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Jasmyn Gellineau

Professor Feldman

Academic Writing

12 October 2019

Dear Mrs. Feldman,

I am thankful for the feedback you have given me and also giving me the opportunity to

take part in the workshop for more eyes to see my paper, giving me the constructive criticism to

make my paper better. I decided on the topic of skincare because I am a person who has been

suffering from acne for as long as I can remember. The bright colors and extravagant claims

hook me into almost every product as a consumer, but I always remind myself to check the

ingredients for its true efficacy.

One of the parts I enjoyed and struggled with in this project was the openness of the

prompt. I appreciated how I was able to write about something I genuinely love and to express

my own beliefs on products. Although I did like my topic, it was difficult to organize my paper

to fit in the definition of genre and rhetoric in an introduction. Introductions are already difficult

for me to begin, so incorporating the definitions made it a little harder. Through the feedback

given to me, I was able to overcome my obstacle and write an acceptable essay.

Thank you again for your feedback and for the feedback I will receive for future essays in

your class.

Sincerely,

Jasmyn Gellineau
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Writing Project 1

There are many forms of genres, not just science fiction novels or romantic comedies, but

genres can be all forms of writing. In “Genres in the Wild,” genre is interpreted as a

“situation...where” the forms of writing “typically recur” (Bickmore). In Jessie Szalay’s Making

Decisions in Writing, rhetorical situation is described as the “situation in which you are writing,”

which includes the “message...audience...and purpose” for writing the piece (Szalay 2). In the

aspect of skincare, a brand’s packaging provides means of attracting consumers to their products.

Through branding, marketing, and clever packaging, the skincare industry is able to influence the

consumers in order to expand their market.

Within the realm of skincare, one of the main genres is the packaging of the product with

detailed descriptions. These descriptions were created as companies wanted to appeal to those

who suffer with major skin concerns, such as acne, scarring, or larger pores. In addition,

companies want to persuade consumers to purchase their products based on the outrageous or

sophisticated claims. The length of the product description is brief, but the way the product is

described varies. Companies utilize special words or phrases to highlight specific technologies

within their product. They use this method of eye-catching phrases in order to sell a product that

may not even be effective. La Mer is a very expensive skincare brand that bases all of their

skincare with their renowned “Miracle Broth,” claiming to “transform the look of...skin.” The

broth contains “ferment[ed] sea kelp and pure ingredients,” created after “Dr. Max Huber

suffered burns in a lab accident” (“Brand Story”). The marketing used to promote the word

“miracle” confuses the consumers into believing in the ambitious claims. This technology

appeals to consumers who look only to the claims instead of evidence of effective ingredients

within the product or common ingredients used in other brands’ products. Although the claims
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may seem too good to be true, there is an air of exclusivity in the brand itself as it is something

new for someone to experience. No other brand would have this special broth, making it appear

as though you need to try this product since no other brand has it. In addition to the “Miracle

Broth,” the way La Mer organizes their descriptions and ingredient list affects the way

consumers view the products (Szalay 4). The ingredient list is typically found on the bottom of

the box and sometimes not even found on the bottle of the product itself (“The Moisturizing…”).

Consumers then overlook the ingredients that could be potentially irritating to their skin, adding

to the effect that the Miracle Broth could be just a marketing ploy. Also, the crisp, clean

packaging with a white background exhibits the elegance of the product. This appeals to the

consumers’ visual sense and makes them believe that they have a luxury for their skin.

On the contrary, Neutrogena, a more inexpensive brand, highlights key ingredients that

have been clinically proven to work on skin. The brand uses common skincare ingredients

clinically proven to work for most skin types. “Salicylic acid” is widely used in several cleansers

and creams, such as the Oil-Free Salicylic Acne Face Wash, within Neutrogena’s skincare line

and in other skincare companies as well (“Oil-Free…”). Salicylic acid is known to aid in acne

prevention and oil control and is a medicated ingredient for over the counter purchase. This gives

the consumer credible facts about the effectiveness of the ingredient in order to discover a

product that could potentially work for them. The ingredients are clearly stated on the back of the

bottle, with salicylic acid included as the active ingredient in the “Drug Facts” (“Oil-Free…”).

On the other hand, with such a common ingredient, some people’s skin may not be as responsive

to the treatment and need something different and exciting for them to try in order to find

something that works for them. To promote their brand as a whole, Neutrogena has “#1

dermatologist recommended” stamped on their website and their products (“Oil-Free…”).

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Highlighting the fact that professional doctors support the brand elicits trust in the brand that it is

truly safe for skin. Consumers are assured that the product can be used without the worry of any

danger to their skin, or something that has not been clinically tested. Both the brands Neutrogena

and La Mer have compelling factors on why someone should purchase the product for their skin,

but all of this adds to Neutrogena’s credibility in buying a skincare product that can be effective

for someone.

Another large genre concerning skincare are reviews. These reviews take on the

consumer’s perspective to provide insight on the product that may or may not have been

mentioned in the claims by the brand. Almost all reviews have emotionally charged words,

whether it be at the extremes of strong love or strong hate for a product, rating from one to five

stars. For overall good reviews, consumers state why they love the product and how it performed

on their skin. On Cerave’s Vitamin C serum, a consumer claims that there is a “visible difference

in [their] skin,” seeing that their skin is “decent for [their] age” (“Cerave Skin…”). Based on the

review, the serum performs relatively well on mature skin and can be good for most other skin

types. Occasionally, people have not even purchased the product and write a review, pertaining

to the claims or the ingredients of the product. Based on the same serum, another consumer

describes how “denatured alcohol...dries the skin” and therefore will “not recommend [the

serum]” to others (“Cerave Skin…”). This is where credibility can occasionally be lost because

the product could potentially be good when people knock it for one ingredient. The ingredient

may be relatively bad with some research, but if it is combined with more ingredients to create a

better product, it has the potential to be good for someone’s skin.

Paid sponsorships also provide insight on products, but in a streamlined way through

social media. It is more accessible and more frequently seen by viewers than someone pulling up
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a review for a specific product. The ad will pop up on someone’s feed if that person is following

the influencer. When influencers review skincare, typically it is in the form of an advertisement.

Within their caption, they must put “#ad” to let Instagrammers know that the post is a paid

advertisement, as depicted in Katy’s Instagram post on Cerave’s new Vitamin C Serum

(Degroot). These advertisements clearly state that they are paid sponsorships, and most of the

time, people on social media are offended by the fact that posts are paid sponsorships. The

influencer could participate in the sponsorships solely for the money, not honestly for the love of

the product. This causes the influencers to lose the integrity of the review and followers begin to

question their credibility for any product they review in the future. The caption also mentions the

major claims of the product and how the influencer likes it. Katy talks about the key ingredient in

the product, “Vitamin C” and how it “brighten[s] and improve[s] skin texture over time”

(Degroot). That portion of the caption is based on the brand’s claims and, should be what Katy

would believe as well. Katy also brought her husband, Jon, into the review, giving a second

opinion to the new serum from Cerave (Degroot). This brings up the credibility of her review

and eases the follower into what the product is all about. It also attracts the male demographic of

consumers, signaling that men need a skincare routine as well.

Depending on the genre, the credibility of one’s branding or review can affect the views

of consumers on a product. The patterns of rhetorical situations illustrate the skincare industry

from a consumer’s point of view. Consumers should carefully examine all products and reviews

to find the most credible sources of information in order to find the perfect product for

themselves.
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Works Cited

Bickmore, Lisa. “GENRE in the WILD: Understanding Genre Within Rhetorical (Eco)Systems.”

Go to the Cover Page of Open English @ SLCC, Open English @ SLCC, 1 Aug. 2016.

“Brand Story.” Crème De La Mer.

“Cerave Skin Renewing Vitamin C Serum.” Cerave.

Degroot, Katy. “Lustrelux on Instagram: ‘I'm Just Trying to Get Jon to Upgrade His Skincare

from a Bar of Soap…’.” Instagram.

Dirk, Kerry. Navigating Genres.

“Oil-Free Acne Wash.” Neutrogena®.

Szalay, Jessie. “Making Choices in Writing.” Go to the Cover Page of Open English @ SLCC,

Open English @ SLCC, 1 Aug. 2016.

“The Moisturizing Soft Cream: Face Cream For Dry Skin: La Mer Official Site.” Crème De La

Mer.
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