How long do you like a review to be?

In my reviews, I go into a pros and cons style. I always state how it went on my very dair, oily skin or with my curly, dry hair. I think it’s important to talk about what your skintone and skin type is when reviewing makeup, particularly with foundations, concealers and powders. I also do not put a higher star rating just because I received the product as part of a trial team, in fact I’ve been brutally honest and given one product a 1 star that I received.

I don’t care about the length of a review per say but I do not appreciate when a review repeats the same things over and over again. I also don’t care for a price listed in the review because I can find updated information of that and prices change- but I do like to know if they think the product was good value for money. Also usually skim past reviews that just list ingredients or anything I could read about on the packaging- would rather them just tell me what you thought of the product, did it work, did it not work and why.

I have read some very long reviews that have told me very little about a product, and I have read some short reviews but they were helpful because they were well-written.

As an older person with dry skin (I’m in my fifties), I want to know a reviewer’s age and type of skin. Some products that work well on younger skin don’t perform as well on older skin. For example, an eyeliner might skip or tug on mature eyelids.

I wish that everyone would state the shade of lipstick, eyeliner etc that they are reviewing. One shade can perform differently to another. I have read many reviews where people do not state the shade of a lipstick, eyeshadow etc.

When I read a review for a lipstick, lip gloss or lip balm, I want to know if there are any strong flavours in it. I especially find peppermint oil annoying.

I read reviews where people say that a product has reduced their fine lines etc, but they’ve only used the product for a few weeks. I am very dubious about these claims. However, it is possible that someone that is much younger than me might see a change in their skin in a short time.

I do not need someone to tell me how much they paid for a product because the price is usually shown with the product listing. If the review is a few years old, the cost could have been increased.

If I see a review with lots of spelling mistakes or terms such as “LOL”, I may not read it.

I do not require a full list of ingredients in a review because I can find that information if I need it. Also, a company can change the ingredients of a product.

I know I’m one of the ones who errs on the side of longer reviews, but I guess I try & pack as much info as I can about my experiences with the product, as well as my hair/skin type/age if needed. I try to be succinct as possible but there are times where my tendency to be wordy takes over (particularly if I love a product), so apologies for anyone having to deal with my verbiage!

As far as reviews go, for me I like to read about people’s experiences with the product, whether they be good or bad. Don’t give me any of this “I like it/dislike it” BS without explaining why! I need explanations! I couldn’t care less about ingredients lists being included in a review – ironic that I say this as I’m someone who religiously reads ingredients lists before purchasing stuff (I do this out of habit due to having sensitive/reactive skin) – because I can find that out myself.

I’d love BH to include a system whereby we can eliminate reviews from those who don’t match our hair/skin type & age etc, like a lot of other sites do. It’d make it easier to sort the wheat from the chaff, so to speak.

Good thread idea Lisa359, and the participants so far are regulars too. Again, good to see those who are active providing input. Maybe BH will also review these comments. As I am lucky enough to sometimes be part of a trial team it is necessary to write a minimum of 150 words. Sometimes this can be difficult without adding information such as the ingredients, which can be googled or read on the packaging, just to fill the required word number.

The reviews I find most informative are those with pros and cons – sadly, I don’t do that but I should, but just don’t think of it while writing 🙂 Will try to work on that in future though.

Good idea to write reviewer’s personal details such as age group, skin type, and other relevant details which may affect how the product performs for them. This would help similar interested members if the product would also suit them. Something like a skin toner or moisturiser used by a 20 yo is not going to perform the same way as it does for a 60 yo. Also those with dry or oily skin need different products and just reading the label sometimes does not provide a true review. Who has read anything negative on a label claiming to improve your skin?

Sorry my comment is so long, I just had to get my thoughts on this out.

It does depend on the product itself, but I do you like reviews that get to the point quickly while being thorough.

I do not care about length – short or long. A review can be concise and short. I have also unfortunately read long-winded reviews that told me absolutely nothing. I only care about the quality of the review.

The kind of review that I absolutely do not like are the ones that claim they like or dislike a product AND THAT’S IT. Yet this type of review is frequently published.

I do care about the ingredients as I am allergic to some but I can look that up myself, so no worries if that is included or excluded. I do want to know if it smells like something, anything or nothing at all. I do want to know if it’s thin or thick – so I know where I would include it in a layered routine. What does it feel like on your skin? Are there any IMMEDIATE effects? I hate it when someone has only used it once or twice and suddenly claims it is a miracle elixir for youth.

I want to add more but I’ll probably get a telling off for bullying or something, so that’s my 2c.

For me, it also depends on the product. For a simple body wash, I might look at the overall star rating & read a few titles. For other things, I might read through more than a full page of reviews, looking for a specific detail that no reviewers have mentioned, eg the durability of a lipstick, or if a perfume has rose or jasmine notes (migraine triggers).

When I’m at the supermarket, I have to read through ingredients lists to check for my migraine triggers. So when I write a review, I include the ingredients list & some of the pack info that other members might need: some forumites won’t use products made in China, others specifically want vegan products. If my reviews are too long, I expect most readers will scroll past, but some readers might need that info.

I prefer a shorter one with results, side affects etc. Don’t give it 3/4/5 stars and write a bad review, put less stars so the overall rating is accurate. State what your skin/hair type is.

I like summary of the pros and cons . No need to repeat ingredients etc and it is already on the labels and we can all Google . Any reactions and good advice is appreciated esp for those with sensitive skins/health issues.