entire brand and its “truth”. That’s how fast social media work. Our communities can lift mountains but at times, it also test your own integrity and opinions.

Although it took a while for me to conclude my own opinion and stand point in the matter, I found myself forced to alternate my previous position.

Even though I won’t and don’t stand by the Founder and his nasty actions in this specific case, I now feel myself thinking that a brand is built up by so many professionals and their efforts: chemists, noses, researchers, management and so on, that I now have started to wonder how significant a Founder really is and should be for me to be able to love the end-result: a product? I guess I will always be amazed and fascinated by anyone who can create something of their own but from now on, I will be more careful with giving credit only to those who are visible faces of a brand. Sure, they have a huge responsibility for their message as they are visible and interactive with media and social media. But they are not the entire brand. Not in my opinion.

And I haven’t thrown out any of my (2) products as I’ve got too much respect for our hard earned money to do so. Repurchasing, on the other hand will be a completely different story…

With this being said, I still fully respect anyone who thinks differently or want to handle this situation in any other way. I find it healthy that we can continue to have also these difficult conversations within the community. Beauty is not skin-deep. It is money, power, politics and friendship over boarders.

♥ Love, M

16
8 Comments
  1. Beautifully written.
    Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this matter . And you’re completely right about the creators interactions with the public playing such an important role in how we can emotionally connect with a brand.
    Genaya xx

    1. My Dear Genaya, Thank you for taking the time to read and leave a comment. I very rarely voice my opinion in this way but I feel that the discussion is bigger than only this brand you know? Social media and the power of our community is a real thing that shall be addressed. Love you always, mwah, M

  2. I don’t know what happened on social media that prompted you to write this well written article but I agree with you that the product is more than one person and one person is definitely not the product. I hope your well thought out comments pour oil on troubled waters. We have a lovely community here which I love very much.
    Kind regards,
    David.

    1. My Amazing David! Your comments, both here and on Instagram really made me feel much stronger in my believes. It is not an easy situation when social media with all its power goes havoc. Since writing this article, there has been additional turns of events with this brand’s CEO and his leadership. I really think its disgusting to see what is going on, but I still don’t want to dismiss the entire brand. Not yet….Kisses, always, M

  3. I’ve always been pretty careful about endorsing brands with a visible and vocal founder who acts as the face of their products, but at least most of them have a distinct voice and identity that tells you what you’re buying into from the start.

    The incident you’re referring to came completely out of left field, and that’s what made it so awful – anyone who’d ever supported the brand felt suddenly complicit in their online dramatics. I don’t think it’s necessary to love a brand’s founder to appreciate the products their company produces, but having said that…it’s certainly safer to know nothing about them than too much!

    1. Amazing Emily! My goodness you really know exactly how to voice an opinion while still addressing the complicated situation we suddenly found ourselves in. I’m still angry and confused about the founder’s behaviour and the lack off official clarification from the companies involved. I’m not keen to repurchase but I still want to use up the 2 products I’ve got. Now, let’s hope this ordeal will be taken care off internally to save the jobs of those in the company who’s done no wrong….Kisses, M

  4. I am applauding your words! Here here.
    Thank you for updating me seeing as I missed all this ‘drama’ being on holiday at the time.
    For me, the product takes priority over a founder but as you said so rightly, it can indeed influence the feeling to re-purhcase hence lessons should be learnt perhaps. I am voting for you! lol

    Kisses, Kelly xx

    http://www.KELLiLASH.com

    1. Wonderful Kelly! THANK YOU for your kind comment and support. It means the world to me as I very seldom voice my opinion in this way. I’m horrified by the Founder’s behaviour and it seems like he’s just the gift that keeps on giving…but I still personally won’t throw out my stuff. Lots of LOVE, M

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published.