Thursday 3 October 2013

Behind the Beauty Blogger: My Origin Story

So far this blog doesn't have a whole lot about me and what led to me creating a beauty blog. So here is my origin story!

I first became interested in make up with the launch of the magazine "Sabrina's Secrets" - who remembers that?! It was a fortnightly magazine that was launched with a glittery purple make up case that you would gradually fill with the free products you'd receive from each magazine. It was all tied in with the TV show Sabrina The Teenage Witch and contained step by step guides to applying your new make up products, styling your hair and various other health & beauty tips. I eventually filled this along with the subsequent mini case & travel case, and bang; I was a make up expert!

Behind the Beauty Blogger: My Origin Story



Ok, maybe not quite yet! From there I began using a couple of products my mum had never used and bought a couple of my own products. My staples were a cheap Rimmel face powder in a shade too dark for me and some heavy black mascara, as this seemed to be the technique of the older girls in my school. I don't recall using much other than this for a while until I introduced heavy black eyeliner, where I started my alternative/goth phase!

Goth dreads smokey make up Cyber

The alternative scene actually has a lot of amazing and creative make up, and I strove to improve my techniques to create some bold looks like some of the people I'd met on online - in groups and forums dedicated to make up designs. From this I vastly improved some key eye make up techniques that I still use today including neat eyeliner/flicks, smokey eyes and blending - albeit a lot more subtly now! Unfortunately I also permanently ruined my eyebrows by plucking them incredibly thin for a prolonged period of time and drawing them on instead. Whilst it worked with my look at the time, my eyebrows will no longer grow back fully these days, boo!

I received a Rio Nail Art Kit containing multiple bright varnishes each with a pen tip and a striping brush for Christmas when I was in my early teens and this started my obsession with nail varnish and nail art. From there I've gradually collected more than 200 nail polishes to this date. I've been Instagram-ing my designs for over 2 years and gain a lot of inspiration from the #NOTD tagged posts on there. I regularly search this tag for ideas and colour schemes. Great for when you're feeling a bit uninspired or repetitive!

NOTD, nail varnish NOTD

It was only when I reached my late teens and early twenties that I began to look at the products I actually used - were they they best for what I wanted to achieve? I can't remember being particularly concerned about skin care until this point, picking up anything I just liked the sound of in Boots.

When I joined EA aged 21 I discovered that one of my colleagues wrote a beauty blog and from there I was hooked on finding quality products. I'd almost always google something before buying it to read the opinions of others and find decent images. Inspired by her blog I decided to create my own as by now I had quite the expansive range of make up and wanted to share my own thoughts, reviews, guides and recommendations.

It doesn't just end with cosmetics though; I'm continually striving to improve the quality of my hair so you'll see plenty of hair care and product reviews. I also have thrown in some health/fitness here and there as I do feel it all ties in. Cosmetics can be creative, make you feel better and can take care of your face/body - just like food/exercise! I was very un-active until I saw that some of my colleagues had completed the gruelling 'Survival of the Fittest' a 10km obstacle course ran by Men's Health. Jealous of their achievement, I got started on my own fitness journey and began to focus on what I was putting in to my body and improving my general fitness and body fat/muscle %.

girl muscle 4HB LDN Muscle

I followed the particularly strict 4 Hour Body regime for some time and it vastly improved my fitness, I was soon cutting off minutes from my 5km running time and generally feeling way more light and energised. I completed the night-time 5km Survival of the Fittest in November 2012 and I'm going back for the 10km in 2 months time!

In recent months I have really delved more into finding quality products. Not only that but I read 'The Science Bit' - a skincare e-book which has really educated me on some elements of skin care and cosmetics. This has inspired me to pay more attention to what I use and buy - what are all those ingredients and are they really helping me or are they just forging great results? It's definitely worth looking into and discovering what the long term results can be from the short-term 'fake' gains. I'm planning to include way more useful information I have discovered in my future posts and highlighting some of the common mistakes I have been making.

So this is my story so far and hopefully it gave you a bit of an insight into the background and aims of this blog!

Do you have a similar post? Link me to it in the comments! :)

10 comments:

  1. What a fantastic post. I absolutely adore the goth makeup, it looks beautiful. I've been meaning to get back into the gym but having seen your arms, I'm going tomorrow (working today, so not an excuse haha).
    Love Anoushka

    anoushkaloves.com

    xxx

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    1. Thank you! Yeah it is so fun to do!

      It's great to get a good routine going at the gym and focus on specific things on set days (e.g. core and cardio Monday, back and arms on Wednesday etc), I find it much more enjoyable that way and when I don't go I feel like I've let myself down!

      x

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  2. Sabrina's Secrets, what a blast from the past love it!!! :)
    Www.wexandthecity.blogspot.ie

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  3. Aw I used to love that magazine so much! Felt so professional with the purple case haha!
    Josie xxx
    http://josielcross.blogspot.co.uk

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  4. EEEE Sabrina's Secrets is exactly what got me started! LOVED IT!
    Becki xx

    http://ninaalicia.co.uk

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    Replies
    1. Haha yeah, I kind of miss it. Would love it if a company started that sort of idea up again (but will higher-end, for-adults make up!)

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  5. What a great post! Really enjoyed reading your journey! :) Beth xox

    beautyinbeta.co.uk

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  6. Wow I remember that magazine! Loved Sabrina. Very interesting read too :) x

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