The New Intimacy

Have you ever noticed this in Makeup/Beauty product Ads?

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Contributor: HannahPanda HannahPanda
I've googled and googled and can't really find an answer to this question elsewhere. So where better to ask than Eden's renowned 'Social' forum?

For all the ladies that are a reader of any magazine, particularly ones with a fair amount of beauty Ads, I'm sure you've noticed the makeup in the Ads and how it's pitched to the public. What I don't understand is the extremely common advertising technique of crushing, destroying, or cutting the makeup advertised in the pictures.

Here are links to examples of this:
link
link
link

I can't find any pictures of the lipsticks and other products they basically ruin for the photos, though.

My question is what's the point of this? We don't gather up our new makeups and things we purchase and destroy them at home this way, so why pitch it to us in such a way? It doesn't help you see how it goes onto your skin or looks on your nails any better, as we know product photos are photo shopped just as much as those of people in magazines. My only guess is that it helps make the product look 'cooler,' but it's always bothered my OCD just a little bit to see things that cost money destroyed for a picture on a page. Maybe that's just me.

I'm not sure if it's just supposed to look 'pretty' for consumers, or if there's not a real reason at all. Just wondering if you guys had ever noticed it and wondered why as well?
Answers (public voting - your screen name will appear in the results):
I've seen it and have wondered why, too.
deltalima , ghalik , AshMegYo , null , P'Gell , Gone (LD29) , pinkpottergirl , jennifur77
8
I didn't notice at all until now.
sexystuffeve , bayosgirl , TransMarc
3
I've seen it but really haven't thought much about it.
funluvinmama , KrissyNovacaine , solitudinarian , KyotoAngel , Yaoi Pervette (deleted) , PropertyOfPotter , Taylor , LaSchwartz , Illusional , redstars , xOhxSoxScandalousx , Peggi , PeaceToTheMiddleEast , ghalik , Ms. N , wdanas , DeliciousSurprise , Calla , Bullfroggy and Rose , Zombirella , mmmmm , A.noel , G&L , SimpleTeaser , ksparkles16 , Squeaky , AshMegYo , darthkitt3n , Jake'n'bake , MissBre , padmeamidala , Gracie , voenne , sweetiejo , js250 , joja , MistressDandelion , sexxxkitten , Pinkshirt
39
I've never seen this.
CindyH
1
Other
K101 , deltalima , - Kira - , LaSchwartz , Petite Valentine , ghalik , Talena , Ryuson
8
Total votes: 59 (54 voters)
Poll is closed
06/10/2012
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Contributor: sexystuffeve sexystuffeve
Quote:
Originally posted by HannahPanda
I've googled and googled and can't really find an answer to this question elsewhere. So where better to ask than Eden's renowned 'Social' forum?

For all the ladies that are a reader of any magazine, particularly ones with ... more
I've never really noticed that before. I for one don't get it either.
06/10/2012
Contributor: K101 K101
Quote:
Originally posted by HannahPanda
I've googled and googled and can't really find an answer to this question elsewhere. So where better to ask than Eden's renowned 'Social' forum?

For all the ladies that are a reader of any magazine, particularly ones with ... more
Because it's spilled or crushed up does not change the look of the color or product to me. I work in nail design so I can understand this. It just looks neat being spilled or crushed.
06/10/2012
Contributor: Mx.Nekora Mx.Nekora
I really haven't seen anything like that. o.O
06/10/2012
Contributor: deltalima deltalima
Quote:
Originally posted by HannahPanda
I've googled and googled and can't really find an answer to this question elsewhere. So where better to ask than Eden's renowned 'Social' forum?

For all the ladies that are a reader of any magazine, particularly ones with ... more
Hahaha me and my friend were just discussing this. The main reason is to show the pigmentation/color detail of it. I hate it though. Damn, just give me the makeup
06/10/2012
Contributor: KyotoAngel KyotoAngel
Huh...you know, I always saw that sort of thing but I never really wondered why they do it. I suppose maybe it makes for a nice dramatic effect sort of like how they enlarge pictures on cereal boxes to show texture?
Either way it doesn't really influence my choice, I prefer close ups of people wearing the makeup (especially with lip color, it's my all time favorite type of makeup...I think I have around 15-20 shades of red, pink, and plum xD ).
06/10/2012
Contributor: - Kira - - Kira -
My best guess is twofold. One is that super cheap makeup will have high pigment at the first layer to fool you into thinking you're getting a good product. Then one swipe in and all of a sudden the product is super sheer. By crushing it, you can see that the pigment runs through the whole product. It also gives a slightly clearer idea of the color, at least from my perspective.

The second reason is it gives an artistic "edge" to the ad. Just a plain photo of the makeup would get old after a while, I guess.
06/10/2012
Contributor: Yaoi Pervette (deleted) Yaoi Pervette (deleted)
I love buying beauty products, so I am quite familiar with crushed products. My only guess is that the advertiser wants you to see the color, texture, and finish of the product without the distraction of packaging.
06/10/2012
Contributor: PropertyOfPotter PropertyOfPotter
I've seen it before but haven't thought much of it.
06/10/2012
Contributor: LaSchwartz LaSchwartz
I have seen it but haven't thought about it. But in my opinion it looks better graphically.
06/10/2012
Contributor: Petite Valentine Petite Valentine
I think they're trying to mimic art supplies like paint and pastels. It helps show off the color, and downplays the packaging in cases where it is plain (compare Covergirl packaging to Christian Dior for example).

However, don't trust that what you see in the ad is the actual product. They'll often add additional substances so that it photographs better.
06/10/2012
Contributor: xOhxSoxScandalousx xOhxSoxScandalousx
Quote:
Originally posted by Petite Valentine
I think they're trying to mimic art supplies like paint and pastels. It helps show off the color, and downplays the packaging in cases where it is plain (compare Covergirl packaging to Christian Dior for example).

However, don't trust ... more
This x2.
06/10/2012
Contributor: PeaceToTheMiddleEast PeaceToTheMiddleEast
I have noticed it but it does not bother me. I think it is just for the art of it. Who wants to look at a plain bottle of polish. They do things to make it stand out. But your right I would not take some eye shadow and crush it up like that being brand new.
06/10/2012
Contributor: ghalik ghalik
My guess is that it's just more exciting than a photo of the product untainted in its packaging. You see that every day (or will) and it's boring. Also, taking the product out of the package places more emphasis on the product rather than the packaging.
06/10/2012
Contributor: Calla Calla
It's just a way of styling the photo to make it look a little more interesting instead of having a plain square of blush or whatever sitting there. I guess it is a bit wasteful, but it's not like they can sell the makeup once the packaging has been opened even if they didn't crush it up.
06/10/2012
Contributor: Bullfroggy and Rose Bullfroggy and Rose
maybe it's to make the product look more natural instead of it looking like a brick
06/10/2012
Contributor: HannahPanda HannahPanda
Lots of good answers on this. I guess it mostly just peeved me due to the fact that huge chunks of $40 eyeshadow is just a waste, lol.
06/10/2012
Contributor: G&L G&L
I've always figured it was to show the texture, especially eyeshadow.
06/10/2012
Contributor: ksparkles16 ksparkles16
It is weird...but I do think it looks cool....I love it when they do that with nail polish. It just looks cool to me.
06/11/2012
Contributor: AshMegYo AshMegYo
I never understood why they crushed the lipstick when swatching it.. why not just streak it instead of crushing it too? wtf.
06/11/2012
Contributor: P'Gell P'Gell
Maybe so you can tell it's a powder base eye shadow or blush? I have seen lipstick ads where the product is smeared or melted, but I couldn't find any to copy.

It doesn't bother me, I kind of like the way these ads look. I only hate it when my eye shadow or blush does this! (One of the make up kits I bought from Eden did this. The blush crumbled. It did NOT look so cool in real life. It was unusable.)

Ok. I don't like when they spill nail polish. It is such a mess, I think "Who is going to clean that up?" (Because at my house, it's usually me.)
06/11/2012
Contributor: Gone (LD29) Gone (LD29)
I used to sell Avon and saw this in the books all the time. I wondered about it, but it certainly doesn't bother me.
06/11/2012
Contributor: Talena Talena
Quote:
Originally posted by deltalima
Hahaha me and my friend were just discussing this. The main reason is to show the pigmentation/color detail of it. I hate it though. Damn, just give me the makeup
and to show the thorough consistency
06/11/2012
Contributor: BG529 BG529
Its just for looks.
06/11/2012
Contributor: Ryuson Ryuson
(Review Program Mentor)
I always just assumed that it was to show the viscosity of the product. *shrugs*

It's a good point that it shows that it's pigmented the entire way through, though, I suppose it never occurred to me because I only buy super cheap makeup anyways.
06/11/2012
Contributor: Gracie Gracie
I guess some people think it looks artistic? I see it frequently. I guess it is supposed to show us the color and texture of a product. I wouldn't worry too much about the waste. While I don't know this for sure, I would imagine after photographing, lots of things get thrown away whether they have been crushed or messed up or not.
06/11/2012
Contributor: voenne voenne
Probably just for "artistic" reasons. It kind of looks more 3d and interesting broken up, which catches attention more. Like the duo eyeshadow you posted, to me the one on the left that's not broken just looks flat and boring compared to the broken one (even though it just looks like they added crumbs to the top of an unbroken eyeshadow to make it look that way, heh). I really don't know otherwise.

Anyway, yeah, it's a waste of product. But not like that's anything new, regardless of advertising tactic.
06/11/2012
Contributor: sweetiejo sweetiejo
It's probably to show a more artsy side of it, or also it could be to show the make up more used. I'm not really sure why they would do pictures of that, I look more for a color I enjoy rather then how it looks in the picture. Although it may be wasteful a lot of times after a photo shoot the make up is thrown out.
06/11/2012
Contributor: CindyH CindyH
never seen this
06/11/2012
Contributor: MistressDandelion MistressDandelion
It's just like the soup ads where they drop violently a cracker in it so it splashes around. They did achieve what they wanted: you noticed their products.
06/11/2012