Saturday, February 2, 2008

Does swag make you bad? A response to the NYT story on beauty blogging gone stinky

The beauty blogosphere's been abuzz about the recent NYTimes story about supposedly unbiased Internet scribes losing their objectivity when treated to freebies, swag and junkets. Is it true? I hope not ... actually, I know it's not. There are a handful of sites like Beautychic 101 , run by Jamie Sanders, and the cadre of sites linked to hers that pride themselves on objectivity, regardless of how they source those objects. What does that mean for the readers out there? Same as it does when we talk about criticism in print media. Don't believe everything you read all the time, read around until you find a writer whose style you like and whose opinions you trust. There's good stuff out there, there's bad stuff out there. Beauty bloggers who are simply on the take will soon find their readers taking their eyeballs elsewhere. Does swag make you bad? Not necessarily, but it should make both a writer and a reader extra careful. Now, in terms of my swag -- do I accept it? Duh! My blog is called Swagulous in the City! But I am also careful to note that I am not getting swag as a result of my blog, it's in relation to my other editorial work. Here, on this blog, I post my true opinions, albeit anonymously. And the two are definitely related. If I don't write about it, it's because I haven't gotten to it yet. Give me a break -- the paid writing gets the priority, people! Also, I do happen to pay for a lot of stuff that I write about (which I do lament, because I really wish I didn't have to plunk down $400 for Amore Pacific!). I also share my celeb sightings with all of my readers. And you know who you are. Love you, Mom.

2 comments:

fashion dog said...

Zac Posen look sooo young.

Absolutely Swagulous! said...

That's because he is! He turns 28 this year ...