Buy products based on your 'skin twin's' recommendations with new site launching in August

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From August, beauty shoppers will be able not only to base their product choice on independent customer reviews, but also to buy it right then, right there on the same social site.

It is not news that some of the traditional beauty media have lost some of their authority and influence recently, not only because of beauty bloggers, web-savvy makeup pros, and tweeting celebrities, but also thanks to beauty forums such as MakeupAlley that publish reviews by fellow customers. 

Much has been made of the importance of social networking sites when it comes to the marketing of products, but while you might trust your friends' opinions as opposed to those of bribable magazine editors, it's not guaranteed you will have the same taste or prerequisites as they do. Reviews on sites such as MakeupAlley gain even more relevance for users if written by so-called "skin twins" - reviewers with a similar complexion, eye and hair color, and age.

New site Bloom.com, which fully launches in August, now sets out to combine MakeupAlley's peer-based forum character with actual beauty e-commerce, allowing members to submit their personal profiles in order to receive recommendations from their beauty matches and leading them directly to their virtual shopping cart.

For the site's launch, shoppers will be matched with 20,000 women who previously signed up for the beta phase. Have a first look at the new beauty destination at http://www.bloom.com.