I need you to read this one all the way through.

Not because I’m about to drag a brand.

I’m not.

But because this is exactly the kind of thing that makes beauty content feel less trustworthy — and most viewers never get to see it happening behind the scenes.

This week, I got a pitch email from a skincare brand.

I’m keeping the brand anonymous because this isn’t about publicly calling out one company. It’s about showing you what is happening behind the curtain. It's not just one brand either - my inbox is FULL of these.

The email said creators could earn commission on every sale.

Then it said once creators hit a certain sales amount, they could unlock a VIP bonus where videos could earn from both sales and views.

So, in plain English:

Sell enough product, and then your videos can start earning from the product sales and the views.

That already tells me a lot.

But then came the part that really made me stop.

They gave creators advice on how to make the videos work better.

They said not to start with:

“Here’s this product…”

Instead, they said to start with:

“Here’s the skin problem I was dealing with…”

It may sound innocent enough but I know when brands try to put words in your mouth - hit the brakes.

Because now we’re talking about coaching creators to make an ad feel like a personal skin story you just happened to stumble into.

They also said the creators who “win” are the ones who make people feel seen first, then introduce the product naturally.

And listen.

That sounds nice on the surface.

Who doesn’t want to feel seen?

But when there is commission, sales pressure, VIP bonuses, and pay-per-view money attached, we need to be honest about what this is.

It is not just a sweet little story about a skin problem.

It is a sales strategy.

And I want to be very clear about something.

I am not anti-sales.

I have no problem selling products I actually like. In fact, a lot of you are here because you want me to test things, sort through the nonsense, and tell you what I think is worth your money.

That is part of my job, and I’m good with that.

But here’s how I approach it.

I test the product thoroughly.

I see how it works on mature skin, real skin, dry skin, textured skin, reactive skin — not just under perfect lighting for one pretty video.

Then, if a brand has specific things they’d like mentioned, I look at those and decide whether they actually line up with my experience.

If they do, great.

If they don’t, I’m not saying it.

That is why I don’t promote every product that lands in my inbox.

And when a pitch starts leaning hard into sales goals, VIP bonuses, and “here’s how to make people feel seen so you can sell faster,” I’m out.

Nothing wrong with making money.

Creators should be paid.

But I am not selling my soul for a skincare commission.

This is one of the things that worries me about TikTok-style shopping and honestly Youtube is heading the same way faster than ever. But this could become a problem anywhere creators are being pushed to mix personal stories, product sales, and view-based bonuses.

A lot of beauty content starts with:

“I was struggling with this…”

“My skin was acting up…”

“I finally found something that helped…”

And sometimes that is completely genuine.

But sometimes it’s a selling script.

That doesn’t mean every creator is lying.

It does mean you deserve to know when there is money attached.

If something is gifted, paid, sponsored, commissioned, or linked through an affiliate sale, that should be clear.

Not hidden.

Not whispered.

Not buried where most people will never see it.

I turned this brand down and honestly about 99% of those that reach out to me.

Not because I don’t sell products.

I do.

But I only want to sell in a way that lets me look you in the face afterward.

That’s the deal we have.

Talk soon, Camille

P.S. This is also why I started The Real Deal. It’s where I share honest weekly product verdicts — what’s worth it, what’s overhyped, and what I’d skip. No fake urgency. No pretending everything is a miracle. No “run, don’t walk” unless I truly mean it. It’s $4 a month, and you’ll get the weekly verdict sent straight to your email every Sunday evening. If you want the community side, you can also join the private Facebook group — but you don’t have to.

You can join here:https://stan.store/camillecowher/p/the-real-deal-by-camille