We’ve all been there: a beauty brand pops up again and again on our social media feeds, tempting us with videos of “real” women (who often look more like supermodels) declaring their love for a certain product. Her skin looks like glass! Her hair grew so thick in just a few months! Her lips have never been plumper!
It’s easy to fall for these sponsored posts—the influencer’s job is to make it convincing, after all. But for the savvy online consumer, it can also raise a healthy dose of skepticism: is the product really so great, or is the influencer just collecting a paycheque?
In today’s social-media-centric world, it can certainly feel like influencers are at the top of the pecking order. But this might not actually be the case: for many beauty brands, honest reviews from real people will always reign supreme.
“Customer reviews are critical for us,” says Amy Welsman, founder and CEO at Paume, a Toronto-based luxury hand care brand. “They provide social proof, build trust, and help potential buyers understand the real-world performance of our products. While we’ve seen incredible organic support from influencers, reviews from everyday customers carry immense weight. They validate the results we promise and create a sense of community around our brand.”
Paume sells a range of hand products, from sanitizer to exfoliator to nail and cuticle cream. And according to Welsman, customer reviews are a key part of the brand’s ecommerce strategy: “In my opinion, reviews are a super powerful conversion tool. A compelling review—especially one that details a customer’s experience, concerns and results—can be more persuasive than a product description. People trust people.”
Shoppers are also becoming more aware, she says, which means that reviews from unpaid sources are actually more relevant than ever. “Personally, I think customer reviews will only become more important,” she explains. “Consumers are getting savvier—they know when a promotion is paid, and they’re actively seeking unfiltered, real experiences. Influencers still play a huge role in discovery, but customer reviews act as the ‘honest friend’ that helps validate whether a product is truly worth it.”
For Graydon Moffat, founder of Toronto’s Graydon Skincare and a founding member of Canada’s Indie Beauty Collective, customer reviews are not just great for sales—they’re also also an important part of product development and improvement. “We value transparency, so reviews are key to fostering community and credibility,” she says. “They also guide us in improving our formulations and offerings, ensuring we meet the evolving needs of our customers. Positive feedback reinforces what works, while constructive criticism helps us grow and refine our products.”
That sentiment is echoed at American body and hair care brand SheaMoisture. “Customer reviews are crucial for driving trials and consideration of both new and existing products, as they are written by everyday consumers who have purchased and used the product,” says Maureen Kitheka, marketing and engagement lead at Unilever, which owns SheaMoisture.
“These reviews provide valuable insights into the actual performance and user experience of the product based on personal experiences, which can help potential buyers make informed decisions—shoppers are more likely to purchase items with positive reviews. Internally, we use these reviews to understand what works in our product propositions, what customers like or dislike, and why. This information helps us refine our future product development.”
Of course, this doesn’t mean influencer reviews should be nixed, either. For Kitheka, it’s all about finding the right mix of the two. “We will always seek a balanced perspective, which is achieved by combining both sources of reviews,” she says. “Influencer reviews can generate initial interest and excitement, while customer reviews can validate the product’s quality and performance through authentic feedback. This dual approach can enhance consumer trust and confidence in the product.”
Moffat, whose skincare products boast a range of superfood ingredients, agrees that influencer reviews still serve a great purpose: “Genuine influencer reviews can introduce so many new people to our products and increase our brand awareness. It’s great for reach, especially when the influencer has a lot of trust with their followers.”
No matter which type of review it is, she adds, the goal is to strive for authenticity. “With both, it’s great to have reviews that dive into someone’s personal experience using a product,” Moffatt explains. “It allows for more specific insights into a product to be shared beyond what’s on our product page.” After all, beauty is in the eye of the reviewer. —Sara Harowitz
share:
Be the first to comment