Whether you’re into beauty or not, the following examples are well worth a look.

L’Oreal

With its unique domain name, L’Oréal’s makeup.com is designed to feel like an independent publication rather than a brand blog.

Its authenticity isn’t fake either.

Often publishing product-focused features like “The Best Drugstore Highlighters”, it includes a wide variety of brands (not just promoting its own) to provide readers with a balanced and surprisingly unbiased frame of reference.

Birchbox

A beauty subscription service, Birchbox gives consumers the opportunity to discover new products each month.

Its blog cleverly provides context for these products, using informative articles to inspire, educate and ultimately give consumers a reason to continue their subscription.

With its unboxing videos and ‘Birchbox reactions’ articles, a lot of the content is self-promotional (something that could potentially put non-subscribers off).

However, for loyal consumers, this aspect undoubtedly provides extra value.

Mankind

It might be one of the relatively few male grooming blogs out there, but there’s more reason to visit Mankind than that.

With five Editors each with their own area of expertise, it has a nice mix of lifestyle content, using distinct verticals like ‘International’ and ‘Luxury’. 

One of the reasons I like it is that, alongside general articles, it’s not afraid to experiment with a more in-depth approach.

It’s ‘ingredient focus’ series is particularly interesting, and something that many of the fluffier, female-driven blogs could learn from.

Sephora

Who needs models when beauty products can look so attractive?

With its stunning product-focused photography, Sephora Glossy showcases the very best of its main shop.

Instead of long-form content, it publishes short how-to’s and product curations, making it feel more like an extension of Pinterest or Tumblr than an in-depth publication.

With its user-friendly design, it’s one of those sites that you could find yourself scrolling through for ages.

Clinique

Marketing itself as a philosophy rather than a cosmetics line, Clinique’s blog focuses on the two verticals of beauty and lifestyle.

Cleverly using skincare as a spin-off to other verticals, it also covers topics like food and fitness, implementing video to further engage visitors.

In comparison to other blogs, it is also pleasingly minimal, proving that a less-is-more approach can work. 

Urban Decay

In comparison to Clinique, Urban Decay’s blog is loud, proud and unashamedly purple.

Recognising the digital mind-set of its core demographic, it is heavily geared around the online beauty community where bloggers and YouTubers have huge influence.

The blog has an original feel to it, with the standard ‘How-To’s sitting alongside unique ‘Women Who Rock Our World’ and ‘XO, WZ’ – the latter being an insider look at co-founder Wende Zomnir’s world.

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