Things to Know About Being a Reviewer

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Greetings, ladies and gentlemen! Welcome back. I appreciate you all stopping by. I hope everyone is having a wonderful day and you are in good health.

So, I decided to do another article today. I haven't posted very much this year, so I am trying to catch up. This one is going to be about being a reviewer. It will be a resource for people who are looking to get into reviewing or people who have misconceptions about reviewers and what goes on behind the scenes. Some of this is new information and some of it will be stuff you probably heard before. This is the truth, at least according to my experiences. Buckle up and let's get into it!


Reviewing isn't a Job

I see a lot of newer reviewers who get into this and think they will strike it rich like Jeremy Fragrance or other big YouTubers. the reality is that most reviewers don't make much. Unless you are about that 75K subs mark, then you won't make much. Even larger reviewers like Gent Scents and Redolessence still have regular jobs outside of reviewing. This isn't a replacement for a normal job and there is a very small chance you will make enough to supplement your income, or even your fragrance addiction with it.

With that being said, many of us spend hours daily or weekly putting together content. We research notes, fragrance trends, new releases, edit our content, and many other things that take time. The time you spend on working on content is in no way reimbursed by ad revenue or sponsorships.


Shilling

This is something that has come up a lot recently. While it is true that some reviewers get paid, most of us don't make anything. Ashton at Gent Scents just did a video on this. He stated that a few companies have offered him money to push their products and he declined. Some reviewers do take these opportunities. Not all of us do. You can be sure that anyone who has done a Scentbird ad doesn't have your best interests at heart. It's a well-known fact that Scentbird give a script for those ads and they aren't honest.

There is a misconception about "influencers" getting paid by fragrance companies to promote their brand. I have been offered money to positively review stuff, even with my small audience. Of course, I told them no, even though I have no income and could use it. My morals are worth more than a few bucks. I could show you conversations with every company I have worked with and how I told them upfront that I can't promise a favorable review. It made a few companies back off, but many of them sent me stuff anyway.

So, let's get this idea of getting free stuff makes us review stuff favorably for free bottles or money out of the way. It's mostly false. With newer reviewers, it might be favorable because they haven't smelled as much. It's still their honest take though. I have called stuff that I received for free terrible, okay, and good. I have no qualms about being honest. If that company doesn't want to work with me after that, then that is their choice.


You are Always Testing

The good reviewers test stuff for 5-7 days before reviewing it. We don't review stuff the second we get our hands on it because we know it can't be a true review if we haven't actually given ourselves the chance to learn about the fragrance.

I rarely get to wear my favorite fragrances because I am always testing stuff. That is just the cold reality of it. Even if it's a fragrance I dislike, I still have to test it for 5 days. So, sometimes it's not a life of "Oh, I get all of this free stuff and get to test these awesome fragrances for free". You still have to test stuff that sucks too.


Internet Tough Guys

You will run into a lot of people who think if you don't agree with them, then you are wrong and a shill. A lot of these guys hide behind not having a profile picture and think it gives them the freedom to say what they want.

The point in this is that people will say rude stuff and call you names. These people are keen to think that their taste and nose are better than everyone else's. Most of the time, I find their tastes pretty subpar personally. Synthetic doesn't always mean bad. However, many of these folks will use that as a focal point without realizing that most fragrances are synthetic, even some fo those beloved Rojas have synthetics.

So, don't let them talk down to you. If you love Sauvage, then love it. Don't let the hype that the jerks bring make you rethink your nose. It's your nose and it will tell you what you enjoy. Their opinions are not yours. Don't lose yourself in someone else's opinion. One of the worst things you can do to yourself is to lose your identity.

Prepare to have thick skin. Most new reviewers quit within 6 months. Don't let these guys get to you and you will be fine. You can only please so many people and many are just looking for a fight to talk down to you. they aren't the guys putting themselves out there and doing reviews themselves.

If you are one of these tough guys...Time to grow up and start treating people with respect. Trolling is what 13-year-olds playing League of Legends do. You are better than that. It's time to be a grown-up and realize that the world doesn't revolve around your opinion. Start being kind and see the impact that you can make. It's amazing how many lives you can touch.


Don't Hype

It's your job as a reviewer to not hype stuff. If you hype everything, then you are an influencer and not a reviewer. Be fair and just. Respect your audience's wallets more than your subscriber count. Don't sell out your morals for popularity. There is enough hype and clickbait around. Be different. Hype is a fickle thing that passes with time. It's just not worth it.


Don't Review for Popularity

I often see reviewers treating it like a popularity contest. Don't do that. Everyone has different tastes and needs and there is a reviewer for everyone. The smaller demographic still needs people to cater to them as well.

Some reviewers message me and our discouraged about their subscriber counts. I guess because they know I will tell them how it is. I tell them all the same things...Don't care about it. Do content you have fun with and your channel will grow organically grow with authentic fans. Don't try to force people to sub. People know where that sub button is. They will follow you if they like your content. I stopped asking people to follow a while back because I want my viewership to grow organically and it has worked. I have many readers who I speak to every day. That is how it should be.


Research

Make sure to do proper research before reviewing a fragrance. No, that doesn't mean to go read Fragrantica and copy what they are saying about the fragrance. It means to look at the history, notes, trends in fragrances, and other things. Make sure you are well prepared for your review with your own opinion. I have found out about many notes that I couldn't describe when I was a newer reviewer by simply researching facets of the note. I was then able to understand what I was smelling and it has allowed me to pick out stuff that I don't commonly see others get. Reviewing takes work, if you aren't willing to give it your best, then don't do it.


Free Stuff

I talked about this a bit already, but let's go a bit more in-depth. Don't beg every company for free stuff. Let them come to you and if you are interested in it, then do it. I have asked to work with some companies before, but I no longer do that. I have been totally transparent about the times I went to a company and asked them to do that as well. All of the other ones have come to me.

On another note, people need to stop expecting reviewers to pay to review every niche fragrance and new release on the market. That stuff is expensive. You expect us to go out and spends thousands of dollars per year to review something for you. Many reviewers work normal jobs and just can't afford that.

I know many of you will say that we shouldn't review unless we can afford full bottles. If that was true, then we would only have around 10 reviewers and not much diversity. As for me, I take care of my mom and can't afford to blind buy full bottles of stuff to review, so sometimes I review from decants. I apologize for not being wealthy, but I am not going anywhere.


Behind the Scenes

There are many things that the common person in the fragrance community is oblivious to. There are many kind people in the fragrance community, but there are also people who betray others, accept shady deals, and do shady business. I wish I didn't know everything I know. I would rather stay innocent on these things, but I am beyond that point now.

Before you ask, I am not naming any of this stuff, so don't ask me. I already know too much, and you folks don't need to know that stuff. Just keep doing what you are doing. Just know that not everything is as it seems.


Conclusion

I am pretty sure that I am forgetting something, but that will have to wait until another day. Reviewing isn't easy. It's a lot of work and stressful to put yourself out there. It takes a special kind of person to be able to do it while being honest. We are out there. the fragrance community is a great place and I have loved reviewing fragrances. It helps me feel like I am working again and I get to touch people's lives and it helps bring light to stuff that others have overlooked. I am not going anywhere. If you ever need advice or want to talk about fragrances, feel free to add me on Facebook. I am always down to talk about fragrances. I am not a super popular guy and my opinions aren't like a lot of other reviewers, but I am willing to share what I know.

Keep being great and doing great things. Be blessed and remember to say a kind word today. you never know who you can help.

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