How To Overcome Blogger Envy

In the time that I've been blogging, I've seen it all; the good, the bad, and the not so pretty.  I love blogging and being apart of a community, which for the most part, is so incredible and supportive. But I wanted to talk a little about jealousy and how to handle it, whether you feel it yourself or suffer the backlash from others. Girls are taught to compete with each other from birth. Just think how many times that you've heard "she loves herself" used as the biggest insult? Secondly, as bloggers, we are constantly putting aspects of our lives on the internet for others to speculate about. People talk. People judge. And perhaps the worst, people assume. We only offer facets of ourselves on social media and it's easy to piece someone together by their perfections whilst leaving out everything in between. 

Nobody can deny that the nature of blogging has changed rapidly over the past 2 years. I remember reading blogs that were written by the everyday girl in her bedroom.  Remember the days of a Boots haul with a webcam selfie and fuzzy lighting? It was the simplicity of it all that pulled me in. But nobody really wants to read about the girl in her bedroom anymore. They want perfectly focused images, with the perfect white backdrop and insanely high standard editorial content.  In caring a little too much about this editorial standard I feel that we might lose some of our realism, which is what drew me away from unrealistic glossy magazines to blogging in the first place. Bloggers and Youtubers are the new breed of celebrity and it's crazy to think that what began for most as an innocent online escape has become one of the most influential forms of media on the planet.

Given these huge success stories and high standards, it's extremely easy to get jealous. I think most of us would be lying if we said that we don't all crave that online recognition. I'm not going to deny that running my blog full time from a perfect white bedroom stocked with pink peonies wouldn't be the dream. But I think I need to get back to being that girl in her bedroom a little bit more to remind myself of why I started my blog in the first place. These are some of my tips on avoiding jealousy and encouraging a more positive blogging community:

FIND YOUR NICHE AND RUN WITH IT 

Don't feel pressured to conform to a certain layout, way of taking photos, and writing style. When you write in your own voice you become a lot more comfortable with what makes your blog "original". Find what makes you different and embrace it.  The chances are that the times you try to write for the Popular page on Bloglovin, it will be a flop. Once you become comfortable with YOU, your style, your "niche", everything falls into place.

EMBRACE THE COMMUNITY 

Blogging can get pretty self centred and egotistical. Taking the time to really interact with other bloggers by commenting and showing support is soimportant. If you're leaving comments because you want them back, people will know. You can tell from a mile off when someone comments simply because they want you to look at their blog and comment back. Don't be that blogger! Get involved, show the love.

DON'T GET SO HUNG UP ON NUMBERS

Everyone started from the bottom and it takes a long time to hit 1,000, never mind 10,000 followers. Don't allow your follower count to become a defining factor in your existence. Calling yourself a "small blogger", for that reason, is totally counterproductive. Be proud of what you have achieved and don't play it down.

DON'T TAKE THINGS TOO SERIOUSLY

Blogging should be something you do to escape the pressures of everyday life, not one of those pressures themselves! Remember why you started and have fun. Unless this is your full time job, does it really matter if you forget to schedule a post? Don't suck the fun out of what's supposed to be a hobby.

LEARNING TO LOVE YOURSELF IS A LONG ROAD 

Self-confidence doesn't happen over night and I personally believe that it's a myth that anyone is 100% secure in themselves. Society constantly pits women against one another and is determined to tear us apart by our imperfections. The only way to overcome this is for women to make the conscious decision to hold each other up. Rather than allowing jealousy to consume you, let it fuel you to be the person you want to be. Being mean and catty on the internet is NEVER the answer for soothing low self esteem or a bruised ego.

So, that's my two cents! I want to end this on a note of positivity. There's always going to be negativity in blogging, but that doesn't mean you have to get sucked into it. If it's just you and your laptop vs the world, what are you achieving?

What are your thoughts? How do you feel more positive about yourself and your blog? Do you ever give in to the green eyed monster? 

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

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PS Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win a diamond dust infused Nicky Clarke hair straightener here! 

100 Blog Post Ideas For When You Have Writer's Block

1. Today's Make-Up 

2. 5 Products I Can't Live Without 

3. Products I Always Repurchase 

4. The Blogger Made Me Buy It... 

5. Outfit of The Day 

6. Current Favourite Accessories

7. Top 5 Lipsticks 

8. Drug Store Vs High End Products - Which Does It Better? 

9. Top Make-Up Brushes 

10. Share your Favourite Recipe 

11. Bedroom Details 

12. What's on Your Mind? 

13. A reflective post on blogging

14. Share your tips / advice on something you know a lot about

15. Do a round up of your favourite bloggers

16. Share your wishlist

17. Tell us your favourite restaurants in a city that you've recently been to 

18. Make a playlist of your favourite songs

19. DIY something and give step by step instructions on how to make it

20. Take photos of your blogging space and show us how you style it - desk essentials, favourite stationary, we want to see it

21. MAKE UP STORAGE. Everyone loves make-up storage

22. Talk us through your current skincare routine

23. What products made you fall in love with make-up? 

24. What's in My Bag? 

25. Have you ever been through something in life then overcome it? Tell your story

26. Going out? Do a 'Get Ready With Me' post

27. Know something about SEO? Share your tips and tricks. 

28. Are you into homeware? Tell us where you shop. 

29. Make-up Tutorial 

30. Favourite Pinterest Accounts 

31. What's on my Iphone? 

32. 10 Facts About Yourself 

33. Favourite Instagram Accounts 

34. Share Your Blogging Tips / Tricks 

35. A Seasonal Inspired Make-Up Look 

36. Tell us about a make-up dupe you've found 

37. Getting into healthy eating? Tell us how you stay motivated

38. Give advice on the industry you work in 

39. 5 Quick and Healthy Breakfast Ideas 

40. 10 Ideas for Instagram Posts 

41. Hair care Routine 

42. Having a pamper night? Talk us through the products you use. 

43. Empty Products 

44. Save or Splurge? (Products you invest in and products you don't) 

45. Why You Started Blogging 

46. Tell us about an awesome opportunity you've got through blogging 

47. What Blogging Means to You 

48. Guest Post 

49. Giveaway 

50. Where You Find Inspiration 

51. Handbag Essentials 

52. Products Not Worth The Hype 

53. A post on body image or beauty standards 

54. Tips for Hair Growth or Clear Skin 

55. Favourite smoothie recipe 

56. Have a cute pet? Share photos, stories, etc etc

57. Nails of The Day 

58. How to use Social Media to Promote Your Blog 

59. A Life Hack 

60. No Heat Hair Tutorial

61. Review Coconut Oil as a Beauty Product 

62. Favourite Etsy Shops 

63. An Event You've Recently Been To 

64. Top Products from a Brand 

65. Interview Another Blogger 

66. How To Get a Good Night's Sleep 

67. How To Deal with Exam Stress 

68. Tips for Time Management

69. A Review of a Product You Bought Recently 

70. Things You Do in Your Downtime 

71. Things That Make You Happy 

72. A Round Up Of Your Favourite Palettes

73. Healthy Snack Ideas 

74. Photography Tips 

75. Blogging on a Budget 

76. Your Creative Process 

77. A No Makeup Makeup Look

78. Free Blogger Template

79. Try a New Make-Up Look - i.e a red lip if you're a nudes kinda gal, etc 

80. Products To Take on Holiday 

81. Beach/ Poolside Beauty 

82. Monthly Favourites 

83. Charity Shop / Thrift Store Finds 

84. Your University Experience 

85. Do an FAQ 

86. A Haul 

87. Things You Wish You Knew about Blogging Sooner 

88. Make Up Advice You'd Give Your Teenage Self

89. Tips on Avoiding a Bad Hair Cut / Dye 

90. 15 Minute Make Up 

91. Trends You Currently Love 

92. Trend Predictions - Trends Worth Investing In / Ones To Avoid 

93. Tips For Looking More Awake (Beauty Hacks) 

94. Full Face of High End Make-Up VS Low End - Can You Spot the Difference? 

95. Bedroom / Office Tour 

96. Bucket List 

97. Your Blogging Goals 

98. Work Out Beauty / Wear 

99. Advice on Being a Blogger Boyfriends / Girlfriend 

100. Work Out Routine 

So there you have it! I hope some of these inspired you! 

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

       TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK 

Instagram Tips For Bloggers

Instagram is fast becoming one of the most popular and most used social networking sites out there, and I don't know about you, but I'm hooked! I neglected Instagram for a really long time and didn't really get all of the fuss, but lately I've been working hard to post photos I'm proud of and to network more. Think of Instagram as a mini portfolio for your blog, it lets you showcase a snapshot of your content in an app that literally everyone uses. Far more people use it than Bloglovin, people will actually see it (unlike Facebook), and it's generally just one of the most effective ways to get your blog out there. If you follow me @LydiaRoseSmyth (shameless self-promotion right there) then you might have noticed that my follower count has been going up lately, so I thought I'd share a few of my tips on how to improve your feed and get a few more followers...

Establish a Theme 

This by far is the most important thing when it comes to Instagram. If you take a look at the feeds you love or people who are 'successful' on Instagram then you will realise that they tend to have some kind of 'theme' going on. People love consistency and a feed that fits altogether with similar colours looks so much more visually appealing and interesting than one with random photos that don't really connect. Personally, I tend to go for really bright photos of makeup and fashion and feature a lot of bright pinks in my images. Since I've kept it consistent my likes and followers have gone up crazy amounts! The best way to do this is to use the same filter or editing programme on your images. My images that don't use filters, but use Instagram's built in tweaking tools (highlights, brightness, contrast etc), though, are always the ones I'm most happy with.

Post Frequently At Peak Times & Use Hashtags

On top of keeping your images consistent, the best way to grow your following is to post multiple times a day. Just like blogging, if you don't post regularly your followers will lose interest and follow other people who upload consistently. To keep on top of this, I tend to take a lot of my flat lays all at once when I'm in a creative mood and upload them throughout the week so I always have something to upload. Although this might seem obvious, if you want your account to be seen by more people then it's worth uploading at peak user times. Think about the times that you're most likely to be scrolling through your phone - when you just wake up, on your lunch break, and late in the evening, these tend to be the best times to post. Hashtags are the many way people are going to discover your feed, so always be sure to hashtag #fbloggers or #bbloggers.

Shout Outs

So this is a bit of a difficult subject when it comes to Instagram, but nobody can deny that it's one of the best ways to get your account seen. If you've ever wondered how so many bloggers have a huge following, often they are featured by major brands regularly. A few months ago Primark gave me a shoutout and my followers went up by 1,000 over night - mental, right?! To increase your chances of being featured, make sure to tag brands in your images and use their hashtags. Otherwise, you can always do shoutouts with other Instagrammers you like, but be careful not to over-spam your feed with this. People follow you because they like your feed - not for you to be constantly promoting other accounts. To avoid being spammy, pick one of their photos which fits in well with your feed and suggest to your followers that they might like their account. Do not spam other bloggers with SFS - send them a direct message, it's far less annoying. 

Be Social

Think back to when you first started your blog, how did you start getting followers? For me it was being really active in the Twitter chats and getting involved with the community. Instagram is exactly the same! Browse hashtags, comment and like other people's photos, and start engaging with people. It's important not to do this soley for the sake of getting followers, though. If you leave genuine comments you are far more likely to build up relationships with other bloggers and they will check your feed out that way, not because you've clearly used their comment section to promote yourself!

So these are my main tips, I hope it helped! Are you addicted to Instagram? Do you have any more tips to share?

What do you think of this outfit?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

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5 Ways To Grow Your Blog

Twitter Chats
When I first started my blog the Twitter chats were the main way I gained followers. It’s a great way to get to know other bloggers and become involved in the community. If you’re regular to the chats, people start to follow without you having to harass them and you’ll begin to form friendships with other bloggers. This is a far more successful way to network than constantly spammng ‘HEY, FOLLOW MY BLOG! I’LL FOLLOW BACK!’ At the end of the chats there is a link swap where everyone exchanges links and then checks the blogs out. Way less spammy that begging people to follow you!

Advertising on Other Blogs
In the past I have advertised with some of my favourite bloggers. If a blog you read that has similar content to yours and offers advertising it’s worth considering advertising with them. My general experience of this, though, has been a bit hit and miss. I’ve personally found that spending your money on the more expensive packages pays off more than buying the smaller adverts which end up featured right at the bottom of the page and don’t get you much traffic. Make sure you have a really eye catching button which sums you up and your site to make sure you get peoples’ attention.

Writing Helpful Content
Funnily enough, like the post I’m writing right now! I think over the past year or so there has been a real shift in blogging. Sharing your daily outfits and basic reviews just aren’t enough to get you noticed in the blogosphere anymore as it’s just so saturated. I always find that my post popular posts are ones which are either helpful to people, opinion pieces or just generally personal. When it comes to deciding a topic for these kinds of posts, take inspiration from the blogs you like to read and put your own spin on them. Basically, just write the blog you’d want to read and it all comes easily.

Basic SEO / Naming Photos
This is something that I have only got the hang of in recent months and it makes a HUGE difference. Search engines look for keywords, so for example, my NARS Foundation review is one of my most viewed because I’ve used keywords well so that it ranks highly in a google search. Also, always name your images with keywords so that when people are typing, for example, ‘Missguided Valentina Heels’, they will be more likely to come across your image through Google and then may check out your blog.

Having a Strong Social Media Presence
This may sound self explanatory, but having a strong social media presence means being active online more than just spamming out links to your latest posts. Instagram is one of the most useful ones for bloggers as you can treat it like a micro expression of your blog, and bloggers always seem to have quite a lot of followers on there. Use every social networking site going but actually make sure you’re using them enough to be worth having.

What are the main things that have grown your blog?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

 TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK 

The Tools Every Beauty Blogger Needs!

When it comes to advice on starting a beauty blog, my usual response is JUST FREAKING DO IT. But there's no denying that there are tools and tricks out there which make writing your beauty posts that little bit easier. Here are the tools you need to get started...

For Keeping Notes: The key to running a blog is staying organised. I invested in this beautiful Kate Spade planner which I take with me everywhere and use to plan out the week, schedule posts and write to-do lists. If you're not one for writing things down, then using the 'Notes' section on your phone is the perfect way to keep tabs on your ideas on the go.

For Taking Selfies: If there's one thing I wish I invested in sooner, it's a remote. Swatches are vital to any review, but most people prefer to see how make-up looks when it's applied. This makes the whole process of taking a selfie SO MUCH EASIER. I bought mine here.

For That Perfect Photo Composition: If you rummage through my make-up bag, then no doubt you will find little pieces of blu-tack stuck to most of the products. It's the ultimate blogger life hack and makes shooting so much easier. Ain't nobody got time for products rolling around when you've just got the perfect composition.

For Swatches: Unless you want to be covered in swatches, make-up remover is an essential. I always give my products a wipe down so they look nice and clean in photos and having cotton pads on hand is super helpful when you're bulk taking photos.

For Photography: If you're wanting to up your photography game, then you might want to consider buying a good lens. A 50mm lens tends to be a bloggers' favourite as it gives you a really pretty blurry background. I bought mine here.

For Staying Connected: It's easy to take having an iPhone for granted, but I really don't know where I would be without it! It's so important to stay connected and tweet, Instagram and Facebook your heart away as a blogger.

What are your essential tools for blogging? 

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

 TWITTER | INSTAGRAM | FACEBOOK 

How To Improve Your Outfit Photos

Okay, let's state the obvious, I am by no means a photographer, but quite a few of you have been asking for tips on how to take outfit photos. Most of the time, I don't take them myself.,They're taken by anyone, from photographers I happen to meet, to family members who I have to explain a thousand times where the shoot button is. Stressful, right? It doesn't have to be, but sometimes it can be a long process until you're content with your photography game. I always think everyone can improve their photography and even now it's rare that I take a batch of photos that I'm 100% happy with. But in the sixteen months that I've been blogging, I have (mostly) figured out what works when it comes to taking photos. So, these are the main questions I get asked and my main tips...

1. HOW DO YOU GET THAT BLURRY BACKGROUND?!
So, let's address the elephant in the blogger room, buying a DSLR. You don't need one, but it would really help. Trust me, I spent months wondering how the eff my favourite bloggers got that dreamy, blurry background in their outfit photos. It's all done with a lens with a low aperture such as the 50mm/ f1.8 lens which I use on my Canon 600D. This lens has completely transformed my photos and allows me to capture beautiful images in amazing detail. It also manages to make the most boring backgrounds look pretty. Pros of this? It gives you professional looking images where you’re in focus and the rest of your image is blown out. Cons? Because it’s a 50mm, you’ll need to ask your photographer to stand quite a while a way from you to get your full body in. This can be a bit awkward when passers-by ask if you're either a model or crazy. You'll get used to it.

2. HOW DO YOU POSE?
The best outfit photos are always the ones where you’re not contorting your body into unnatural positions. When I first started, I was crooking my arm and doing that head tilt thing like it was going in my Facebook tagged photos. Okay, I haven't quite got over the head tilt, but my point is awkward poses do not work well. So, do not point and shoot poses, instead, walk around naturally. Keep posture and your best angles in mind, and you’re good to go! The best way to get those natural, unposed photos are to set your camera onto continuous shooting. Ask whoever is shooting your photos to keep clicking away as you move around. You might end up with 500 photos, but that’s better than 12 posed and unnatural ones that you probably won’t like.

3. WHICH SETTING SHOULD I USE? 
If you do set your camera onto continuous shooting, I’ve found that keeping it on Aperture Priority normally provides the best result. This should set everything automatically for you, including shutter speed, so your images should stay in focus. Always make sure that your depth of field is low by lowering your f.stop as low as it can go to make the background as blurry as possible.  My photos are always taken on f.18. Don’t bump up the ISO too much, it’s better to brighten your images through an online editing programme than turn your photographs grainy because the ISO was too high.

4. WHAT MAKES THE BEST BACKGROUND?
Backgrounds make such a huge difference. When I style an outfit, I normally have what kind of background I want to shoot it in thought out in my head. If you’re in a big city, why choose a plain white wall to take your photos infront of? Source out the florists, coffee shops, quirky painted houses and city streets. Try to pick something interesting, where the colours might compliment your outfit or enhance the mood of your images. If you spend too much time browsing the popular page on Bloglovin, you might feel a little disheartened. We don’t all get to live in NYC but that doesn’t mean you can’t be a little inventive with your backgrounds.

5. HOW DO I  GET THAT LOW ANGLE?
Ever wondered why bloggers look about 6ft tall in their photos? That’s from telling their photographers to bend their knees. You’ll need to work this out for yourself, but the lower the angles, the longer your legs and the more flattering the photos are going to be.

6. LIGHTING?!?
Ain’t nobody got time for squinty photos when the sun is shining in your face or to spend 15 minutes of your life shooting photos for them to come out shadowy and sucky. Lighting makes a HUGE difference to your photos. Whenever I shoot, I always make sure I'm standing in front of the sun rather than facing it to avoid that awkward eye squint and overly exposed effect.

7. HOW MANY SHOULD I TAKE?
Firstly, you need to nail the “main” full body photos. But you’ll quickly realise that 5 or 6 images where you’re doing a slightly different pose get boring. Switch between landscape and portrait, take photos of the small details of your outfits, shoes, handbag and headshots. Obviously this comes down to personal preference, but I’ve found that my posts which include lots of different photos from different angles always get the best response.

So, there you have it! Did you find this post helpful? What would your main tips be?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

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SHOP THE POST:

Blogging: How To Get Your Blogging Mojo Back

There's a term us bloggers like to use when we're on a roll, and that's 'blogging mojo'. When you've done a post you're proud of, a bit of networking, replied to your e-mails and feel like an unstoppable force of productivity, that's when you've got your blogging mojo. But what happens when you lose it? Last month I suffered a serious case of blogger's block. My notepads were empty, I had no ideas and couldn't seem to find that motivation to get a post written. When you feel like you've lost your blogging mojo, it's easy to stay uninspired and hard to break out of the cycle. But here are my tips for picking yourself back up again...

 1. Have a Brainstorming Session 
 Burn some candles, clear a space where you can focus and spend some time jotting down ideas. When I'm brain storming, I always use my calender to plan upcoming blog posts. This helps you to keep in mind any holidays or events coming up and gives you a clear visual calendar. Think about what you've been loving lately, current trends, the products you've recently bought, and figure out interesting ways you can write about them. If you incorporate this into your everyday life, then blogging becomes super easy. If you've figured out a way to style a recent trend, or have got your Christmas party outfits planned, share them with your readers. Inspiration is everywhere, just make sure to write down all of your thoughts!

 2. Make use of the 'Notes' section on your phone
I would be completely lost without my iPhone 'Notes' which I use as my diary when I'm out and about. Your phone is always something you have with you, and is really useful for writing rough drafts for posts when you have free time to fill. Inspiration for content can strike in the most unusual places, so making use of your 'Notes' means you can keep all of these ideas in one place. iPhone automatically backs up to your Gmail notes section, too, which makes things even easier!

3. Get Re-connected
One of the most important parts of blogging is keeping up an online presence and posting regularly. If you haven't posted for a while, your blog interaction will take a serious hit. It's really important to stay connected and keep your social media updated so that your readers know about your new posts. Be sure to social out your blog, post on Instagram, Twitter and Facebook.

4. Read Your Favourite Blogs 
Reading my favourite blogs always motivates me to get blogging. Sometimes you have to remember why you started your blog and what you love about it to get your enthusiasm back. Staying connected with other bloggers is also really important when you feel like you've lost your blogging mojo. They're the people who get where you're coming from and are always on hand for support. Try to schedule in a Twitter chat, use the #fbloggers and #bbloggers tags, and be sure to get back up to speed with other people's blogs and comment on them.

5. Answer Your E-mails! 
Nothing says TRIUMPH like an empty inbox. Working with PR companies is a huge bonus of blogging, but when you're being chased by PRs for blog posts and have dozens of people to reply to, it can get quite stressful. My main tip would be to reply to e-mails as you read to keep on top.  Keeping a log of the products you're reviewing and ticking them off also helps. Try to get a time frame in mind, answer your e-mails and refocus!

What do you do when you feel like you've lost your blogging mojo? Do you agree with these tips?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

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Disclaimer: image via Pinterest

HOW BLOGGING HAS CHANGED MY RELATIONSHIP WITH BEAUTY

August marked the one year anniversary of this blog, and in that time, my relationship with beauty has definitely changed. When I first started blogging, I really didn't have any idea what I was doing. And let me tell you a little secret, I didn't know a whole lot about beauty, either. Besides a make-up addiction, I was just a girl with a blog and a camera trying to figure out what to do with her little space on the internet. Fast track a year of passionately reading blogs and striving to create original content, I've learnt a whole lot from beauty blogging. So here's how blogging has changed my relationship with beauty...

A good skincare routine really does work wonders. 
My days of being a face wipes kinda girl are well and truly dead and buried. Gone are the days of laziness and stocking up on Primark face wipes. These days, even if I stumble in drunk as hell and fall asleep fully clothed - you better believe that I will have managed to cleanse, tone, moisturise and sometimes even apply a face oil before falling asleep. I've learnt a lot about skincare and since sticking to a routine it's worked wonders for my skin. I owe it to beauty bloggers for sharing their skincare favourites and teaching me the wonders of things like double cleansing and that oily products and oily skin aren't necessarily incompatible.

Beauty blogging will make you buy more products, but you will end up a pro at not giving into the hype. Eventually.
Okay. Guilt as charged. If you haven't ever gone out and bought a hyped up product because you saw it plastered all over the blogosphere, then you're probably lying. I'm sure most bloggers will be with me when I say that I've done my fair share of giving into the hype. But in a year of blogging, I've realised that spending all of your money on the latest MAC release is kind of dumb. I've worked out what works for me, the products I'll get the use out of and when an investment is due. After all, nothing is worse than giving into the hype for it to just gather dust in your make-up drawer.

Beauty blogging gives you a whole new language.
The beauty jargon is endless; double-cleanse, dupe, swatch, haul, FOTD/LOTD/EOTD/NOTD, "holy grail", cut-crease. You will never be able to describe something as "pigmented" without slightly impersonating your favourite beauty vlogger. And don't even get me started on how NARS' tasteful blush names have made things a little awkward.

You will have a new sense of colour. 
A lipstick is no longer red, it's blue-toned, orange-red, classic-red, or fuschia-toned.  It also becomes necessary to own 15 slightly varying brown eye shadows. After a year of beauty blogging, the entire colour palette opens itself up to a new dimensions of nuances, under-tones and finishes.

WTF was life before make-up brushes?! 
My initiation into make-up brushes began with the so hyped Real Techniques buffing brush and since then I've never looked back. I literally wouldn't even know where to begin with putting on my make-up without my brushes! 

Matte eyeshadows are actually worth buying. 
Before I started blogging, the matte shades in my NAKED palettes were the most untouched. I mean, why go matte when you can have shimmer?! But these days I'm hitting pan. I truly overestimated the importance of neutral, matte shades when applying my eyeshadow. They give a whole new dimension to the eye and immediately up your eyeshadow application skills. Blending out a matte shade through a shimmery eye-look makes it look so much more put together. I'm also absolutely in love with an all-over matte brown and 

How to be braver with make-up.
I used to stick to the same make-up looks for night, day and special occasions. These days I'm adding fuchsias and cranberries to my make-up palettes. I'm getting braver with contouring. I stray away from my fool-proof red lipsticks. There's a lot of fun to be had with make-up as soon as you step out of your comfort zone. Funnily enough, since starting my beauty blog I'm far more at ease with my own face and going natural.

Has blogging changed your relationship with beauty? What has beauty blogging taught you?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

PS Don't forget to enter my giveaway to win yourself a pair of Ray-Bans!

  

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20 THINGS I'VE LEARNT IN A YEAR OF BLOGGING

1. Finding your own "voice" takes time. As soon as you start focusing more on what makes you original rather than obsessing over what others are doing, things will come a lot more naturally. 

2. Your feature photo on Bloglovin' counts. Make it as interesting as possible. Reaching the popular page is some of the best advertising you'll get.

3. Twitter chats are the best way to get involved. Blogging gets a hell of a lot more fun when you get a conversation going.

4. Leave thoughtful comments. Don't be that person who just comments "great!" or "nice post!". It's clear you didn't read it and it just feels kind of insulting.

5. It's important to reply. If it's clear you don't reply to your comments, you'll probably notice engagement goes down. What's blogging without a conversation? When you comment on someone else's blog, you'd expect to feel appreciated, so let your readers know you're actually reading.

6. Don't accept PR samples for the sake of it. I learnt my lesson with this early on after getting a little PR happy. Don't accept everything you're offered, or more than you can manage. It's really not nice to be harrassed by PRs.

7. On that note, don't allow PRs to force you into featuring products. If you want to share a negative review, go ahead. But if it's not something you would spend your own money on, why share it with your readers? We're not here for impersonal, sponsored reviews. Be honest.

8. Max up your photos! Resize your photos to your blog width and then click 'original size'. Don't let your pretty photos be wasted at the last hurdle.

9. It's not a race or a competition. It's great to be motivated and it's super excited to see followers roll in, but don't get more obsessed with the numbers than creating good content.

10. It's best to let things grow organically. You can't force an audience and there is no secret to gaining a following. For sure, pay to advertise on blog but you can't force readers.

11. Using the HTML editor saves you a lot of stress. Ever had blogger play up with gaps between photos or general dodginess? Sort out the spaces by adding a <br> rather than using the compose editor. Bye stress.

12. Leave high school gossip where it belongs... High school. A few months ago, the site which shall not be named tore the blogging world apart. Avoid those forums like the plague. Just like saying calling another girl ugly doesn't make you any prettier, calling someone a shitty blogger isn't going to make you Zoella.

13. Don't be afraid to be honest. It's easy to give into the pressure of working with big companies and to swap your honesty with the promise of more free stuff. But it's really important to stay honest and to respect the influence you have over your readers. Any company worth working with will respect that. 

14. Be user friendly. Don't make it hard for your readers to follow you. If I love a blog, I'll normally follow their Instagram, Twitter and Bloglovin. Make sure these are clear and acceptable on your blog.

15. Always take note of inspiration. When inspirations strikes, you better make notes. And no, you don't need a paperchase notebook for this. My iPhone 'notes' app has been my BFF since I started my blog.

16. Being a carbon copy just doesn’t work. – I’ve noticed a lot of people literally copying the photography / ideas of bigger bloggers, and if you think it goes unnoticed then you’re wrong! Don’t be that person who creates watered down version of content that’s already been done.

17.  Don't give away too much. – Don’t air your dirty laundry over Twitter! Somethings really are better left unsaid.

18. You will have days when you feel down on your blog. – The best thing you can do for your blog is to stay organised and positive. You won’t get a following over night. It’s taken me a year to get to 2,000 followers and that’s involved a lot of hard work and consistency.  Be realistic, don’t run yourself down and make things as easy for yourself as possible.

19. Never let a PR tell you how to be a “good blogger” or how to write your reviews. You will encounter PRs who make you doubt your own worth as a blogger and who want to tell you what kind of language to use in your reviews (mainly casually swapping “sent” for “bought”). Tell them where to go. Don’t give into the mechanical PR samples of blogging. Write a blog you would want to believe or you’ll lose the relationship / trust of your readers.

20.  Always have your camera with you! – I take my camera wherever I go and am always looking for ways to incorporate my life into my blog. Heading on a day out? Ask your friend to do some outfit photos you, or take some photos for a lifestyle post. This keeps blogging fun and means you can blog on the go rather than setting aside specific times to bulk shoot in your garden, when you could be finding much more interesting locations.

What have you learnt in the time you've been blogging? Is there anything you wish you knew when you started?

Lydia Rose,

xoxo

  
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