Can it really be the last day of May? Each month flies by faster and faster. This weekend, I’m eating cake for breakfast (thanks to inspiration from Kate Spade Things We Love, the book is really cute, I highly recommend it). Some good reads I’m enjoying now:
For additional inspiration, I love seeking out new beautiful Instagram accounts from various beauty brands and experts. Twelve I adore and think you should also follow:
The most frequently asked questions I’ve received have been focused around hand and nail care. I review lots of nail polishes and change colors frequently and taking care of my hands has always been a must. I’ll go through my hand and nail care routine and answer some questions that I receive on a regular basis.
I’ll share a bit of background on my nail/hand care routine and history. I played the violin when I was younger and kept playing through through college. This required me to keep my nails extremely short with only a sliver of the white tips showing. Out of habit and personal preference I’ve always kept my nails on the shorter end, although in recent years I’ve started growing them a bit longer. You can see the difference then in 2010 vs. now in 2014. For everyday hand activity I’ve had a diverse work history that has required a lot of typing from number crunching and market research. I tend to type with my hands at an angle (rather than having finger more at a 90 degree angle) so my nails don’t tend to hit the keys as much as someone who holds their hands at a more perpendicular angle to the keyboards. Some frequently asked questions:
Are your nails always professionally manicured? Or do you maintain them yourself? My manicures are a mix of both professionally applied nail polish and DIY. For the longest time I couldn’t properly do my own nail polish for a full manicure. Being able to paint one’s nails doesn’t always come naturally, it takes lots and lots of practice. I would say my manicures are 50/50 done myself versus at a professional salon.
How often do you get professional manicures? It varies depending on what I’m testing out, swatching, and also time constraints. I would say it ranges from every other week to once a month.
Your nail polish seems to have a long wear life without tip wear, I work at an office job that requires a lot of typing, how do you avoid tip wear? Tip wear will probably depend on how long your nails are, if they are on the long side there will be a lot of surface contact which can lend to more tip wear. I recommend keeping them on the shorter end to avoid breakage. Make sure you use a good base coat, brush the tips of the nails with a bit of color to cover the end of the nail, make sure your top coat covers not just the top of your nail but brush over the tip end as well.
What base and top coats do you use? I’ll go into what I use below, I usually use Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat and Chanel Top Coat but it varies depending on what brand of color I’m using.
My nail polish never lasts more than 3 days, it starts to peel and chip no matter what brand, help? Several things could contribute to short-lived manicures. For prep, your nail might not be entirely clean. Even with polish remover, if you’ve used oils or lotions, there could be remnants of product still lingering on the nail. Use a nail cleaner or polish remover that helps clean (more below). You could be loading on too much color too soon. While it may seem to be a time saver to load up more color for 1 coat, don’t do it. Apply your polish in thin coats even if it looks uneven the first coat. The second or third (for sheerer colors) will smooth out the surface. You also might not be covering your entire nail tip with top coat – doing so will make sure you covered the entire nail.
What advice would you give to those who are a novice to DIY manicures? I would recommend getting your nails professionally manicured the first 3-4 manicures you have so you can observe their application technique in person. You really only need salon manicures every once in a while for a clean up. It’s easy to maintain your nails yourself in between salon visits. You don’t necessarily have to do it yourself, as some can vouch, manicuring your own nails can sometimes take longer and be more frustrating.
Do you need to stick with the same brand of polish and base/top coats? Or can you mix and match? I don’t think you need to stick with the same brands, although using the same can often be best. Different brands have different formulas and don’t always work well together for me. For example I’m super picky with top coats – I don’t like any sign of shrinkage where the top coats dry and shrink over the nail polish leaving a visible line around the edges. (Seche and OPI do that with Chanel for me). I like to mix and match.
The items I use are going to broken down into the following categories: Removers, Treatments, Tools, Base Prep and Top Coats. Like most beauty routines, I believe nail care items should be built slowly over time with testing or by researching reviews online.
I used to use cheap nail polish removers from CVS and Target, but after I started changing my nail polish frequently, I found that they made my nails and fingers extremely sensitive and that my nails started to peel (the actual nail). Based on reviews and recommendations I’ve found several new removers that are gentle for sensitive fingers but still very effective in removing all traces of polish. Items shown above described left to right:
Zoya Remove + Big Flipper is a 3 in 1 product that removes color, preps the nail and conditions. I discovered this thanks to the recommendation of Café Makeup – we discussed nail care, I shared my finger woes, she said try the Zoya, it’s “so good.” She was right. Read the reviews on Zoya or Makeupalley and you’ll see others agree. There are different size options, I like the Big Flipper because it has an easy push down dispenser.
Sephora Formula X Delete Nail Polish Remover is another love (reviewed here). This is another item I bought based on online reviews. It has a similar push down dispenser lid. I like this one because it’s compact and the design is very sleek and simple. The easy to use pump action makes it super handy – you don’t have to flip over the bottle and risk ruining painted nails if you need to clean edges or mess-ups.
Dior Dissolvant Abricot is an ultra luxurious and pricey non-acetone remover, it has a rich abricot scent formulated with ingredients to nourish, hydrate and strengthen. I found it was extremely effective in removing Dior’s Gel Top Coat and dark polish underneath. I’m not a fan of the price and those sensitive to fragrance may find this too heavy. I went through one bottle pretty quickly and repurchased a second. It’s the only remover I’ve tried that has a slightly moisturizing/hydrating feel. If the bottle were about 3-4 times larger I think I could justify the price for more frequent use.
Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Remover is the only cuticle softener that I’ve tried but I was lucky to find a really good one on my first try. It comes in a milky white liquid with a dropper. Apply to the cuticle area for a minute and then push back with a cuticle tool and it removes excess cuticle skin easily. This is a definite must for anyone who does their own manicures. It’s gentle but super effective.
I attribute good looking hands to good hand care. I’m almost always carrying one to two hand creams in my purse. I rely on L’Occitane because they come in travel sizes, a variety of scents and have fun packaging. Plus the formula is hard to beat. For extra care I’ve discovered layering oil into hand cream can help give an added boost of moisture. I prefer hand creams that absorb quickly into the skin and that aren’t greasy feeling so it doesn’t ruin paper, clothes or get everywhere you touch. My current loves, left to right:
Deborah Lippmann Cuticle Oil is as good as it gets (there’s a mini version as well). A little goes a long way with the dropper, you only need a little bit. It’s not greasy but can get sticky, I recommend applying this with precision to the cuticles and rub in quickly. It has Jojoba Oil, Coconut Oil, Mineral Oil and smells amazing. I use this about once a week and it keeps the cuticles looking really good.
Caudalie Divine Oil is a must for me (review here), unfortunately they’ve changed the packaging of the mini size and it doesn’t come with the spray pump dispenser. When I visited the Venice Boutique, they had hand massage treatments and they mixed the oil with their Hand and Nail Cream (review here) which is another staple of mine. I can’t rave enough about these.
Tatcha Soothing Silk Indigo Hand Cream (review here) helps to soothe dry or irritated hands, it hydrates well and absorbs quickly into the skin, the packaging is compact enough to fit into the purse
L’Occitane Hand Creams have been a classic for me for years (check out the L’Occitane Hand Cream Bar), they can be on the pricey side for the side, but the formula is worth every penny, these come in a variety of scents and special formulas, my current favorites are the Shea Butter Honey (soothing and creamy) along with the new Vitória-Régia from the Viva Brazil collection (lush sweet floral). L’Occitane has monthly gift with purchase promotions in stores and online, it’s one of the few brand newsletters I subscribe to that I don’t mind receiving weekly (they have good deals). I’ve converted so many of my friends to L’Occitane as these hand creams make good small gifts or add-ons (just add a box of Godiva chocolate or small bouquet of flowers).
Estee Lauder Re-Nutriv Hand Cream was a huge step-up gift with purchase from Neiman Marcus at one of the Estee Lauder events they had a year ago in store. I was a bit intimidated by the size and packaging as it looks like an intensive treatment. It is indeed an intense hand cream but still very gentle and is the best at smoothing lines. You can see the effects immediately and over time it does improve the overall look and appearance of your hands.
My tools are very basic, items were either found at local drugstores or Ulta. There are a wide number of tools out on the market, I’m sure there are more experienced nail experts who know more about tools, my picks were picked out without much research or planning.
Revlon Nail Clipper is an older version that I have, they’ve gone through a few revamps and upgrades in packaging design but the overall shape and size remains the same
Tweezerman Nail File I’ve picked up various nail files over the years, I find Tweezerman to be sturdy but with a rough enough surface to be effective on harder nails but not too harsh, the ones from Sephora that I’ve bought come with a plastic storage sleeve which is convenient for storage (and makes sure it doesn’t scratch your other products)
Ulta Crystal Nail File if you’re one who hates the feeling of filing nails, you need to check out Crystal Nail Files, a multitude of brands have these such as OPI and Sephora. These have a unique fine-grade glass surface that is good for sensitive or thinner nails, it gently smooths edges and also has a tapered precision tip to clean beneath the nail.
Tweezerman Pushy Cuticle Pusher is a smaller tool for cuticles, I prefer smaller shapes, although some prefer ones with larger curved tips to match the natural shape of the nails. I find the Tweezerman one to be small enough for my small fingers, it’s sturdy and effective for me. For any kind of cuticle removal or care, I recommend you proceed with extra caution. Don’t push too hard and be extra gentle with the cuticles – this is where I recommend you observe a professional several times before attempting on your own.
Revlon Cuticle Nippers are another basic drugstore purchase, I’ve had two from Revlon, both have lasted over 5 years, just make sure you clean them regularly with warm water and soap (I use antibacterial dish soap) or alcohol. I wouldn’t recommend using cuticle clippers regularly, I use them to clip hang nails or only use if the cuticles have been softened and properly prepped.
For base coats, I look for something that helps protect bare nails. I look for items that won’t turn the nails yellow, items that aren’t drying and that also don’t make the nails peel. I’ll highlight the ones I use briefly, let me know if you need more information on any of these, I find they all work well with other brands such as Chanel, OPI, YSL, Dior, Tom Ford and NARS.
Sephora Formula X Nail Cleanser (reviewed here) is a relatively new discovery for me but I find that having a completely clean nail surface before using base coat or color really makes a difference in the wear of nail polish
Sephora Formula X Base Coat (reviewed here) is a sticky formula that helps polish adhere well, I like this best with the Formula X polishes but I’ve also tried (and love it) with Dior, Marc Jacobs and Chanel
CND Stickey Base Coat is a classic that I’ve repurchased multiple times, it’s an affordable option that works well with all brands I’ve tried
Deborah Lippmann Rehydrating Base Coat is my most-frequently used base coat, I don’t usually have nails that peel except when I do a lot of swatching and comparisons on the fingers, this helps immensely
Sephora Formula X Shine Top Coat (review here) is an awesome top coat but is on the thicker side, it works best with Formula X brand nail colors, when I used The System and their Nail Color, I had a manicure last over 7 days without any tip wear or chipping
Creative Nail Design Super Shiny Top Coat is another beauty staple, some of the nail salons I go to layer this with a Revlon top coat for an ultra cushy look (I haven’t looked into the Revlon personally)
Chanel Laque Brilliance Extreme is my all time favorite top coat, it helps my polishes last long, doesn’t crack or chip and give a lush shiny gloss
Rescue Beauty Lounge Top Coat is another item I’ve repurchased (I’m on my third bottle), it’s just as good as Chanel, some say it’s better, mine has a pinkish tinge because I didn’t let my pink nail polish dry long enough and had some color transfer
Dior Gel Coat is a top coat I’ve found works best with Dior Polishes (Chanel v Dior post here), it works well over other brands for a gel-shine finish and lush look, but can be prone to cracking on certain brands
This sums up my hand and nail care favorites. I hope this give you a comprehensive overview on my personal hand and nail care routine. To recap, I definitely think you can maintain your hands and nails on your own but regular salon visits help keep hands looking better. You don’t need an expensive salon to maintain your nails, there are a lot of good ones that are more affordable.
This post contains some items that were sent for review consideration. Most items were purchased by me. Press samples include Sephora The System, Tatcha Indigo, L’Occitane Vitória-Régia. For more information refer to my Disclosures.
Diptyque recently introduced two new fragrances additions to the Les Eaux Florales line in Geranium Odorata and Eau de Lavande. Both fragrances are available in a Full Size Spray Bottle ($98 for 3.4 fl. oz/100 ml) or Travel Sized Roll-On ($48 each for 0.68 fl. oz/20 ml). I have the roller fragrances to share with you today.
These are the first roller ball fragrances I’ve tried from Diptyque although I own a sample size version of 34 Eau de Toilette and Solid Perfumes for L’Ombre dans l’Eau and Eau Duelle. I find the fragrance from the roller balls to have better lasting power than the solids and equal lasting power to the spray versions. I like the simple compact design and the fragrance ball dispenser is super easy to use. The intricate floral designs on the roll on bottles as well as the boxes is absolutely stunning.
Geranium Odorata is sweet woody floral that smells like spring. The notes included are: bergamot, geranium bourbon, rose geranium, pink peppercorn, tonka bean, Haitian vetiver, cedar. For Geranium Odorata, there is a blend of geranium from two different geographical origins: the African Geranium from Egypt and the Bourbon Geranium from Réunion Island. According to Diptyque:
“The first reveals lively, floral aspects, the second highlights its woody notes. One, in the top and core notes, is bright and delicious with a slight hint of citrus, while the other is denser and more subtle. Bergamot, green cardamom, cedar, Tonka bean and pink pepper- corns, together with Haitian vetiver, add a few touches here and there to complete this faith- ful picture, a beautiful harmony between flower and wood.”
This blend gives Geranium Odorata a well rounded floral feel with a warm undertone. I really like this one for a soft feminine spring-like scent. It’s a good one that will transition well into summer.
Eau de Lavande is a unique spicy, earthy floral scent with a complex nature. It has strong lavender notes with a warm undertone. Notes include: absolute lavender, coriander seed, cinnamon leaf, nutmeg, essential oils. It’s a unisex scent but I find it leans more masculine. According to Diptyque:
“Although it is a flower, when it is dried by the sun, it has a distinctive aroma which is more sombre and woody. We have therefore blended three different French lavenders. Provencal lavender essence, rarely used as it is so precious, forms the base
note, sustained by a few drops of incense and sandalwood, followed by a more floral essence from the Vaucluse, and a more aromatic hybrid lavender from Valansole. Coriander seeds, nutmeg and cinnamon add spice to the composition, a vibrant incarnation
of sublime nature. The fragrance is warm and subtle, alive and delicate.”
For me there are some fragrances that I prefer as home fragrances rather than as a perfume and Lavender is one of them. I didn’t like this one on me as I found it a bit too herbal-feeling although I do love lavender scented candles or shower gels. If you like Lavender fragrances you will like this one, it has a complex blend of notes to make it unique and the effect is very therapeutic and soothing.
For me Geranium Odorata was a pleasant new discovery. The bottles (true to Diptyque’s creative style) are absolutely gorgeous with the intricate floral designs that have a pop of color in each. I like that they come with a small black sleeve for storage which makes it easy to carry for travel or in your purse without worrying about it getting scratched or breakage (as long as you are on the careful side with your purses). I was really excited to try Eau de Lavande – trying new fragrances outside of my usual comfort zone is something I’ve been working on, however I found my preference to be with something more feminine and spring-like.
Both Diptyque Geranium Odorata and Eau de Lavande Roll-On Fragrances retail for $48 each. You can find them at all Diptyque counters and boutiques now. Online at Diptyqueparis.com (promo of a complimentary Deluxe Tam Dao 12mL EDP and free shipping with any $75 order, using code FATHER14, valid until 9 June 2014 while supplies last), Nordstrom, Space NK, Saks, Neiman Marcus.
Have you tried Diptyque fragrances? What are your favorites? Have you sampled the new Geranium Odorata and Eau de Lavande yet? I know there were various online promotions for samples earlier in the month when they first launched, were you able to try anything?
Roll ons were sent to The Beauty Look Book courtesy of Diptyque for review, all opinions my own, for more information refer to my Disclosures.
I’m a huge fan of natural nude lips but finding a good nude that doesn’t wash out my complexion can be tricky. Luckily there are a number of shades that exist that work for my pigmented lips and olive skin. I’ve been testing a number of nude pinks over the past few months – I wanted to share some of my tried and true along with some new discoveries. Everyone has a different definition of “nude” – there are flesh nudes, pink nudes, peachy nudes, dark brown nudes. Depending on skin tone and lip tones you may find certain nudes work better for you with pink tones versus brownish tones. See some other blogger’s favorites and reviews on Beauty Professor, Temptalia and Beautezine.
Here are some that I’ve found work for me. If you’re on the hunt for a new neutral I hope this helps you discover some new options.
By Terry Hyaluronic Sheer Rouge in Nudissimo ($35) is a sheer light nude peachish pink, it has a moisturizing texture with a sheer glossy finish, lasting power is on the shorter side because of the glossy finish but this is a good swipe and go no-fuss sheer
Tom Ford Lip Color Shine Nubile ($48) is a darker nude pink that has a glossy finish but really good coverage for a shine lipstick, it covers my lip entirely and moisturizes well, lasting power is quite good and these have that soft Tom Ford vanilla scent, it’s extremely pricey but worth every penny for the formula and coverage
Tom Ford Lip Color Pink Dusk ($49) is a classic pink in Tom Ford’s classic lipstick formula, it is a full-coverage cream, it can pull a bit light so you may need to layer a bit of gloss on top, if you’re darker than Chanel 30/MAC NC35 and need darker pinks, opt for Pink Adobe or Indian Rose if you want a natural pink (swatches here and here)
Marc Jacobs Lovemarc Lip Gel Severine ($30) is described as a warm beige, it’s a wearable nude beige cream that doesn’t wash out the complexion, the Marc Jacobs lip gels have a unique gel-like texture in a solid lipstick, these adhere to the lips and feel slightly thick but feel good on the lips, the formula is creamy and feels moisturizing (note testers at Sephora stores can look less than ideal, but I recommend giving these a try)
Lipstick Queen Saint Lipstick Pinky Nude ($22) is a 10% pigment lipstick for but those who are not quite ready for full coverage lipstick but want something with more coverage than a gloss, these are described as sheer, moist and incredibly easy to wear with
no-shimmer, I used Pink up to the end of the tube many years ago, Lipstick Queen has since expanded the color range, Pink Nude Saint is a perfect nude pink sheer lipstick that I can see as being flattering on a wide range of skintones, texture and wear is really good for a sheer lipstick
Lipstick Queen Sinner Lipstick Pinky Nude ($22) is a 90% pigment lipstick, Lipstick Queen has corresponding shades in both the Sinner and Saint formula, the colors are pretty close in each formula, Sinner Pinky Nude is more nude while Saint Pinky Nude is more pink, the Sinner formula is a good nude pink that doesn’t wash out the complexion, I’ve been really impressed with the smooth texture and level of coverage, for those who are sensitive to fragranced lip products you will like Lipstick Queen because there is no detectable fragrance
Hourglass Extreme Sheen Lipgloss Canvas ($28) review here, is a high impact gloss that acts more like a liquid lipstick, it’s a holy-grail lip product, I recommend this for anyone (see linked review for more details)
Edward Bess Ultra Slick Lipstick Pure Impulse ($32) is my holy grail true nude lipstick, it has a slight hint of pink mixed with beige to give the perfect nude lips, it has a soft fig scent, I’ve gone through two tubes of this over the years, it’s a classic nude color that I can wear for any occasion, it has a creamy finish with a moisturizing feel, in my mind Edward Bess can do no wrong
MAKE Silk Lipstick Cream Pink Clay ($25) is a new brand I’ve discovered at Barneys, there have been numerous raves about this brand from The Non-Blonde and Café Makeup so I stopped by the counter at Barneys Beverly Hills a few weeks ago, I was thoroughly impressed by all the lipsticks for the rich smooth pigment, it was hard to pick just one color, but I decided on Pink Clay a darker mauve nude pink to try, the formula is truly incredible, it feels like silk on the lips but gives full smooth coverage, I’m definitely going to be adding more colors to my collection in the future
Le Metier de Beaute Lip Creme in Socialyte ($36) is an exclusive shade to the Neiman Marcus in Downtown Dallas designed by Michael Flores, it’s a complex pink, nude, coral, rose, I wish it were available at all Le Metier counters, call the Downtown Dallas counter for more details, I believe it’s a limited shade
Le Metier de Beaute Hydra Creme Lipstick in Amore ($25) is a cream peachy pink that has a brightening effect on my olive skin, in the tube it looks like a darker pink nude but on my lips it goes on a bit lighter and brighter than what I see in the tube, but this is probably just because I have pigmented lips, coverage is medium but layerable with a moisturizing feel
NARS Satin Lip Pencil Isola Bella ($25) is my perfect nude peach, it’s a bit darker than your traditional nude but this is perfect for me because it covers my lip entirely and gives a hint of color so it doesn’t wash out the complexion
YSL Rouge Volupte Shine Nude in Private #9 ($35) review here, is a sheer lipstick that feels like a lip balm, these are good swipe and go lipsticks similar in concept to Chanel Rouge Coco Shines, if you like a no-fuss sheer lipstick, these are good lipsticks that are layerable for more color but with a slightly glossy finish, those who like medium to full coverage will find these too sheer
More close ups and detail swatches, all are clickable for larger detail viewing:
The effects are similar in the fact they are all natural your-lips-but-better kind of shades but each lipstick featured has slightly different undertones, finishes and textures. These aren’t all the nudes I’ve tried or love, but just a few I wanted to feature today. If I had to pick my top five nudes/nude-pinks:
What’s your favorite nude pink lipstick? If you can share your favorites and skintone that would be great, I would love to hear what works for you.
Lipstick Queen Sinner and Saint Pinky Nude and Hourglass Canvas were provided for review courtesy of each brand, all opinions my own, for more see my Disclosure.
First, I wanted to thank everyone for entering the Ole Henriksen Giveaway. The winners from the Rafflecopter random generator are Jenn Bailey and Kathryn Lindstrom – I will be e-mailing you shortly. Also thank you for your kind wishes on the blog and instagram about reaching the 5 year mark for this blog.
Right now I’m having a low-key makeup weekend. I’m particularly smitten with some new Diptyque discoveries (more this week) and especially loving the fact that it’s peony season. I wish peonies were in season all year long. Currently obsessed with and loving these reads / videos:
Don’t forget to check out the Memorial Day Sales and Deals post with promos and codes listed if you’re shopping this weekend. Hope you are enjoying this beautiful weekend!
The Beauty Look Book turned five years old this month. Time literally flew by in the blink of an eye. I’ve received so many e-mails from my readers over the years on a wide range of topics from skincare advice, foundation recommendations, product comparisons, dupe recommendations after a favorite product has been discontinued, budgeting to career and school advice. There is so much I’ve learned from writing this blog and interacting with readers, bloggers, brands and retailers, I can’t possibly write them all in one blog post but I did want to share a few thoughts and highlights. Blogging started as a hobby although I have always taken a rather serious approach to it. What I like most about blogging is that it allows me to do what I love. This blog is a conversation on beauty that allows me to share what I’ve discovered. There have been lots of ups and downs over the years with this blog on all aspects of my life emotionally, personally and professionally – but at the end of the day what keeps me going is passion and being able help others with reviews and photographs. Some thoughts I wanted to share on blogging:
Getting started – Even though the world is full of blogs in virtually every category such as beauty, fashion, lifestyle, food, home decor etc. and although some say it’s over saturated, if you want to start a blog, just do it. I’ve had friends who wanted to start blogs but didn’t know how or were overwhelmed with all the options. There are so many amazing articles and videos on the internet on how to start one. Most bloggers are self-taught. It’s a learning process and your blog will develop over time. Mine is still evolving. You don’t have to get it right the first time and you can always write for yourself and keep your blog private until you’re ready for it to go live. You won’t know if blogging is for you until you try it. A few of my favorite resources:
Be dedicated and don’t give up – Until you write your first blog post you really won’t know how much behind-the-scenes work there is for each article and every photograph. Blogging takes time and writing consistently requires good planning and dedication – but it will be what you make of it. Many of us have busy lives and schedules so finding that “extra” hour here and there can be tricky. When I started this blog I was in grad school for finance and marketing. I used this blog as a creative outlet and blogged when I had free time in between classes, a part-time retail job and several internships. After I graduated I was lucky to find a full-time job as a business analyst at a Fortune 500 company, but as with many 9-to-5 jobs, this required me to be at an office indoors 40+ hours per week. To maintain this blog over the years while working at a full-time corporate job, I photographed items on the weekends, woke up early on weekdays (sometimes at 4 am) and stayed up late blogging after work (sometimes past midnight). There were weeks when I didn’t have time or energy to write or edit pictures every single day so I wrote when I could devote my time and efforts to publish quality articles with photographs as best I could. Be selective in what you write about, blog when you can, try not be too hard on yourself, and if you don’t get all positive feedback or if you get negative feedback don’t give up.
Motivation and inspiration – Surround yourself with positive inspiration, write what you want to write about and focus on the good. I’ve been really blessed with supportive friends and family. They didn’t always understand what blogging was, why I did it or why I spent so much time taking all those pictures but they’ve always been supportive. I’ve been fortunate to have made some good friends through this blog as well.
Once you start blogging you will get occasional negative comments that are hurtful and offensive – directly on your blog, through social media, e-mail etc. These can kill any sense of confidence, motivation or inspiration to blog. As my husband and friends say, “ignore that nonsense.” Blogging brings out the individual creativity in each person – you cannot expect to make everyone happy or appeal to every reader. It’s still hard for me to not be affected by negative comments but really there are much more important things in life to focus on. For inspiration I recommend making lists of ideas you want to write about.
Make mini goals and celebrate milestones – Some blog on spur of the moment inspiration while others prefer to be more organized and have a structured publishing schedule. I’ve done both but rarely can I ever stick to an exact schedule (I’m working on being more organized and timely). No matter where you are in your blog (or even in life in general), make goals (small or large) and celebrate milestones. I’ve tried to track every time I reached a goal or milestone – looking back on accomplishments small or large will help motivate you and will also make you realize you’ve probably accomplished more than you realized. Even if you’re more of a in-the-moment kind of blogger, making small goals can help focus direction and make a world of difference. Goals can be anything you want such as improving your photography skills, learning more about social media, redesigning your website, committing to write 3-5 times per week. Milestones to celebrate can be your 50th post, making it to your first year of blogging (or any anniversary), reaching a certain number of followers on a social media platform (you don’t need to make this a priority but yes, you should celebrate!), being featured in a magazine etc.
Don’t be afraid to try something new – This is something I tell myself on a regular basis. It’s a challenge for me in blogging, my career and various aspects of my life but I always try to go outside of my comfort zone and try something new or different. The beauty and skincare industry is always coming out with something new to try so in a sense beauty bloggers are almost always trying something new. Long time readers know I love neutral colors, especially nude lips. I’ve received so many comments and e-mails asking me to wear more color but sometimes it’s hard for me to go out and buy something bright outside of my comfort zone to review it just because someone asked me to. Still I’ve been pleasantly surprised when I try new things on occasion. Sometimes new things won’t work out, but that’s the beauty of exploration and trying things outside of your comfort zone.
Finding balance can be challenging – Finding the right balance in time or content can be a challenge. Whether you blog full-time or part-time the whole blog process is pretty much non-stop. Inspiration or the thought process of what to write about and how to write about can be constant. I would say don’t uproot your entire life just to blog, although this is a challenge because blogging has changed a lot in my life. Finding a balance between work, life and blog is important – try to make boundaries.
For content most will say hands down blog about what you love, but at the same time many of us also want to be relateable to our readers. Many readers want to read about what they like and some will disagree with your opinions, writing style, favorites picks, brand preference or lifestyle. Finding that content balance can be challenging as well, for example some want me to publish more negative reviews, but I have limited time to write and test products and really like to focus on what I like. It doesn’t mean I like everything I’ve tested or have a biased view on what’s featured. There’s no right or wrong formula – but try to focus on what you want to write about on your blog, after all it’s your web space and time.
Thank you to each and every one of you for your support and inspiration. Without you this blog would not be possible. If you have any other blogging questions or advice you’d like to share please do so in the comments. If you have any interest me writing a blogging tips series please let me know. I know many of you have asked about my camera – I have been working on a camera post, for now you can see what I use here.
Ahava – 25% off + a free travel size, ends May 26 // All In 1 Toning Cleanser use code RED25, Mineral Body Exfoliator use code WHITE25, Mineral Botanic Lotus and Chestnut Body Wash use code BLUE25
Barney’s Warehouse – Memorial Day promo sales up to an additional 40% off select styles
Birchbox – Get your first box for $5 when you sign up for monthly subscriptions, promo ends May 26 // code SUMMERSUB
Bliss World– $25 event! Save up to 90% on sandals, shapewear, and beauty products, free beauty bag ($170 value) with a purchase of $100+ (expires May 31 or until supplies last) // code MAYBAG14
Bloomingdales – take an extra 20% off select sale merchandise through May 26 // code TAKE20
Bobbi Brown – Enjoy a special surprise gift ($18+ value) plus free shipping, with any $50 order through May 26 // code SURPRISEME
C. Wonder – 30% off select beach essentials including totes, tees, shorts, flip flops through May 26 // offer applied at checkout
Joe’s – 30% off sitewide, certain exclusions apply, valid through May 26 // code HONOR
Kate Somerville – Receive 10% off and free shipping for orders over $50 along with 3 free samples with each order // code KSMEMORIALDAY
L’Occitane – Memorial Day weekend May 24 – 26, enjoy a free Skincare Mini with any $50 purchase //code FACE
Lancome – Enjoy 20% off any order plus receive free standard shipping and a travel-size product of your choice, good through May 25 (see site for registration details)
Lulu and Georgia – 25% off site wide, good through May 26 // code MEMORIALDAY25
Macy’s – 6 piece Lancome Gift with $35 purchase (while supplies last)
NARS – Complimentary Mini Blush and Mini Lip Gloss with orders over $50, valid through May 26 // code MINIS
Nordstrom – Half Yearly Sale for Women and Kids through June 1; Clinique Gift With Purchase online and in stores with a $32 purchase; Mascara Madness Buy 2 get 1 Free Saturday the 24th only
Nuxe US – receive $10 off any $60 order, $15 off any $75 order and $25 off any $100 order online through May 26th
Ole Henriksen – Receive a $50 5 Piece Gift Set with Orders of $85 or more // code WANDERLUST
Sephora – Enter the Sephora and Marc Jacobs Beauty Sweepstakes for a chance to win two round trip tickets to NYC to meet Marc Jacobs and win a beauty makeover (deadline to enter is May 27); online offer now for three deluxe samples perfect for travel, online only // code PACKUP
Serena and Lily – 20% off everything, valid through May 27 // code SUMMER20
Smashbox – Promo through May 26, spend $50 take $10 off, spend $75 take $15 off, spend $100 take $25 off, spend $150 take $50 off
Tatcha – follow Tatcha on Instagram and Facebook to check out their giveaway of a Luminous Deep Hydration Firming Serum and the Deep Hydration Revitalizing Eye Mask for you and a friend
If you have any other deals or promos you want to share please feel free to add in the comments!
