Hey Lex! Love the Substack. Thanks for your writing and advocacy.
I saw you in the cinema in old York last year but didn't want to say Hi in case you didn't like randoms off the internet accosting you. Plus I was v hungover.
Something I find really hard with rosacea and the internet is the constant stuff that pop up in your feed if you use or are members of certain groups. It's v hard to separate the wheat from the chaff and I'm instantly turned off anything that's an add even if it's from somewhere I trust.
Along these lines what's your view of Dr Sam? Hard to tell if decent product as there's so many paid sponsorships.
Thank you so much. And definitely say hi next time, I'm always up for a natter!
I've only tried a few things from Dr Sam: the Flawless Moisturiser Intense (fantastic, will be coming back into my routine as the weather gets colder), the Flawless Gossamer sunscreen - the untinted one (very light, feels like nothing on the skin), and the Flawless Daily Sunscreen (too thick for my taste, though might be better for dry skin types, no reaction or irritation - just not as nice a texture as the Gossamer one IMO). If you're interested in any of the Dr Sam products, I do have a discount code you can use for 10% off: https://drsambunting.com/TALONTEDLEX (that's an affiliate link so I get a 10% commission as well).
I know what you mean about the sheer volume of content and opinions, it's a lot. I'm interested to hear more about why an ad will instantly turn you off, even if you trust the source? As someone who does take on occasional collaborations that's sad to hear. Unfortunately, without the paid work I do on my platforms, I wouldn't be able to be here sharing so much content for free - there has to be a balance to make it feasible for me.
For me, it's pretty obvious when someone is prioritising the money over authenticity: Are they doing lots of ads for similar products really close together? Have they spoken about the brand before? Do they ever mention their previous collaborations and products ever again? Do they share useful information with the ad or are they just repeating the press release?
Unfortunately there are some content creators who will do anything for a cheque which reflects badly on the whole industry, but there are some of us who are really choosy about who we work with and when!
Yes apologies, think I'm just really cynical as often things are EVERYWHERE, like Dr Sam or Dermatica and then I wonder how.much is genuine or it's all just marketing budget. Think it's due to me ending up on a few groups on Facebook where people set themselves up as experts with all the answers and lots of #ads
Appreciate that there are people with integrity and they have to make it work financially (present company obvs!)
It's hard sometimes to apply critical reasoning in the moment so top tips for spotting this stuff, thanks!
It was the face wash from Dr Sam I was interested in but I was also going to try the moisturiser so thanks for the recommendation and code.
Also genuinely thanks. I started with rosacea 6 years ago and has been so hard. There's not a lot of good info out there and most of its doom amd gloom. So your balanced and intelligent info much appreciated. I particularly like that you seem to have a lovely life and still look fab despite having a skin condition, it helped me feel like it wasn't the end of the world.
Honestly there's no need to apologise, I totally understand why there's an element of distrust due to so many shady people out there who are more interested in money than actually helping people. But I've worked so hard for so long to gain people's trust so it makes me sad when I hear that people immediately discount any collaborations, regardless of who has shared them.
I think some of those Facebook groups can be really toxic (which is why mine doesn't allow any sales or any content like that!) and it's hard to sort the wheat from the chaff when you're so vulnerable and desperate for help. I know because I've been there! Glad you found the tips for spotting shady content useful, I wish they weren't necessary.
And thank you, that genuinely means a lot to me. Every bit of content I share is to show people that rosacea is just one tiny part of you, it's not your whole life or your whole personality - even though it can often feel all-encompassing. When I was first diagnosed, no one was making this content or sharing any positive stories, so I decided to create it myself. So hearing from people like you who find it helpful is such a wonderful feeling. Thank you again x
I liked that you’re doing different newsletter. I’m trying it out this week for my next issue to have a creative writing one based more on personal essay and another more casual one with recommendations, so I hope it’s interesting. Thank you for sharing as usual 😊😊 love reading your posts
Thank you! I'm really enjoying the freedom to share a bit more of myself: I constantly tell others that they're more than their skin, so I'm trying to take my own advice!
Hey Lex! Love the Substack. Thanks for your writing and advocacy.
I saw you in the cinema in old York last year but didn't want to say Hi in case you didn't like randoms off the internet accosting you. Plus I was v hungover.
Something I find really hard with rosacea and the internet is the constant stuff that pop up in your feed if you use or are members of certain groups. It's v hard to separate the wheat from the chaff and I'm instantly turned off anything that's an add even if it's from somewhere I trust.
Along these lines what's your view of Dr Sam? Hard to tell if decent product as there's so many paid sponsorships.
Thank you so much. And definitely say hi next time, I'm always up for a natter!
I've only tried a few things from Dr Sam: the Flawless Moisturiser Intense (fantastic, will be coming back into my routine as the weather gets colder), the Flawless Gossamer sunscreen - the untinted one (very light, feels like nothing on the skin), and the Flawless Daily Sunscreen (too thick for my taste, though might be better for dry skin types, no reaction or irritation - just not as nice a texture as the Gossamer one IMO). If you're interested in any of the Dr Sam products, I do have a discount code you can use for 10% off: https://drsambunting.com/TALONTEDLEX (that's an affiliate link so I get a 10% commission as well).
I know what you mean about the sheer volume of content and opinions, it's a lot. I'm interested to hear more about why an ad will instantly turn you off, even if you trust the source? As someone who does take on occasional collaborations that's sad to hear. Unfortunately, without the paid work I do on my platforms, I wouldn't be able to be here sharing so much content for free - there has to be a balance to make it feasible for me.
For me, it's pretty obvious when someone is prioritising the money over authenticity: Are they doing lots of ads for similar products really close together? Have they spoken about the brand before? Do they ever mention their previous collaborations and products ever again? Do they share useful information with the ad or are they just repeating the press release?
Unfortunately there are some content creators who will do anything for a cheque which reflects badly on the whole industry, but there are some of us who are really choosy about who we work with and when!
Yes apologies, think I'm just really cynical as often things are EVERYWHERE, like Dr Sam or Dermatica and then I wonder how.much is genuine or it's all just marketing budget. Think it's due to me ending up on a few groups on Facebook where people set themselves up as experts with all the answers and lots of #ads
Appreciate that there are people with integrity and they have to make it work financially (present company obvs!)
It's hard sometimes to apply critical reasoning in the moment so top tips for spotting this stuff, thanks!
It was the face wash from Dr Sam I was interested in but I was also going to try the moisturiser so thanks for the recommendation and code.
Also genuinely thanks. I started with rosacea 6 years ago and has been so hard. There's not a lot of good info out there and most of its doom amd gloom. So your balanced and intelligent info much appreciated. I particularly like that you seem to have a lovely life and still look fab despite having a skin condition, it helped me feel like it wasn't the end of the world.
I'm still looking for my solution mind!
Honestly there's no need to apologise, I totally understand why there's an element of distrust due to so many shady people out there who are more interested in money than actually helping people. But I've worked so hard for so long to gain people's trust so it makes me sad when I hear that people immediately discount any collaborations, regardless of who has shared them.
I think some of those Facebook groups can be really toxic (which is why mine doesn't allow any sales or any content like that!) and it's hard to sort the wheat from the chaff when you're so vulnerable and desperate for help. I know because I've been there! Glad you found the tips for spotting shady content useful, I wish they weren't necessary.
And thank you, that genuinely means a lot to me. Every bit of content I share is to show people that rosacea is just one tiny part of you, it's not your whole life or your whole personality - even though it can often feel all-encompassing. When I was first diagnosed, no one was making this content or sharing any positive stories, so I decided to create it myself. So hearing from people like you who find it helpful is such a wonderful feeling. Thank you again x
Love your writing style and the topics in this substack AND what a lovely song mention that I’m listening to right now.
Thank you so much Zoe! So pleased you're enjoying the Substack and the song in particular - it's great isn't it!
I liked that you’re doing different newsletter. I’m trying it out this week for my next issue to have a creative writing one based more on personal essay and another more casual one with recommendations, so I hope it’s interesting. Thank you for sharing as usual 😊😊 love reading your posts
Thank you! I'm really enjoying the freedom to share a bit more of myself: I constantly tell others that they're more than their skin, so I'm trying to take my own advice!
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