Overview of #bbloggers chat No.3 with Transcript!

As per usual the Twitter chat last Sunday went great and I'm sure everyone that joined in learnt something new and had fun! 

I was especially pleased that it didn't get heated or became a chat that was just about the 'don'ts' of promoting your blog, as I for one don't believe that blogging should have rules. It was just a really good informative hour full of tips from lots of different bloggers. 

Like last week I have provided a summary of the chat below with some of the key points that were raised and also a full transcript of the chat (thanks to the beautiful Liloo) that you can view in full and online. 

Helpful tips on how to promote your beauty blog 

Social networking is essential 

This came up time and time again throughout the hour! Twitter and Facebook being the most rated and most mentioned choices. If you already have a beauty blog or are even thinking about starting one, get yourself on Twitter (if you already haven't) and get chatting! It really is a must.... and can also be a lot of fun. 

Leave comments on other beauty blogs

This again is a must especially when you are starting out, set time aside to comment on other people's blogs with nice, genuine, sincere comments. Which also means you don't need to leave your blog link or put the whole 'follow me and I will follow you' business as your comment with make them want to check our your own blog.

Get involved 

I guess this just backs up the first two points. But constantly leaving comments, asking questions on Twitter, talking to people via Twitter and different beauty forums will get you in the loop of blogging and get you noticed more. 

Become easy to find on search engines

 Promoting your blog isn't just about talking to other bloggers. Over time you will find more and more internet users becoming readers through finding you on Google and the like. So make sure your titles are unique and you add keywords into each post you write. Also if you want your images to be found via Google make sure to rename them with what is in the actual image. 

Build good content 

The more you blog and build a great blog the more people that will come to it and stay. So don't rush it or have an aim of so many followers by the end of your first month of blogging or even year of blogging. Just take it slow. 

Help out other bloggers 

It is easy to think you need to put all your efforts into your own blog, but if you like another blog, write a post on it or re-tweet posts by different bloggers you like on Twitter. They may just one day do the same for you and it will show your enthusiasm! 

Join other sites 

Joining sites such as Bloglovin',  Tumblr and We Heart It that don't take up too much of your time can really get other people finding your blog. 

I think the key point to the chat was GET INVOLVED but don't spam! It can be hard to know what people see as spamming when you are starting out but just be genuine and focus on getting to know other bloggers and getting involved rather than posting continuous comments asking people to look at your blog. 

If you want to know more about the #bbloggers weekly chat just click here. 

Click to read the tweets of the full chat here! 

Next Sunday's topic at 8-9pm (GMT +1) will be on Photography Tips as so many people wanted to see this in an upcoming chat! 

So I hope you can all join in then!

Inspirational Women

Recently I have been seeing more and more blog posts/articles on cosmetic surgery and only last week I received an e-mail from a cosmetics company asking if they could write a guest post here on my blog. I just ignored it as I personally would never want to link makeup/beauty with cosmetic surgery as I just don't feel they should go hand in hand. 

Which isn't to say I'm against cosmetic surgery, each to there own and all that. But I do feel posts like that send out a bad message. So what if you have cellulite on the backs of your legs or you're aging (which happens to everyone) it's no big deal and to be honest no one really notices anyways! So instead of rambling on about what I dislike I thought it would be nice to tell you of three well known women that I love for there beauty inside and out!

Kelly Rutherford

To be honest I haven't seen much of Kelly in the media other than her playing her character in Gossip Girl but there is just something about her that makes me smile. I am aware that sounds a bit odd but she has such a kind face and I just love that happy look in her eyes. Yes, again that sounds slightly odd but she just looks such a lovely, genuine person. 

Lisa Eldridge

After watching so many of her beauty videos on YouTube I feel as if I know her - which I'm sure a lot of you also feel! She is just so personable and sincere which is what I love the most about her. She is just always so glowing and willing to offer her knowledge and advice to others which is refreshing to say the least. 

She is basically so beautiful and lovely and I'm sure a role model for so many girls out there watching her YouTube videos.  

Marina Diamandis

Not only do I love Marina for her amazing music which is so unique and fun but I love her for her overall appearance and personality! You can just tell she is so so confident in herself without having a huge ego. Her style is definitely wacky but just so fun and like a breath of fresh air. Again she just comes across as sincere and not at all fake which is what I really admire about her. 

 I just feel the world would be such a nicer place if we all weren't as judgemental or negative on other peoples looks especially when it comes thinking we should all conform to this unrealistic idea of beauty that has been drummed into us via the media. I also feel the same with age - we all start to 'age' at some point but somehow we have all become scared of it and the idea that we will be past our best. It just really shouldn't matter as much as it does!  

Would love to know how you feel about beauty and also who you look up to.  

 

3rd Twitter Beauty Chat - Tonight 8pm (GMT +1)

The time has come again for our weekly #bbloggers chat. I sadly may not be around for this one as my internet connection isn't very reliable at the moment to say the least! 

However the topic is below for you all to run with and chat about in the hour....

Self promotion: How to promote your beauty blog

Now, again I am aware this could end up being a 'what not to do' or what people don't like... which I think is always going to happen (after all we are girls!) but the main aim of the chat is for us all chat about how we can get our blogs out there in a positive manner that people will take notice of! I think we all know by now spamming people via Twitter or blogs  isn't the answer or way to go.

Again if I could ask everyone to remove the #bbloggers hash tag from any RT's so they don't show up in the live thread and slow it down then I would be more than grateful, as it really did help last week! Also no spamming of course! 

Really hope I can make the chat, but if not hope you all have a fun time discussing the topic!

Topic Choices for #bbloggers Twitter Chat No.3

I think I'm going have to be a bit more organised with these posts and the chat from now on as it's feeling all a bit to sporadic for my liking and I kept leaving the possible topics to discuss right until the last minutes and not getting enough feedback on them! 

So from next week I am thinking Tuesdays will be day I post the chat summary of the previous chat and also post the full transcript for anyone that missed it! Then every Friday afternoon I will post the three possible topics for the upcoming Sunday chat so you to tell me which you prefer and then post what topic we will be chatting about on Sunday afternoons.

I've also decided on something quite exciting for the #bbloggers chat! 
The hash tag #bbloggers stands for Beauty Bloggers and so far we have talked a lot about blogging which has been great and we will continue to do so as long as we can come up with topic to talk about! 

But I think an actual beauty chat the last Sunday of every month would be great to bring it back to why we do all blog! Of course if it was a set topic (like the normal chats) I'm sure we would all go off on tangents so there is going to be a set topic but with a Q&A with a co-host! 

Of course it's too short notice to have the first one this Sunday - so the first beauty based chat will be the last Sunday of June and I already do have quite an exciting Makeup Artist as the co-host to answer everyone's question if they have any! But my lips are sealed until nearer the time. 

Anyway rambling aside here are the possible topics for this Sunday's #bbloggers chat at 8-9pm (GMT +1)

Photography Tips  -How to take perfect images for your blog, what size should they be, hosting images, what impact can better photos have on your blog.

How to keep content fresh - What inspires you to post? How to keep it original and like no other blog!

  Self Promotion - To self promote or not? How do we all feel about leaving blog links, giveaways and basically telling everyone your blog is the best thing since sliced bread!

I know the topics are very short notice but my Internet connection has been shocking the last few days! But please do tell me which topic you would prefer to see. 

Fee x

Wedding Makeup Series - An Update

I have definitely been lacking on the Wedding Series front recently - there is so much I still want to cover but the fact is they do take forever to write! So please bear with me and also forgive this ramble of a post! 

If you don't already know I'm getting married next May at San Francisco's City Hall (which is why I started the Wedding Makeup Series) and up until last week I wasn't that excited about it, as 1. I'm impatient and 2. It seems like forever away! But now I've got over a milestone and it's less than a year away I've let myself do a bit of looking at wedding dresses and thinking more about what I want. 

Surprisingly even though I'm quite girly and love makeup I'm definitely not the bridezilla type - as long as my dress/makeup/hair is nice and I say 'I Do' on the day I will be happy. I'm normally one for details especially when it comes to interiors but with this I've said NO as in my head there is a little voice that says 'It's just one day' and I really believe it... the wedding is just one single day, but marriage is forever. So I see no point in sweating the small stuff.

Wedding Magazines

So I've picked up quite a few Bridal magazines recently and have just been looking at wedding dresses, hair styles and beauty products and I skip over anything with even the mention of favours or table displays! 

Now I actually wanted to talk wedding magazines with all you brides (or anyone that is thinking wishfully).There is no doubt about it they are stupidly over priced, the one above costs £4.99 - which is the price of a book not a magazine! However there is definitely a way of being savvy about it and actually saving money strangely enough! 


Firstly you can't see wedding magazine buying as a monthly thing - I mean it could easily cost you £20 a month when you can get all the same info online for FREE via wedding blogs. But when you are buying one you do need to look at the ones that offer something FREE - for example afew weeks ago when I wasn't even that enthusiastic about planning my wedding I spotted a magazine that offered a free OPI nail polish worth £10.50. I bought the magazine for £4.50 and sent off the coupon with a 1st class stamp (very old school but there wasn't an online option) and I'm now actually finding the magazine pretty helpful.


This week I picked up the May/June issue of You & Your Wedding for this reason...

Free eyebrow threading - worth £13! I wouldn't normally go have it done but the idea of having a consultation and getting my eyebrows the shape I've always wanted for free sounds like a pretty good idea to me. So my advice is to only pick a magazine that includes something free with it that will be beneficial to you. When I last went into WH Smith there was a free Armani mascara with one magazine and a free hair trail in another and of course the offer above - so there is bound to be something that you will use. 

Plus the two bridal magazines I have picked up have been really good - perfect if you are still at the stage of picking a wedding dress as there are so many beautiful styles and it really does make you think about what you want. But even if it's only a month or so to your wedding day - the hair and makeup articles are quite good for inspiration!

My own wedding plans 

 

So far I have decided I don't want a stupidly expensive dress as like I mentioned before - it is only one day and I will only wear it twice ( I'm having a reception once we get home from San Francisco) but I do want some beautiful designer shoes that will make me feel confident on the day and that I can wear again to remind me of the day. They aren't even going to be anything wedding-y as my dress will hide them... so I'm thinking something nude and fierce that I will be able to wear with skinny jeans and dresses for years to come! 

As for the dress I'm definitely not going to a wedding shop for it, the main reason being is they are expensive and generally heavy - and I don't want heavy as I will have to carry it through the airport with me, plus San Francisco can get quite warm in May. 

So I want something in a more maxi dress style that is long and flowing but that still has diamantes on it - The one above is my favourite so far which by AG London in House of Fraser and is £300 which I personally think is such a good price! I'm also going to have an artificial bouquet from Bloom as I don't want to be faffing around in florists while in San Francisco and really like the idea of keeping them forever, maybe on my bedside table.

So there you have it - my savvy tip for wedding magazines and my own wedding plans so far.

For any brides to be I would more than love to hear all your own plans!  

Fee x

Overview of #bbloggers chat No.2 with Transcript!

Finally sorted out the transcript so I can give you all a summary of last Sunday's chat and if you scroll to the bottom of the page there is a link to the the full chat so you can read through it - that is if you don't feel slightly over whelmed as the last chat did contain just under 3,000 tweets! 

So the topic for the 2nd #bbloggers Twitter chat was 'How can PR agencies work with beauty bloggers' and I must say it was a great chat, so many people joined in, bloggers, PR companies, brands, social media agencies and even a few celebrity makeup artists joined in! 

The hash tag is also going international this Sunday with an Australian version #bbloggersoz which you can read all about here!

With so many people with such varied views I'm always slightly nervous of picking the wrong topic and causing a more heated debate than informative friendly chat - but so far the chats have been really good and definitely on the more positive side and always about improving than bringing anything down. 

I feel the PR topic was definitely equal with a lot of people tweeting both positives and negatives of the fairly new job role that PR's have to fill, so here is a brief summary of what was touched upon in the hour - but of course feel free to scroll down for the full transcript of the chat. 

PR & Beauty Blogging - The good! 

• PR companies that work along side bloggers can help keep blog content current and in the know about new products. 

•  A good PR company should be able to except good and bad reviews and still continue to communicate with that blogger.

• Communication that is on a more personal level - Reading blogs, using first names, asking the blogger what shade they would need/what skin type etc. 

• Brands that really interact with all levels of bloggers via Twitter

PR & Beauty Blogging - The not so good + tips! 

•  Blanket e-mails - Shows a lack of care and value for all the bloggers included.

• Stagger samples to beauty bloggers so the Internet doesn't get a burst of reviews of the same product.

• Initiating contact via Twitter is fine but carry it on through e-mail and don't ask for personal details viaTwitter.

• Stick to your word - if you have initiated an e-mail or agreed to send out a sample, remember to do so.  

• Do not press for a review - ask how the blogger is getting on with the product and remember most beauty bloggers blog as a hobby and not a living!

Quick tips for beauty bloggers 

If you dislike a product tell the company why and be honest in your review. Be selective with the products that are offered to you, don't accept anything that doesn't fit into the type of blog you have. DO NOT re-sell PR samples! Talk to PR companies on Twitter & even politely e-mail them to ask to be put on there mailing list to be kept in the loop. Vary your content and don't ever solely rely on PR samples. Blog because of your passion and not for the 'freebies'.

 

Click to read the tweets of the full chat here! 

Feel free to suggest topics for the upcoming #bbloggers chat this Sunday!

 

Acid Yellow & Strawberry Ice Cream

It feels like I haven't wrote a nail post in a very long time which has been mainly been because I have been re-growing my nails after they all snapped off due to going on a crazy diet of Weight Watcher shakes, which was definitely NOT a good idea. 

So they have finally re-grown and are all back to normal...well that's if you can call yellow stained nails normal, but that is an on going project at the moment! So due to having nails again I decided to reward my clever body and nail growing system with some nail polishes of course. Now I say some... I actually mean quite a few but all are under £4 and I did use my No7 £5 vouchers for two of the polishes making them only £2 each, but more on that in another post. 

The first two I purchased came from Asos in the form of Barry M as I really haven't purchased anything from the brand in months not even one of the crackle polishes! 

 The shade above Acid Yellow (£2.99) from the Pop Brights collection was a definite gamble as I hadn't seem in it the flesh and you can never be too sure of swatches online. Though once it arrived it instantly reminded me of OPI's Fiercely Fiona from the Shrek Forever After collection with that quite unique - not really green/not really yellow look to it. As for coats and finish, it is definitely a 3 or 4 coat polish (my nail above have 2 quite thick coats on) but it does apply very easily and dries quite quick. As for the end result it really does have that nice glossy gel look which I really do like with bright shades. 

I'm not to sure when I will wear this nail polish as it really does stand out but I can imagine if I was doing the whole colour blocking trend thang it would look really good. 

The other nail polish comes in the form of the milky looking Strawberry Ice Cream (£2.99) from the Pastel collection which I thought I would like and for a moment I did, but then I noticed how creamy and pink the shade was against my skin and reminded me of them tacky pink false nails you can buy! But I'm definitely putting it down to my skin tone being to light - so my opinion on it may very well change once I go from off white to mink truffle (I'm talking in Dulux paint shade here).

As for formulation and all that - it was on the runny side, the kind that if you get a little bit too much on the brush, floods the nail bed and goes onto the cuticles. So I did have to be super careful but for it being a pastel shade it did actually apply fairly well. There is nothing worse than a gloppy thick pastel nail polish!
 

All in all I've quite pleased with Acid Yellow but really I should of been braver and gone for Tangerine or Block Orange instead of going for a pastel shade as they are always hit and miss with my skin tone. 

On the subject of being braver I still have yet to try out a crackle polish and there really is no excuse with there being so many to chose from now. I did have my eye on the nice soft gold crackle nail polish by 17 but it is always sold out - so would love suggestions on other similar crackle shades as I really don't like the look of anything too dark or bright!

I've got quite a few more new nail polishes and treatments still to show you - mainly a couple of Ciate treatments which I got for such a bargain price on Fragrance Direct  and also a lovely glitter top coat from Revlon!

Can you pass the Tea Strainer, please?

If you hadn't gathered from the slightly odd un-beauty related title I went for afternoon tea, almost two week ago now... Jo Malone afternoon tea to be precise at Harvey Nichols in Manchester! Which was actually a treat from my fiance for my birthday the week after. 

Now to be honest I'm more than likely going to ramble about the experience as I don't even drink tea, ever... I mean I actually can't stand it. Which is why I ended up ordering an orange juice for £6! I'm also not too keen on sandwiches or anything overly pretentious. So maybe not the best person to go for afternoon tea. However I do like pretty things, shopping, the odd cake or two and the whole idea of afternoon tea!

As mentioned the afternoon tea was inspired by the new Jo Malone limited edition fragrance; Sakura Cherry Blossom (which is why I was pretty excited) and you also receive an invite for a complimentary hand and arm massage at the Jo Malone beauty counter until the end of May - which my pessimistic beauty brain took to mean some stranger having you by the arm whilst trying to sell the new fragrance to you for five minutes! So I decided to skip that part as to be honest my arms really didn't need a massage... 

So me and the boyfriend headed off to Harvey Nichols for our 4pm afternoon tea which didn't start off all that well if I am honest as we were greeted by a sign stating that there would be a private event on in the evening and all guests had to vacate by 5pm. Which was totally fine as we  had planned to see Water for Elephants at 5:30 at The Printworks... however as a result of the private event there was a total lack of staff which meant everything seemed to take twice as long to do - so we did have to down our tea/orange at one point!

So we eventually got seated with a lovely view of the Manchester wheel/eye and I ordered the Lemon Verbena tea and Tim ordered a nasty pot of Earl Grey... which actually ended up me not liking either of the two teas and ordering an orange juice, but at least I tried, hey! As for the Sakura Cherry Blossom theme I had so far seen nothing of the sort. I mean there was a cut orchid on the table, a very beautiful orchid in fact... but it was no cherry blossom! 

Shortly after, the tea and cake stand arrived and I couldn't fault any of it - the cakes, just so beautiful looking and the sandwiches all laid out with crust free edges, the presentation was just perfect. At this point I would tell you the names of each cake as they were all Cherry Blossom inspired (that was the part that was themed) however I was only given a copy of the standard afternoon tea menu after asking and now sadly can't remember the names of the cakes except for the cherry blossom infused macaroon which was amazing! So dense and perfect. 

As for the finger sandwiches I tried my first ever egg and cress sandwich which I actually quite enjoyed and scoffed both mine and Tim's ham & mustard sandwiches as I wasn't too keen on any of the others - which included cucumbers, prawns and tomatoes which are all no-no's for me. 

 

After the sandwiches we swiftly went onto the cakes and I loved all of them minus a slightly odd almost peppery tasting mandarin sponge cake and after three cakes I was more than full. So I asked for the top tier - the scones, clotted cream and strawberry jam to be boxed up so we could take them away with us...which due to the private event took 20 minutes to do so.

With the scones safely in my bag for whilst watching Water for Elephant we left fairly happy, until we noticed we had been over charged by £15 so had to go back in to get a refund.. which again took forever. 

All in all the experience wasn't the best - the food was excellent and if I had been a tea drinker I'm sure that would of been spot on also but the service just wasn't there and as for the theme my interior design instincts kicked in and it actually frustrated me that so little effort had been put into the decor. I'd be tempted to say the Jo Malone theme was just an after thought but actually there was no thought put into it at all - except for the cakes of course.

Having said that, for £14.50 per person I really do think it is good value for money and I'm almost sure if  I went on another day when a private event wasn't being prepared for the service would be a lot better. It sadly just wasn't to be I guess.

However seeing Water for Elephants definitely made up for the afternoon - just a wonderful & magical film! 

Through the Plughole...

After quite a few of you seemed to enjoy having a nosey at my home I thought I'd do something similar but just in the bathroom... as I definitely spend enough time in there, pampering and preening myself! Plus I recently picked up a few nice new products that I wanted to share. 

As I'm sure you will notice my bathroom is on the plain/simple side, though I like to think of it as more on the contemporary side and a bit spa like! But if definitely needs afew more green/lime accents to make it look a little more fresh and zingy!

Towel in Lime from Next Home, Tam Tam Stool from Habitat

So last week I went shopping at the Trafford Centre in Manchester and picked up a Tam Tam stool from Habitat - which I haven't made my mind up if I want it for under my dressing table or in the bathroom. I've been wanting a Tam Tam stool for the longest time as to be honest I wanted the most expensive one which costs around £120, but I instantly came to my senses when I saw the one above in Habitat for only £15 - they came in all different colours; red, pink, teal, purple and black but I decided to pick the white one as it could suit any room that way.

I just love how it can be used for so many different things - outside as seating, as a side table, under a dressing table and of course it doubles up as storage! It surprisingly stores quite alot which makes it perfect for extras such as cleanser, cotton pads, back-ups of products and other products you don't want filling up the counters and shelves of your bathroom.

Muji Refill Bottle by Muji Selfridges, Botanics Face Brush from Boots

You are all most likely wondering what the strange concoction above is, right? Well it is in fact the best eye makeup remover ever (well in my opinion) and is totally home made! It's basically 3/4 water, 1/4 olive oil and a splash or two of rose water (which you can buy in the baking section of most supermarkets). I've been using the mixture for around 4 months now (with cotton wool pads) instead of the Botanics eye makeup remover (as I started to find it abit too greasy) and it's perfect, just so great and fresh, just the best remover I've tried. Though I have to thank Muhsine from Bubblegarm for mentioning the Muji dispenser (£2.95) as I was using an empty travel bottle and it just wasn't great. 

The Boots Botanics Facial brush (£6.10) is another favourite which is always on the side of the sink as I use it twice daily with a foaming SLS-free face wash in the morning and a cream cleanser at night and it really has transformed my skin so, so much! 

There are definitely afew more extras that I want still, namely the tiny artificial orchids from Bloom  which are only £3 each and would look perfect in a row of three on my bathroom window sill. I'm also looking for a new quirky toothbrush holder as I'm just using a crackled mirror candle holder that's looking slightly shabby now which is why I thought the Sparrow Bird Vase from Graham & Green could make the most perfect holder if the holes are big enough to fit a toothbrush and of course if the item goes on sale, as £19.74 would be a crazy amount to spend on a toothbrush holder/vase! 

Onto more beauty related products I'm on the look out for a nice new cosmetic bag which is harder than it seems - just so many horrible textures and patterns! But I'm either going to go for the one above from Paul & Joe that comes in a set of two or spend a tiny bit more and get one by Anya Hindmarch. I'm also obsessed with scrubs at the moment in all forms so I'm dying to try the Korres Guarana Exfoliating Body Soap (£5.00) and also the gorgeous smelling Boots Extracts Mango Sugar Scrub (£7.92).

Though I have been loving using The Breakfast Scrub from Soap & Glory (£9.45) on my upper body which I got last week and the strange slightly bird seed looking Exfoliating Sponge (above) which I bought from Tesco for around £4.50 which is just so good at exfoliating the legs and feet and more rough skin. 

As for what I keep next to the shower/bath... basically too much! Even more scrubs - the Naked Rice scrub and a lovely hot butter fudge scrub from N-Spa that is very similar in scent to The Breakfast Scrub. Also quite a lot of sodium lauryl sulphate free shampoos and body washes, some Veet shaving foam and a lovely Cocoa oil from Palmers which can be used on damp skin after a shower or in the bath instead of bubble bath. 

Overall my bathroom is stuffed full of lotions and potions but I don't think it too obvious which is what I love about it - it's just simple and fresh!

Really hope you have enjoyed this type of post! 

  

 

2nd Twitter Beauty Blog Chat - Tonight 8pm (GMT +1)

It's Sunday again which means time for the second Twitter #bbloggers blog chat! Think I'm even more excited for this one as I know how well last weeks went so I'm not feeling too worried about not enough people joining in! 

I thought I'd tell you all the most favoured topic of tonight so that you can get your brains in gear and start thinking about how you feel about the whole subject. The topic is...

How should PR agencies work with beauty bloggers? 

Now the topic does leave out newer beauty bloggers slightly but I'm hoping the question and theme of it is so broad that anyone will be able to contribute or even just observe. I'm also aware the question is kind of stating that PR's aren't doing a very good job in working with beauty bloggers but I've definitely had some really good experiences with different companies and some not so good. So hopefully it won't be too negative but more helping PR's and our selves move forward and work together better. 

I also think it would be good to talk about how we communicate as beauty bloggers with PR companies and beauty brands - Maybe we need to be more open with our statistics and what our own guidelines for blogging are so that we don't have the dilemma of receiving something we don't really want to review or has been set a time schedule for when it has to be reviewed/mentioned.

As for rules - Mainly keep it fun as there is no need to be annoyed my a difference in opinion. Of course NO spamming, which means no talking about what your favourite foundation is or tweeting your newest blog post! Also as the timeline does go so fast when a lot of people are tweeting all at one time I'd love it you could remove the #bbloggers hash tag when re-tweeting any of the tweets you like. Or re-tweeting your favourite tweets after the hour is up... just so we aren't all seeing the same tweet over and over again and can all keep up a bit better!

And that is it! I'm really looking forward to talking openly with you all on the subject as it's something that will only continue grow in the future and will become integral to blogging!

Beauty Blog Link Love 22/05

BBLL time again! As you can probably see I have a new header for the posts it's not perfect but if you also post the links then feel free to copy + paste and use it for yourself!

Can't get enough shatter? Have a look see at the new OPI Serena Williams Grand Slam France collection at Beauty Crazed!

Can a liquid liner really make your lashes grow? Find out how Pammy from Pammy Blogs Beauty likes Physician's Formula 2-in-1 Lash Boosting Eyeliner and Serum.

Gouldylox gives you inside skinny on how to fake it like a superstar.

Rachel finally jumps on the NYX cream blush bandwagon at Queen of Turquoise, but do they live up to the hype?

Musicalhouses has gone on a rampage with swatches of the Illamasqua cream blushes!

Do you love purple eye shadow? Check out a makeup look using just that, at Steal My Heart Lovee.

Melasma, acne and stretch marks... oh my! Whitney brings in Dr. Downie to answer your pregnancy skin care concerns.

Want to know to dip dye your hair? Madame B Fatale shows you how!

Wondering if Maybelline's Fit Me Foundation is any good? Check out Vonnie of Socialite Dreams review of the product.

Want to treat yourself to a little tube of pure luxury? Stina from Chic Beauty Blog shows you her favourite Chanel lippy.

At last! Makeup Morsels discovers her HG volumizing mascara.

Miss Beauty Nerd is currently coveting the new lip line Bite Beauty, formulated with bite-worthy resveratrol, and suddenly she feels not so bad about eating her lip products.

First ever manicure using solely Jessica products. How did LaaLaa from Dolce Vanity find The Jessica Manicure ? What was so different to this treatment?

Claire finds out if a concealer really can be hydrating with Dior.

LilBiuty is getting ready for summer with bright and bold colors and it all starts with a lime green nail polish.

Beauty Info Zone thinks that Nars Dogon eyeshadow duo is doggone pretty. Check out a new way to wear the colors.

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Phyrra is celebrating her 3 year blog anniversary! Visit her blog to enter to win some fabulous prizes including MAC Candy Yum Yum, Fyrinnae Pixie Epoxy and more!

Jenn at Spiced Beauty is giving one reader the opportunity to find out if "Spit can heal a zit?" and she's throwing in a $50.00 Sephora Gift Card too!

Overview of the 1st #bbloggers chat & this Sunday's topic ideas!

Firstly I have to thank everyone that joined in and gave there suggestions on how to gain readers. I really was overwhelmed by the amount of people that took part and even more overwhelmed when the #bbloggers hash tag became the number 1 trending topic in the UK. How crazy!

It was definitely a positive experience and one I'm definitely looking forward to doing again on Sunday (22nd May 8pm GMT+1) with a totally new topic. I really was unsure of how many people would participate (I thought maybe around 20 or so people) but the number was just huge and I think really confirmed to everybody how passionate we all are! If you didn't join in last week or want to know more about what the bbloggers hash tag is then here are all the details.

Due to the amount of tweets in the hour it was hard to keep up and there was a lot of Re-tweets. Of course I can't slow down the rate of every ones tweets but it would be more than helpful for everyone I think if we re-tweet any tweets without the #bbloggers hash tag on the end - so it doesn't clog up the live thread or RT at the end of the hour. Also spam did happen, not by very many people I have to say - but hey ho and all that just please don't let it put you off! As for the transcript it just proved too difficult sadly, though this week I have the help of the wonderful Twitter savvy Liloo @tsunimee.

Here are the key points I took away from the first #bbloggers chat on "How to gain readers" but also make sure to check out Sabrina's post for a really good summary of the hour. 

• Lots of no-no's kept popping up during the chat mainly no music, no swearing in posts and if you want more readers to leave comments remove word verification!

• Twitter is a must! If you have a blog and don't have Twitter, get it! Definitely makes you more personable and 100% gets more people reading and knowing about your blog. 

• Vary your content - There was quite a bit about content and how alot didn't love the blogs that only talked about high end products and also most people do like the odd personal post to get to know the blogger better - which is something I need to stop fearing and do abit more of in the future! 

• Good pictures are a must so learn how to get the most out of your camera, lighting and background.

• Engage with the readers you have - Reply to comments, check out there own blog if they have one, chat to them on Twitter. Kindness will get you a long way in the beauty community and you will definitely have fun doing it. 

• Think about your layout. Make it easy to navigate and simple!

Even though I've been blogging for over a year now and do have more than enough readers I really did learn quite alot from the chat as I'm sure alot of you did!


Anyways onto this Sunday's topic! Like last week here are three suggestions which I'd love to know your favourite of by either tweeting @makeup_savvy or you can leave comment at the bottom of this post!

How should PR companies work with beauty bloggers? - Pr's are still learning about this 'new media' but are they barking up the wrong tree? Do free little extra gifts need to stop? Are blogger events even needed and most importantly what would help bloggers the most.

Are product disclaimers needed? - Is it right that you have to disclaim free products by law in the US? How do people feel about a review of a free product and do people deserve to know.

Earning money from Beauty Blogging - Is it even possible? Can you make it a full time job and how do people view a blog that makes money!

 

I will post the topic for the #bbloggers Twitter chat on here on Sunday afternoon and hopefully you can all join in at 8-9pm (GMT +1)! 


Fee x

Learning to be Optimistic

the sky is not the limit, there are footsteps on the moon

This is a post about a competition but also something I've never talked about before as I never really talk about my personal life on here or even myself too much to be honest! 

I'm one those people that will see an advert whilst sat on the train or even read an article in a magazine and of course if depends on the subject but 9 times out of 10 I will really think about it for some time after. Which happened last week when a lady contacted me about the new Paul Smith Fragrance - Optimistic and to ask if I would mention the details of a competition for the new fragrances (the details are below if you want to enter!) which I should mention involves no type of sponsorship.

So as I'm sure you are aware I wouldn't normally say yes to that type of thing as I only really ever mention my own competitions/giveaways. But her email actually struck a cord with me and it wasn't even much to do with what she said but more about Paul Smiths fragrances. 

You see ever since me and my fiance started going out I have bought him nearly every fragrance by Paul Smith for different special occasions - the first fragrance I bought him 'London' was purchased on our first ever break away almost 5 years ago now! 
Though for the last two years I haven't bought him a Paul Smith fragrance and he now wears 1 Million by Paco Rabanne which isn't a huge deal but to be honest it does highlight how I have changed the way I think - I mean we are fine but I really do feel the me 4 years ago was alot more optimistic about the future and definitely more hopeful which is why I use to buy him a fragrance for different special times we had.

I now almost struggle to make plans for the future because I fear I won't be able to achieve them things or something will go wrong along the way! Which at 23 is quite a negative way to be. The only real plan I have is to get married next May but other than that I don't look to the future.

I'm not exactly sure why or how I came to be like this but I know I do need to start being optimistic again and start enjoying planning for the future and even just thinking about the future in a more happy way as I have no reason not to! I need to start taking opportunities that are offered to me with passing them by and I need to definitely believe in myself alot more than I do. So without being too cheesy I am glad I received the e-mail about the Paul Smith competition as it did highlight the issues above for me! 

Competition  Details

As for the Paul Smith competition it's all about submitting your Optimistic photos on the Paul Smith Optimistic page  with 50 winners being able to attend an exclusive Paul Smith party and the top 3 photos winning £500 each to spend at Paul Smith but you will have to be quick as the competition ends tomorrow (20th May)! There are also weekly prizes to be won on Optimistic Mondays and lots of other good stuff on the FB page. 

Talking of competitions there is also one for an amazing Mulberry Oak Silky Snake leather should bag to be won here! Which I think is literally amazing after seeing and touching it in Selfridges last week.


I know this is a totally different sort of post to what I normally write and I can't say there will be many more but I did feel like I needed to write this down somewhere and also be thankful for receiving the email!

Going Lip Balm Cold Turkey!

Desperate times call for drastic measures as the saying goes! And for one self confessed lip balm addict this is one drastic measure in the hope to find the answer to my dry lips.

It literally seems like I've had dry lips all my life but if I think about it all my problems started when I found flavoured lip balms back in 1999! I would say crazy hey... but I'm sure you all know about how lip balms can stop/block the signaling mechanism that tells the cells in the lips to produce more fresh skin. Basically the lip balm confuses the natural process and you are left with continuously dry lips... so you apply more lip balm which just carries on the cycle. So then like me you think well if I need them I may as well try all different types and slowly but surely you become hooked on lip balms. I tell you it's like a crack addiction... nah only joking! It's not THAT bad but I do need to break the cycle. 

Hence the 7 Day Lip balm ban! 

Like a true addict I know which 'last supper' lip balm I will chose - Let Them Eat Cake Bon Bon Lip Balm by Tokyo Milk which actually is like cake... just perfectly sugary. However it would of been Mrs Fields Chewy Fudge Lip Balm if it hadn't died a low death when I put my bag next to a radiator. 

Joking aside, I actually don't know how the seven days will go... which in reality sounds crazy, even to me. But I do literally carry around at least 4 lip balms at all times and apply one every 2 hours or so! It's the first thing I do in the morning and the last thing I do at night. Though I'm hoping my nature reflex of reaching into my bag will stop after a few days and I'll see some difference in the dryness of my bottom lip.
   

...the ones I will miss the most!

But of course there are afew lip balms out of the 30 or so I own that I will really miss! Firstly there is the Neom Multi Balm (a lovely organic slightly zesty oil based balm) which sits next to my bed so I can apply it when I wake up and just before bed as I massage my cuticles.

Next is what I call my pre-makeup prep lip treatments - If my lips are feeling really dry or I want to wear a lip stain or even lipstick I apply the Blistex Relief Cream while I put on my primer and foundation then I take a cotton bud and twirl it along my lips to remove all the dead skin. But for normal days I opt for the Original Carmex which I just apply and leave on while applying my makeup. 

As for the two that are with me at all times it has to be the Tokyo Milk balm just because it hydrates my lips without them feeling coated in product and it also stops them 4pm sugar cravings! The other lip balm is a tinted one by Hurraw in Black Cherry which is so easy to apply but is so needed on days that my lips are too dry for lipstick but I want some colour on them. 
 
Just writing this has made me realize how hard it is actually going to be. But I've promised myself I'm going to stick to it and see if after 7 days it has made a difference. 

Of course I will post about it next week to tell you all how I got on and show the results of going cold turkey! 

Wish me luck?!