A rant about Youtubers . . . .

[NPG68]

Of course YTbers have nothing but good things to say about products in their "reviews". They only "review" the things they like.

lol then you haven't watched any of my videos
I buy all my soaps and creams with most of them being small producers on etsy. I also buy very expensive soaps and creams as well to highlight those products because they really don't get video's made about them (Tom Ford, Creed, Penhaligon etc).
I do it so people can see how some of the small artisan soaps perform before they buy it - I don't shy away from a poor performing soap - there are artisans who try to pass off bubble bath soap as shaving soap.
I also do vids shaving with vintage soaps and creams. I also have a decent vintage razor and razor blade collection which I shave with regularly in my vids.
I'm not making one cent out of youtube - no company has sent me any products for free to plug. And if they did I'd tell them right off the bat that if their product sucked - it sucks. If a soap or cream is s**t - I tell it as it is - I don't care if it's Creed or some hippy chick that's trying to flog off what she thinks is 'shaving soap'.
I also do my vids to share my addiction to vintage razors and blades with other like minded collectors - no real difference to what happens in these forums except instead of photos, I do videos.

 

[Sethology]

lol then you haven't watched any of my videos
I buy all my soaps and creams with most of them being small producers on etsy. I also buy very expensive soaps and creams as well to highlight those products because they really don't get video's made about them (Tom Ford, Creed, Penhaligon etc).
I do it so people can see how some of the small artisan soaps perform before they buy it - I don't shy away from a poor performing soap - there are artisans who try to pass off bubble bath soap as shaving soap.
I also do vids shaving with vintage soaps and creams. I also have a decent vintage razor and razor blade collection which I shave with regularly in my vids.
I'm not making one cent out of youtube - no company has sent me any products for free to plug. And if they did I'd tell them right off the bat that if their product sucked - it sucks. If a soap or cream is s**t - I tell it as it is - I don't care if it's Creed or some hippy chick that's trying to flog off what she thinks is 'shaving soap'.
I also do my vids to share my addiction to vintage razors and blades with other like minded collectors - no real difference to what happens in these forums except instead of photos, I do videos.

Yeah I have the opposite experience of the OP. I find youtubers to usually be pretty honest. And few are prolific enough to be receiving free products

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

lol then you haven't watched any of my videos
I buy all my soaps and creams with most of them being small producers on etsy. I also buy very expensive soaps and creams as well to highlight those products because they really don't get video's made about them (Tom Ford, Creed, Penhaligon etc).
I do it so people can see how some of the small artisan soaps perform before they buy it - I don't shy away from a poor performing soap - there are artisans who try to pass off bubble bath soap as shaving soap.
I also do vids shaving with vintage soaps and creams. I also have a decent vintage razor and razor blade collection which I shave with regularly in my vids.
I'm not making one cent out of youtube - no company has sent me any products for free to plug. And if they did I'd tell them right off the bat that if their product sucked - it sucks. If a soap or cream is s**t - I tell it as it is - I don't care if it's Creed or some hippy chick that's trying to flog off what she thinks is 'shaving soap'.
I also do my vids to share my addiction to vintage razors and blades with other like minded collectors - no real difference to what happens in these forums except instead of photos, I do videos.

In the words of the Mandalorian creed......This Is The Way!

 

[desrgrl]

There's shaving on YouTube?

If it exists, then it exists on the internet. If it exists on the internet, it probably exists on Youtube.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

If it exists, then it exists on the internet. If it exists on the internet, it probably exists on Youtube.

And IMO, GeoFatBoy is the best source for how to shave with DE razors. He literally has video's of him using many different brands of razors, he talks about the features of them, uses them, and gives a review of them, as he's using them.

Good luck trying to get a more honest review then that from Amazon reviews, which are known to be completely loaded with fake reviews of BS. I can trust GeoFatBoy to be honest, especially when I actually see him use the razor on his face.

I've learned a lot from watching him. So if there is one channel I recommend for newbies to watch, its his.

 

[Filudo]

Folks, this is my first post to Badger and Blade and it will be a rant. So like a lot of you, I watch youtube videos of "Westshavers" a lot. Recently, I took the dive and bought several shaving soaps based on reviews I saw on youtube. You know how it is: "OH the smell, it's so lovely" "Oh the notes, I cant get enough of the smell" "This shaving cream is the greatest" and on and on and on. So based on these reviews, I bought several shave soaps. Upon receiving them this week, I can say that they are nowhere near what these "Wetshaving" Youtubers described. The smell on most of them are so god awful, I can't believe I spent my hard earned money on them. My wife is my ultimate scent approver, and she made it clear that if I use any of these she would make me sleep in the garage. I will not name the companies or the names of the soaps I purchased because I don't want to trash any small company. However, I feel so gullible. Of course these guys swoon over every new soap they get. They are getting them for free!!!! I hate to use the word shill, but that is my opinion. I will never buy anything without getting a sample from this point going forward. I have come to the conclusion that these Youtubers are never going to give you an honest opinion because they don't want to stop the flow of free stuff for their channels. Am I the only one who feels like this? Anybody else get burned by a soap or aftershave that was heaped praise on, only to find out that it was trash? I know I will get death threats for posting this, but I had to get this off my chest. I am so upset I dropped all this money. The smells were so bad, I never used them! Still in the original packaging. Would love to hear your thoughts and opinions.

I have other "hobbies" before I jumped into this.....and unfortunately I did not learn my lesson before: most of YouTube videos are nothing else but advertising.....these people get free stuff to say something positive or take money from the producers....
And most say the the same thing and make the same videos.....; there are some that actually pay for their stuff and will tell their honest opinion....positive or negative....
Don't buy stuff based on YouTube....nothing...
They are the equivalent to magazine adds when I was young.

 

[desrgrl]

I'm going to toss this out there into the pond of bad and good opinions about Youtube, and its a bit beyond ymmv.

Youtube was created for users, and users made it what it was, and then Youtube basically has hijacked it for profits in a way that encourages shills and 'influencers', and disadvantages the kinds of content creators that helped build it.

Caveat Emptor, Buyer Beware! The saying we all know, and in the flood of excitement, forget about. Viewers beware too.

IF you are going to watch Youtube for a particular hobby, then check out more than one, compare them, and also READ the COMMENTS. If a Youtuber says a soap is great, and everyone in the comments is saying it sucks, then you might want to consider that. Yes, commenters can be idiots too, but at least its a more rounded view.

LISTEN to the Youtuber. If they say this is great and the best I've ever seen, and then they say that for the next five videos, you haven't learned much other than they love everything. Listening to good youtubers, like good movie critics, you can learn as much by what you do agree on as what you don't. A reviewer should be able to say why something smells good. "This sandalwood soap is wonderful. Unlike some soaps that go heavy on the sandalwood, or sandalwood and spice, it is lighter in this soap so you can smell the undertones of flowers and moss". Now you have a bit to go with. I don't like this soap, it says unscented but there is an undertone somewhat like parrafin that I find offputting. Just buying something because someone tells you to buy is a bad way to go.

If a Youtuber makes clear what is sent for free, and what is bought by themselves, then chances are you are going to get at least a moderately fair review. Youtube content creators know if they repeatedly lie to their viewers that they will lose them, shaving is a niche market, if these guys want to make money then they need viewers. Most will not alienate their viewers, unless...

Stupidity is not limited to the real world. Some Youtubers are STUPID. I'm not even going to explain that one, because if you can't recognize stupidity I can't explain it to you, but I can say you may need to watch a few videos, and read the comments, to pick out the ones that are stupid but hide it well. Basically any time someone says something so vague and glib it has no meaning, or repeats the same phrase over and over 'its so beautiful, look how beautiful it is, its a razor, razors are beautiful, have you seen a beautiful razors before" then its garbage.

Over time you'll find the ones that are knowledgeable, fun to listen to/watch, and cover topics that have meaning for you.

I watched various ones for awhile when I first started. Some were good, some weren't, but all of it gave me a broader perspective. I was mostly interested in technique for lather and shaving, and some stuff worked and some didn't, and some seemed incredibly stupid (they guy that was at this kitchen island that had a sink, and lather was going everywhere, like everywhere, and he was so enthusiastic, and was for some new gimmicky soap. I just laughed, no idea if he was a shill, but no one wants that kind of mess in their bathroom).

To me, it seems like you got caught up in the moment, bought several at once, and then realized that someone saying it smelled great, doesn't mean it is 'your' great. I like citrus, but I like light 'the smell of lemonade', not 'fresh cut lemon right under my nose', and definitely not 'lemon scented pledge furniture polish'. Even though there can be wild disagreement here, most people add in context, and with enough people saying what they do and don't like you can figure out where you are in the pack.

 

[desrgrl]

And IMO, GeoFatBoy is the best source for how to shave with DE razors. He literally has video's of him using many different brands of razors, he talks about the features of them, uses them, and gives a review of them, as he's using them.

Good luck trying to get a more honest review then that from Amazon reviews, which are known to be completely loaded with fake reviews of BS. I can trust GeoFatBoy to be honest, especially when I actually see him use the razor on his face.

I've learned a lot from watching him. So if there is one channel I recommend for newbies to watch, its his.

I had to go look to see who he was...yeah, he was one I watched some. I didn't keep my bookmarks for any of the ones I used to watch. There was a rather quiet Brit guy I liked. I'm big on average guy sharing info, any youtuber that is over the top isn't my thing (except maybe gaming sites). I buy from Amazon when I can't find something somewhere else, and lately I haven't even done that, it isn't important enough to bother. Lots of counterfeits, and yes, most comments aren't worth much. Again, whether here, Youtube, Amazon, wherever... for many opinions they are just that, a lot of 'your mileage may vary' because we are talking about things that are somewhat subjective person to person, and where differences can be quite minor.

 

[Star_Wahl_Clipper_Treker]

I had to go look to see who he was...yeah, he was one I watched some. I didn't keep my bookmarks for any of the ones I used to watch. There was a rather quiet Brit guy I liked. I'm big on average guy sharing info, any youtuber that is over the top isn't my thing (except maybe gaming sites). I buy from Amazon when I can't find something somewhere else, and lately I haven't even done that, it isn't important enough to bother. Lots of counterfeits, and yes, most comments aren't worth much. Again, whether here, Youtube, Amazon, wherever... for many opinions they are just that, a lot of 'your mileage may vary' because we are talking about things that are somewhat subjective person to person, and where differences can be quite minor.

And the older I get, the lesser my mileage becomes. So the whole YMMV thing, so true.

 

[desrgrl]

I have other "hobbies" before I jumped into this.....and unfortunately I did not learn my lesson before: most of YouTube videos are nothing else but advertising.....these people get free stuff to say something positive or take money from the producers....
And most say the the same thing and make the same videos.....; there are some that actually pay for their stuff and will tell their honest opinion....positive or negative....
Don't buy stuff based on YouTube....nothing...
They are the equivalent to magazine adds when I was young.

As a starting point, yes there is a lot on YouTube that is crap. And yes, some shill for what they get. However, its a matter of picking quality content creators and that takes a bit of time and shopping creators. I've seen content creators that have recieved something for free, and still listed everything wrong with it. That is because they don't make their money off of companies, but their viewership (companies get free advertising because even if a reviewer pans it, it is still getting viewed), and in some markets, like shaving, and many hobby sites, the viewers are knowledgeable and won't put up with bull****. Some people are just 'hurray everything is lovely' and don't want to say anything too bad. Some are negative about almost everything.

People need to learn discernment and critical thinking. To say that all of YouTube is advertisement, is as bad as saying everything is honest and true. Either way its ignoring reality.