Wednesday 16 October 2013

Blogging Pet Hates

Now... I write this post with no intention to hurt anyone's feelings or to make negative comments about how some people may blog. It is purely a post of pet hates that I have when reading blogs and thought if they are things that annoy me, it must annoy others too! Feel free to agree, disagree or comment if you want to - but as I said, I am NOT doing this to intentionally upset people for the way they write their posts. I'm a pretty 'say what you feel' kinda person and this post shows that in the worst best kind of way!

So, shall I get started!? 



Lipstick Swatches: It's all well and good showing swatches of lipsticks on your hand, not going to lie... I used to do this too as it's just easier & quicker than putting 5 different shades on your lips and taking photos. But I prefer to see the colour of lipsticks on peoples lips as that's where it will be worn! Try to take a photo of the colour on you rather than just a picture of your hands.  

Lipstick photos: Leading on from the lipstick swatches, when you do choose to take a photo of lipstick on your lips, please make sure you have waxed your lip or at least photoshopped your lip hairs out!! Everyone has hair on their lips, some are lucky enough to have fair hair and isn't noticeable and I understand that not everyone is prim and proper in the body hair department but if you're taking a close up photo that shows you have lip hair, especially if you have dark hair, do something about it.  

Structure of posts: One thing that REALLY bugs me is poor structure of posts. Not necessarily grammar, but the layout. There really isn't any need to split what could be a 3 paragraph post into 200 sentences! It gets boring, makes the post look 10x longer than it really is and it's just not a good way of writing! 

Repetitive photos: I'm all for photo-heavy posts, especially if the quality of the images is good but when there are 10 photos of the same thing, it's pointless! 

Photo placement: You know when your blog width isn't big enough and your photos flop over the edge? No!? Well make sure you do! I hate seeing photos hanging over the edge of the layout! Its easy enough to adjust the widths to make sure it all fits! 

False opinions: I believe that if you like a product, it reflects in the review you write about it. If you don't, but pretend too... This also shows. Not necessarily bad reviews, but false opinions of something you're pretending you love when you really hate it, isn't the way to go. Just because the PR promised you future sponsorships if you brag about the product isn't good blogging! 

Reviews: Leading on from false opinions, I also believe that you need to have actually used the product more than once to give an honest review. Just because you bought something 2 days ago, doesn't mean you can review it. You may love it to start with but after multiple uses, something may stand out and make you hate it. Be sure what you're writing is honest if it's a review, if it's based on first impressions, make sure you state this! 

Un-necessary purchasing of products: This is a little off topic but it still fits into my pet hates. When someone buys every, single product from a collection and then 2 weeks later, you see it in their blog sale... Yes. It happens. I used to follow a few people that constantly bought beauty / skincare items and then sold them a month or so later. Obviously buying them at the time for credit and hits but then realising they actually don't like it or simply can't afford it! Unless you run your own business, have won the lottery or are simply rolling in it, I don't believe that anyone can afford to spend £100+ every week on beauty items! (if you can, i'm jealous!) 

Comments: When you get a comment on your OOTD saying 'I love this skirt, where is it from?' and you have clearly stated it was from Topshop. Or, even worse, when you have a comment that has NOTHING to do with that post. You can tell when someone has read it properly or just looked at the pictures and it annoys me SO MUCH. I should comment on posts more, I do admit. But when I do, I do it because I have something I genuinely want to comment on rather than just doing it in hopes of having my blog looked at in return! 

Spamming: Leading on from comments, spamming comments. Leaving your link, a link to your twitter and a link to your giveaway will not make me want to read your blog. It will make me want to delete your comment and cyber punch you in the face. There is no problem leaving a link to your blog after you've made a comment but No-one likes spammers so don't do it.  

So, there you have 10 things I hate when reading blogs... I hope I haven't offended anyone though! These are just points that always seem to make me scream a little inside! I'm no pro when it comes to blogging but i'm sure i'm not the only one that these things rattle! Am I!?

Do any of these things annoy you!? Please tell me if they do! 

28 comments :

  1. I hate hairy faces. Just can't take the lipstick review seriously.

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  2. As well as the hairy faces, I hate the non exfoliated lip look! ewww! haha

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    1. Yes, that's another thing that isn't hard to maintain. Is it!?

      xx

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  3. I have to admit I'm one of those who put lippie on my hand instead of my face.. why? Because I hate my lips :'( I see this girls will full, plump lips and lippie looks amazing! I have a thin upper lip and lipstick normally looks pants on me. I really need to get over this lol The hairy lip is just plain gross and I don't understand woman that don't do something about it.

    I have just started a 111 days spending ban due to over spending on products purely to blog about them. Wish me luck! Here's my link if you want to check it out :D ..... just kidding ;)

    I think you were very honest and most bloggers would agree with you. I'm sure you'll ruffle a few feathers but hey we're all different. I love posts like this!

    Wendy | Paint the UK Pink blog

    Xoxo

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    1. Haha yeah some people just don't like to take photos of their lips which is fair enough. I just prefer to see the lipstick on the lips as that's where it'll be worn and the colour of your skin can mess with the pigmentation in a lipstick!

      Haha, I have ruffled feathers but who cares!?

      xx

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  4. I actually prefer lipstick swatches on hand (or arm!) because the colour of people's lips makes a lipstick look totally different from on person to the next. Then again, I guess so does skin.... Oh well!x

    Quite Frankly She Said - UK Lifestyle Blog

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    1. Yeah, as you said - skin pigmentation is stronger than lips and can effect the colour of the lipstick! I guess you can see it just as well but I prefer to see it where it'll be worn!

      xx

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  5. I agree with all of these, although admittedly I can be a bit lazy when it comes to taking lip swatches pictures (half the time because Im blogging in my pjs, and cant be bothered to put makeup on my face at the time I put up the post lol). Couldnt agree more about the lady moustache, it looks horrendous especially on close up lip pictures hahaa x

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    1. LMAO yes! I'm exactly the same. I've actually taken lip photos before and just wacked some foundaiton on the bottom half of my face haha!!

      xx

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  6. I agree so much with the comment thing - when it's obvious they haven't read your post. When you've clearly stated where you bought something, or even provided a flippin' link! Arghhh! I get that people skim-read, but if you want to know certain things, surely you'd read first before you commented?! I must admit I do like a lipstick post even if it's just a swatch on the arm - but if i can see it on the lips too then thats just a bonus! I guess shades look different on everyone so its nice to have a few swatch photos to try and gauge how it will look on yourself :) x x

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    1. Yeah, commenting without reading is SO obvious and just annoying. Like you said, if you're interested in something in the post, surely you'd just read it properly!? I think the lipstick thing is different for everyone, I don't mind seeing swatches on arms I just feel that skin pigmentation can sometimes effect the true colour of the lipstick! Easier than lip photos though, I do admit!!

      xx

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  7. The hand swatching thing drives me craaaaazy; I know sometimes people aren't comfortable showing their whole face in something like a foundation review, but if you're reviewing a lipstick or mascara then that part of the face can so easily be cropped in a photo and at least we can judge for ourselves if we think it looks good :)

    I've never even considered my moustache before though haha, cue me quickly checking all my lipstick posts for stray hairs!

    Claire from Stylingo xx

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    1. Im glad i'm not the only one it bothers haha! But yeah, its a better judgement of colour when you can see where it's actually worn rather than half way up your arm lol

      xx

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  8. Spammy comments are for-seriously the WORST. Generally the name will link back to your blog or website, so it's unnecessary to add a bunch of links at the bottom of a comment that had nothing to do with the post whatsoever. It's just too obvious and I can't imagine that sort of comment strategy actually benefiting anyone.

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    1. No, nor me! Leaving a bunch of links just makes me delete the comment, not look! If you want someone to look at your blog, leave them a genuine comment showing that you have interest in their blog in the first place. I'd be happy to look then!

      xx

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  9. I'm of the opinion that people can do what they want with their blog, and I rarely criticise unless it is impeding my ability to view the blog properly (ie fluorescent text colour, difficult to read fonts, photos overlapping text etc). I notice that you criticise the structure and layout of posts and I sometimes do this if it affects how easy it is to read a blog. For example I often advise against centre aligned text as the human eye finds it more difficult to read each line when it starts at a different point. However, I would only point this out because it affects how easy it is to read a blog.

    I also disagree re: lip hair. We all have it to one extent or another and although some decide to remove it, some do not - and that's fine, it's their face, it's not up to us to decide what someone decides to do with it. Some may not even have noticed until they've taken photos on their camera and uploaded it to the internet. May I ask why it bothers you so much? Would you also advocate photoshopping out facial imperfections and blemishes also?

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    1. Yes, Lily. Everyone is intitled to their opinion and these are just mine (and clearly others feel the same). I didn't do it to offend anyone and I am not critising people individually, these are just things that tend to crop up and bother me. I feel that structure (as for sentences) effects how I read a blog, like you and the centre aligned thing. Again, just my opinion.

      And I stated that some people choose not to remove this but its just doesn't look good in a photo if you have a lovely lipstick on and then lots of lip hair. It WILL put people off looking at the photo - as many people have agreed!

      It only bothers me because it makes me feel uncomfortable and personally, I believe there is no need for it. I would photoshop an imperfection of my own if it bothered me but I would in no way, judge someone for photoshopping out an imperfection if they didn't feel comfortable with it being in the photo!

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  10. hahaha I make SURE I only take pictures of lipstick swatches after getting my upper lip threaded. LOL It is kinda gross to see it on blogs, definitely a big pet peeve! I think Lily up there is being a bit extreme... It's about aesthetics and it just doesn't look good, that's all. Another thing that is kinda gross is when you see a nail polish swatch and the person's been biting on their nails or the skin around it and it's all red and skin's hanging off... Just don't do it people!!

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    1. You're right. It just doesn't make the photo look good. No one wants to see that shit. lol
      NAIL POLISH is something i'm a bad blogger for. I just can't be bothered to take it off so i just pick at it haha oops!!

      xx

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  11. THANK YOU! Ive just started my blog today and these blog "don'ts" have been really helpful.. luckily I haven't committed any sins so far :)

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  12. Ha, I agree with most of these. Personally, the lip hair thing doesn't bother me, but I can understand why it might others.

    One thing that really REALLY bugs me, is when people post OOTD pictures and don't iron their clothes. I genuinely don't understand this, the entire focus of your post is on the clothes that you are wearing, and they are creased. How do people not notice this when they upload the pictures, even if they don't realise that it needs ironing when they're wearing it? Grumble.

    Something else that annoys me, and I genuinely don't know why, but it's an irrational bugbear that has resulted in me avoiding some blogs now just because I feel myself getting all hot and sweaty, is people who do regular OOTD posts and always adopt EXACTLY the same position. Like, they have a certain way of standing, and that is the only way you have ever seen them stand. I don't understand. If it's just a straight forward, face on, arms by the side stand, then fine, but if they have a special POSE, and it is ALWAYS that pose. (See how angry I'm getting?? haha)

    What else...I said this on Twitter and people either agreed or were outraged - but when bloggers give collective pet names for their readers, you know how Lady Gaga calls her fans her "Little Monsters" or whatever it is, and Gwen Stefani had something similar, then you have Directioners for One Direction fans and Beliebers (sp?) for Justin Beiber... and then bloggers do it, I get a bit of a "seriously???" moment when I read that.

    Aaaaand bloggers who refer to their children or husband in terms of their blog name. That freaks me out. Like, my blog is 25 to 30 (which doesn't really work for this example lol), but anyway, I wouldn't refer to my husband as Mr. 25 to 30, or my son as Baby 25 to 30, in the same was as you don't call Millie "Not Average Baby"... although you might :)

    I'm going to stop there...

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    1. The ironed clothes thing is a HUGE thing for me too! Arrrghh!

      Lorna @ life-by-lde.co.uk

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  13. I LOVE that you've wrote this post Emma - as you've pointed out, none of your points were made to directly insult anyone, you're just expressing your views, it's YOUR blog, YOUR thoughts.
    And tbh I totally agree with most if not all of your points!! I could add a few of mine on too ;)

    Lianne | TheBrunetteSays...

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  14. If I start ranting about my own bug bears I'll never stop! The lipstick swatches on the hand/arm seriously do annoy me though - especially if it's only an arm swatch on a HAIRY ARM! I know it's a bit shallow to judge based on this, but the lipstick wasn't made to be smudged up an arm, I want to see it on your face!! I also hate bad quality photographs, it really grinds my gears having to sift through a load of badly positioned or poorly lit, or just plain bad pictures...

    I will stop now, otherwise I'll continue on into the night!

    Lorna @ life-by-lde.co.uk

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  15. This post has made me really happy that I don't blog about fashion. Haha. You lasses are high maintenance, and so you should be, it's what you do! I'm a bit more of a CBA kind of girl. But I will have to agree with on comment made by Ashleigh, 25-30, I can't stand the name thing. Didn't realise I could be annoyed by such a thing till I started blogging. Hate the whole 'LO" thing or using the intitials of their name, or a she said calling them baby insert blog name here, you took a long bloody time picking a name for your kid, use it.
    Ok that felt good. I'm done. Loved the post Emma. Fair play.

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    ReplyDelete

Thank you for leaving a comment - I can’t reply right now but will get back to you soon! x