I'm sure all of you fashion and beauty bloggers can relate to wondering where your money went as you got suckered in to purchasing something you were eyeing for a while or on an impulse. I know I have. What's worse is when you're running low on funds, have a lot of debt (for me, it's my credit cards from Macy's, my bank and Care Credit because I had a sedation procedure on my teeth to replace all of my fillings before I can get a root canal, and I am putting off paying my student loans via forbearance...oh and did I mention I needed to save up for a wedding?) and you're justifying it by telling yourself, Well...I need it to review for this blog...I don't have these shades in my palette...yes, this X lipstick is similar to the Y I have, but the formula is different! Oh, but I have to get this other thing in order to spend $50 to get free shipping...you get the idea.
I do admit that since I first started blogging in August 2014, I went pretty crazy with:
- Shopping at Sephora impulsively and Walgreens while I was picking up my medications
- Ordering lip paints from LA Girl that I don't even touch
- Buying Kylie-inspired lipsticks because they were a beauty blogger's "holy grail" product and I ended up being disappointed with it
- Going to Ulta with something I've been wanting for a while, only to not have it there and drop my money on other random things just because "I felt bad about being there and not spending"
I haven't mentioned this, but for Lent, I decided to swear off buying makeup. So it's basically my "no buy" month. I started on February 10 (Ash Wednesday) and will end it on Easter, March 27. So any recent reviews are things I have purchased before February 10. The only exceptions are my Boxycharm subscriptions and a couple of lip balms (because I've been suffering terribly from dry lips, like worse than usual). I believe it's helping me because when I stop by the beauty aisles at Target or Walmart, I resist even when tempted. Even though the Too Faced Peanut Butter and Jelly palette came out and I've been lusting after it (along with a few liquid lipsticks from Dose of Colors), I've been telling myself that patience is a virtue and that it is worth waiting and saving up for.
If you're a baby beauty blogger, I want to help you grow and thrive without breaking your little piggy bank. I want you to have fun and experiment, but I don't want you to make the mistakes that I did. Sure, there will be products that will disappoint you and you're just going to want to dump some of them in the trash. But if you're starting out and are strapped for cash, here are my tips:
1. Review products you already have (makeup, skincare, nail polish, hair, etc.). If you've contemplated being a beauty blogger, chances are, you probably have enough products in your stash. Rummage through your drawers, swatch and experiment with them along with other different looks. Take notes. Are they a matte finish? Do they settle through your fine lines? Research the cost, ingredients, etc. and don't forget to take pictures!
2. You honestly don't always need the latest and greatest high end products. Some of the best hidden treasures are at your local drugstore. In fact, most of the Wet n Wild lipsticks are known for being dupes of MAC lipsticks, and their staying power is strong for it only being $2.99. For example, I didn't want to get MAC's Ruby Woo because I felt like it would be too drying on my lips. So I have its dupe, Wet n Wild Stoplight Red. Want the pink Beauty Blender ($20) but your wallet isn't having it? Get the orange Real Techniques sponge ($6). It works just as well.
3. Sign up to be a Beauty Insider for Sephora for free, and every time you spend, you can earn points. You can save up those points to get rewards: 100 points for mini products, 250 points is usually mini perfumes, and 500 points are box sets of multiple items. The 100 point products are great for sampling something you're interested in before jumping in to the full-sized product. I got the mini Benefit Porefessional out of it. Also, every year in April, there are 15% off sales for all insiders: Beauty Insiders, VIBs (those who have spent $350+) and VIB Rouge (the $1000+ club). Take advantage of that!
4. I haven't tried this myself, but I've heard other people ask for samples from Sephora to test them before buying. I did however, ask a MUA at MAC what my skin color is (I thought I was NC 40, but I turned out to be NC 25...but then again, that was in December) and they gave me a sample of their Studio Fix Foundation in a tiny jar.
5. Wishlist Wednesdays are a great idea to show the audience what items you've been dreaming of, and plan to get someday. It also sometimes serves as a hint for your boyfriend/fiance/husband...LOL just kidding, but Cecilio has spoiled me a few times thanks to my Wishlist Wednesdays!
6. If you are a only Beauty Insider or VIB at Sephora, for $10 you can purchase the ability to get flash (free) 2-day shipping for the whole year on any or all products. Meaning for just $10, you can get whatever you want without the inconvenience of spending $50 for free shipping.
7. Get a subscription box! Seriously, they range from $5–$40 per month, and you can get a mixture of sample size and full size products. This way, if you are on a tight budget, you are forced not to spend as much because you're getting products shipped to your own home. I HIGHLY recommend Boxycharm because you get $100 of products for just $21/month and they usually never disappoint. Other subscription boxes include ipsy, Birchbox, Glossybox, julep (for nails), Petit Vour (for green beauty), Memebox (for Korean beauty), Scentbird (for perfume samples), and Target Beauty Box (for the really budget conscious). Trust me, there's a lot more out there, just find one that suites your needs!
A few goodies I have received from Boxycharm, and they always send Coastal Scents Revealed Palettes (great dupes of Urban Decay Naked Palettes)
8. Write about topics without having to buy something. Get creative! Great ideas include: reviewing what you already have (see #1), lists (ex: best lipsticks for fair/medium/dark ladies, top 5 blushes for fall, battle of the bronzers), or dupes you have discovered.
9. Create tutorials! They don't have to be from Youtube either. You can still definitely create one in written and picture form. Do you have a look that you want to share with the world? Don't be shy! And it doesn't have to be elaborate either. I created a clown look for Halloween to share and a "no-makeup" makeup look for fresh, au natural beauty. Create something as simple as: how to hide dark under eye circles, how to create a smokey eye, how to strobe, etc.
10. Compile a list of product "empties" or "hit pan" products you have used a lot. For some reason, it is easier to empty out your skincare or body lotion type products way before your makeup.
11. If you're really willing to take up the challenge, do a "No buy" month, where you do not buy any sort of beauty product, unless it's a subscription box, you ran out of a "necessity" item (makeup remover wipes, Micellar water, cotton balls, etc.) Resist the urge, no matter how hard it is. You will feel so much better after doing so. Post about what you learned and you will be able to inspire others.
12. Do a "tag" (ex: my lip product lover tag), as a way for your readers to get to know you and what kind of products you like (or abhor). A lot of other bloggers get "tagged" and tag 5 other people, but there are a lot of others that say that anyone can do them.
13. Who says you strictly have to write about makeup or beauty? Well it is entirely up to you, but the best blogs I read talk about their personal lives, and we became blogging buddies because of it. I love reading about other bloggers' travels, love lives, fitness tips, and local restaurants or shops they hit up. It makes me feel like I am in that particular place even though I am thousands of miles away. I write fun and lighthearted stuff like from my wedding planning and travels to my struggles with my medical condition (lupus).
I hope this post helps you off to a good start to your blogging endeavors! Good luck!
To my current readers and followers: do you have any tips or ways to save money while blogging?
0 Yorumlar