Is there such a thing as Brand Loyalty and what creates it?
When I watch beauty Vlogs on YouTube or read a beauty blog I am always surprised by how many people brand hop. When I first started wearing make-up as a child it was about what colour you liked - it was the 80's and I was around seven so blue eyeshadow made sense. Once I hit my teens and my skin started breaking out and becoming more sensitive I tended to go for the products aimed at my age and skin type - Clearasil anyone? But then as I left school and all that baggage behind me I moved on to more luxury brands that matched my skin.
I remember experimenting with brands including Clinque and Dior which just didn't work for me, before settling on Lancome, which I used for around ten years. Ten years is a long time to be loyal to a product and it wasn't just one product either.
I used the whole range, from skin car through makeup everything I had was Lancome - why? Well at the time I started using it, being brand loyal was a bonus. Your skin care and makeup were tailored to work together. The foundation would sit well with the moisturiser, it wouldn't slip off or dry your skin out and it wouldn't change colour half way through the day as it oxidised.
One of the things that kept me brand loyal were the advisors at the counter. I got to know them really well and they took care of me in return. They knew I would stick to their counter above all others so they would give me the nod if a sale was coming up or a new product, I'd get samples to try and make overs every few months to check my skin and skin care package matched and it worked for me for a long time.
Until like a lot of brands do the recipe and my skin both changed.
Now I was out in the cold, I couldn't use a go to product - brand loyalty had been great while it worked for me but now I had no idea what else was out there that would be good for my skin.
If you read my makeup evolution post you get an idea of how my use of skin care and make up has progressed.
Anyway, the thing is I'm still pretty brand loyal where I can be - but the years have taught me to be more savvy about it.
Currently I'm using Clarins skin care and make up - however, I also experimented enough to know that Channel foundation is great on my skin and it works with the Clarins moisturiser I'm using.
Clarins is great and it works for me - well most of their products do, there are some which I just can't use. The assistants at my preferred Clarins counter are great, they take their time with me, answer my questions allow me to try products and don't push me in to buying something I'm not ready for. That keeps me going back because I've developed a trust in how they advise me and their sales technique.
I've been to other brands and other Clarins counter where its all about the sale, I had similar experiences over the years with Lancome and other brands, a sale is important but selling the wrong product to the customer might loose you sales in the future.
I'm currently happy with Clarins but as I've said there are somethings that just don't work on my skin, which gives me pause, I don't want to be in the same situation I was when I could no longer use Lancome so right now I'm experimenting looking for a brand that works and has a customer service policy I can feel comfortable with.
There's something to be said from being able to brand hop - in a way I wish I could, my wallet probably wouldn't appreciate it but my love of make up would. There's also a lot to be said for being brand loyal and I'm sure brands prefer that kind of repeat customer. But I think for me right now the best place to be is the middle ground.
At least then I know what is out there, what can work for me and gives me the opportunity to experiment with more than one look.
I remember experimenting with brands including Clinque and Dior which just didn't work for me, before settling on Lancome, which I used for around ten years. Ten years is a long time to be loyal to a product and it wasn't just one product either.
I used the whole range, from skin car through makeup everything I had was Lancome - why? Well at the time I started using it, being brand loyal was a bonus. Your skin care and makeup were tailored to work together. The foundation would sit well with the moisturiser, it wouldn't slip off or dry your skin out and it wouldn't change colour half way through the day as it oxidised.
One of the things that kept me brand loyal were the advisors at the counter. I got to know them really well and they took care of me in return. They knew I would stick to their counter above all others so they would give me the nod if a sale was coming up or a new product, I'd get samples to try and make overs every few months to check my skin and skin care package matched and it worked for me for a long time.
Until like a lot of brands do the recipe and my skin both changed.
Now I was out in the cold, I couldn't use a go to product - brand loyalty had been great while it worked for me but now I had no idea what else was out there that would be good for my skin.
If you read my makeup evolution post you get an idea of how my use of skin care and make up has progressed.
Anyway, the thing is I'm still pretty brand loyal where I can be - but the years have taught me to be more savvy about it.
Currently I'm using Clarins skin care and make up - however, I also experimented enough to know that Channel foundation is great on my skin and it works with the Clarins moisturiser I'm using.
Clarins is great and it works for me - well most of their products do, there are some which I just can't use. The assistants at my preferred Clarins counter are great, they take their time with me, answer my questions allow me to try products and don't push me in to buying something I'm not ready for. That keeps me going back because I've developed a trust in how they advise me and their sales technique.
I've been to other brands and other Clarins counter where its all about the sale, I had similar experiences over the years with Lancome and other brands, a sale is important but selling the wrong product to the customer might loose you sales in the future.
I'm currently happy with Clarins but as I've said there are somethings that just don't work on my skin, which gives me pause, I don't want to be in the same situation I was when I could no longer use Lancome so right now I'm experimenting looking for a brand that works and has a customer service policy I can feel comfortable with.
There's something to be said from being able to brand hop - in a way I wish I could, my wallet probably wouldn't appreciate it but my love of make up would. There's also a lot to be said for being brand loyal and I'm sure brands prefer that kind of repeat customer. But I think for me right now the best place to be is the middle ground.
At least then I know what is out there, what can work for me and gives me the opportunity to experiment with more than one look.
