Misleading Advertising

  • May 31, 2011

    Is this mascara the answer to our prayers? Um, no. False lashes have been used in an advert for a mascara that claims to give us a “false lash effect”! It would be funny if it wasn’t so annoying..

    The Lash Blast Mascara’s I have used previously are pretty good and no doubt this one is too so whydo they do this? Do they think we are stupid? It makes me so mad!

    The sad thing about this particular advert is that it’s actually very nice and quite plain by todays standards; a young attractive woman wearing not a lot of makeup on a nice clean background. Only 2 colours have been used in the advert; white and orange, and the main focus is on her youthful freshness and amazing lashes! All very visually appealing right?
    The tagline however, makes me laugh; “Is your volume true or false? Lash Blast gives you true volume”. Really? Come on now…

    Here is Eva Longoria in real life with no makeup on, and here she is after “applying” a L’Oreal mascara. An amazing groundbreaking mascara? Again, no. L’Oreal admit in the very fine print that Eva’s eyes “were styled using lash inserts”. Not that anyone is surprised I might add, just look at those babies! (We’ll also just the ignore the fact that she has been airbrushed to infinity)
    I understand in todays day and age, all sorts of computer trickery are used to enhance the appeal of products and we, as educated consumers should realize this however, these adverts are just downright misleading and inappropriate, in my opinion.
    I don’t know about you but I’ve never used a mascara that magically sprung a pair of false lashes on my eyes?!
    Thankfully, the Committee of Advertising Practice (CAP) and Broadcast Committee of Advertising Practice (BCAP) releasednew advertising guidelines for cosmetics advertising this year. The guidelines vary from the use of misleading lash inserts, to the use of fake nails in nail adverts, hair extensions in hair care ads and so on. The guidelines state that the use of any of the above is fine as long as its not directly related to the particular product being advertised. For example, it’s OK to use lash inserts for an advert relating to hair care.

    It all sounds great but it will be interesting to see how cosmetic companies like Cover Girl & L’Oreal navigate around this!
    So what do you think of these adverts? Would you buy the product advertised knowing that the effects wouldn’t look or be the same?

     

    • Demented but happy

      >I've noticed this before with mascara adverts and no I wouldn't buy them. If they showed a true representation of what the product can do then I would – but why buy something that the manufacturers themselves obviously have no faith in??!!

    • Primp and Preen

      >It just makes me so much more grateful that I can look up new products on blogs and see how they actually perform. I don't think most of use expect a mascara to give us a false lash effect, after all we have false lashes for that, and I would much rather just see what you can achieve with the product alone.

    • Deefu

      >This is one of my pet hates, it would be a nice change to see a company advertising a mascara without lash inserts, just so you can tell exactly how the product works. I would probably buy the product out of respect

    • Delyteful Speaks

      >I never buy a product because of the image i see before me.. I know it's photoshopped and I know I won't look like that.. That's why I try to do my research before I jump in on a purchase.. especially if it's a really hyped product..

      Great post hun.. U raise a very importat subject.. Thank you =)

    • Debbie

      >Actually its tantamount to them saying "our product is rubbish, ignore anything on this disgustingly expensive advert because it's all tosh. Our mascara will make your lashes a bit blacker and a smidgeon longer. It will only make you look like you have false eye lashes if you actually apply it to false eyelashes. Like we did" Surely if the product made any discernible difference to the length or volume of the lashes there would be no need for inserts, as inserts were used we can only assume the product itself does nothing!

    • toomanymuffins

      >I've stopped paying attention to those adverts, they are so misleading. I've started to base my beauty purchases on beauty blogs like your own, because they are 'reality'. Well done for pointing out this. Needs to be changed!

    • smoosh_kissxx

      >This frustrates me like mad!! When these guidlelines come in it'll be good to see how companies get around it x

    • http://www.artdonatella.blogspot.com Artdonatella

      Hey chicks! Loving your new site! Massive congrats, it’s fabulous! xoxo

      • Anonymous

        Thank you so much!

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