Confessions Of A Beauty Blogger

I absolutely love blogging, especially blogging beauty. It was my main love and the reason I got into blogging in the first place. Being a blogger isn't a walk in the park like many people think it is - post a few times a month, get free samples and get paid for doing hardly any work. WRONG. Blogging, no matter what genre or niche, is very hard work and requires a lot of time and effort if you want to do it right. That's why todays post is going to be some confessions I have about being a beauty blogger - both good and bad - some you may or may not agree with.

I'm no makeup expert

I feel like a lot of people think beauty bloggers are amazing at doing makeup. To be fair, quite a lot are, but I for one are not one of them. I'm not saying I'm bad at doing makeup - I mean, I know what I'm doing. I'm just not amazing - being a makeup artist is definitely not going to be my future job.

Writing reviews takes A LOT of time

Writing beauty reviews is one of the main type of blog posts you'll see on my blog, so I feel like I'm constantly writing them. I love sharing my opinions on the products I've been using, and I always want to make sure they're 100% honest. I think a lot of people think it's easy just to write a quick review and post it without a lot of thought, but that's one thing I think you really can't do as a beauty blogger. If I'm writing a review I know my readers will read and take advice from, I want it to be well thought out. This means I really need to make sure I've used the product and have an accurate opinion on it - using it once doesn't count. 

You can beauty blog on a budget

To many people, to be a beauty blogger you need a lot of money to go out and buy high end products and new releases all the time. I completely disagree with this. I'm a student who doesn't have the biggest budget in the world to spend on beauty products, so I make sure I buy ones I definitely want and ones that are also affordable. You definitely don't need a lot of money to beauty blog well in my opinion.

Comparing your blog to others gets you nowhere

When I started out blogging, I definitely compared my posts to ones by bloggers who had been in the game a lot longer than me. This made me feel like my blog posts weren't as good as theirs, but really mines were just different. I have a completely different writing style to other bloggers - every blogger has different ideas about what their blog is about and what they want to write. I quickly realised that comparing myself to others was so pointless and really didn't help me at all, and it may be really hard to not do it, but it does help you in the long run.

If you want to take a break, take a break

I went through a phase recently were I just needed a break from my blog and the blogging world. I felt like I was constantly writing and taking photos, and I really needed some time away. I think that if you feel like this, it's important you do step away from your blog for a while. I did feel guilty and that I wasn't a good blogger for not posting for a few days, but I realised that was totally wrong. If anything, it's made me a better blogger for doing it - I would've ended up writing posts when my heart really wasn't in it. 

It's harder than it looks

This is my main confession - being a beauty blogger is a lot harder than it looks. As I said before, people think it's easy to churn out blog posts and reviews. when it's really not. It takes a lot of time, energy, hard work and determination to do this and do it well. I think it definitely deserves more appreciation.

Let me know if you agree with any of my confessions, or what your confessions would be. Thank you so much for reading my blog post and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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August Favourites

I say this every month, but I honestly can't believe that's August over with and the start of September - this year is going far too fast. I bought quite a few bits and pieces over the course of August, many of which I've fell in love with. I've also been really loving products I've had for quite a while as I seem to go through phases of reusing certain things. So here are all the things I've really loved using over the course of August.

Makeup

Morphe 35D eyeshadow palette - I've had this palette for quite a while now and have already posted my first impressions and a review post on it, so you should already know how much I love this. The fact that it has 35 different shades in it and it's so affordable is one of the biggest positives about this product. The shades are all amazingly pigmented and last me a really long time which I love, and I'm still in the market for another palette from Morphe. It's one of my go-to products of the moment and has been for a long time, but especially during August. It's one of my favourite eyeshadow palettes that I own and that's why it's made it onto my favourites post.

Too Faced Better Than Sex mascara - I was recently on the lookout for a new mascara, and after the lovely Kara from Spread The Sparkle suggested this product, I decided I had to buy it. There's been quite a lot of hype and postive reviews on this mascara so I was really excited to give it a try. It's also the first thing I've ever bought from Too Faced - where have I been? - and I've really been loving it. It leaves my lashes looking massive and defined which is always what I look for, and yet they don't end up all clumpy. I'll be posting a full review of this product soon though, so keep your eyes pealed for that. 

Urban Decay All Nighter setting spray - Setting sprays are things I really rely on nowadays, and Urban Decay do the best ones in my opinion. I did have the De-Slick one which I loved but when it ran out, I decided to give the All Nighter one a try this time. Wearing this, my makeup doesn't budge in the slightest and it lasts me all day. Even in harsh weather, even when I cry, I find my eye makeup still looks in perfect condition. I can't imagine not having an Urban Decay setting spray in my life anymore, and I think that All Nighter is my favourite of the two.

Jeffree Star liquid lipstick in Mannequin - I'm not even going to beat around the bush - this lipstick is one of my favourite liquid lipsticks I own. The consitency is amazing and doesn't dry out my lips at all, but actually leaves them feeling really smooth. The nudey colour is one of my favourite shades of the moment and I find myself wearing this mostly every day. It's my go-to lipstick and I absolutely love it right now and have done over the month of August.

Real Techniques Foundation Brush - On a recent trip to Boots, I 'accidentally' picked up this Real Techniques brush. I actually was in the market for a new foundation brush as my current one was getting a bit old and disgusting, so picked this one up. I love the quality of this brush for the price of it and it applies my foundation so well. I had never used a Real Techniques brush before so I'm really looking forward to picking up some more in the future. I love the shape of the bristles and how eay it is to use - I've really been loving it.

Random Favourites

RuPauls Drag Race - I only just discovered this gem of a TV show recently but god, do I love it. RuPauls reality TV show on finding Americas Next Drag Superstar is so addictive and I haven't been able to stop watching it all month. It's funny, bitchy, exciting and everything I look for in reality TV. If you haven't seen it before, I really urge you to give it a watch.

Lazy Oaf - Lazy Oaf is a clothing brand whose products I've really been living for this past month. Everything they produce is totally down my alley, even though I know it's not to everyones taste, and I have so many things I'm excited to buy and wear coming into Autumn. 

Let me know what your favourites have been this month, or if you've been enjoying any of the things I've mentioned. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a wonderful September!

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See you guys soon x

Meet The Beauty Blogger: Laura Byrne

Yes, it's back again. It's time for the third instalment of my Meet The Beauty Blogger series, and this time we get to meet Laura Byrne. I first of all want to say how amazing the response has been to this series, so thank you so much for that. It's great for not only me, but the amazing bloggers who's hard work I get to share. It also means all the time and effort has been worth it. Now let's get on with meeting the absolutely lovely Laura.

What got you into blogging? I've always had a keen interest in makeup and beauty products but a few of my friends suggested that I should set up a blog and I also want to improve and gain more knowledge in relation to makeup so I thought blogging would a be a great way to do so. You can check out my blog here: http://www.queenbeeie.com

How did you decide to blog beauty? Well I decided to select beauty as my main topic or area of my blog simply because I had such a keen interest in makeup and also I wanted to gain better knowledge of the beauty/makeup world and see if I can go further and explore my interest. 

How long have you been blogging for? I have been blogging a year now. I started back in June of last year I wasn't fully aware of how big the blogging community was. I set the blog up as a hobby to explore my interests and improve my knowledge in relation to makeup.

What's your biggest blogging achievement so far? My biggest blogging achievement has to be being nominated "best beauty blog of 2016"  for the blogger choice awards which is run by the irish blogger agency. I never even expected to be nominated it was such a shock at the time and a great honour. 

What post that you've written are you most proud of? Oh I really don't know I can't really say I don't know if there is one that if been like oh I'm really proud of I tend to be really hard on myself but If I would pick one that I'm happy with I would have to say my review of Beverly Hills products you can click here to check it out: http://www.queenbeeie.com/blog/product-reviewbeverly-hills-formula

What's your current favourite beauty product? Oh this is easy right now I'm obsessed with is All bright Radiance Balm from the Botanics range at boots, your skin looks instantly brighter and the glow from this balm is amazing. You can apply a small amount before you apply your foundation or you can apply it just on its own for that natural dewy glow.

What one item (beauty/skincare) could you not live without? Okay I can not live with out my boi-ing concealer by benefit. It's so easy to apply it's quite thick but it hides any dark circles or fine lines and underneath my eye looks brighter and awake. 

Who's your favourite blogger of the moment? My Favourite blogger at the minute is Louise O'Relliey from stylemecurvy. Louise is an international plus/curve model and fashion blogger she recently was on the cover of irish magazine U. Click the link to check out her blog http://www.stylemecurvy.net/

Are you happy with where your blog is right now? Right now I'm content with my blog. It could be better but I'm constantly looking for ways to improve my blog. I love reading other posts by fellow bloggers sharing their tips and tricks on improving your blog it's a great way to learn new things or even by taking part in Twitter chats with fellow bloggers. Click here to check out my Twitter : https://twitter.com/_l_a_u_r_a____

What's your biggest goal for the future of your blog? Oh this is a tricky question well I would like to learn more in relation to blogging maybe do a course to help me improve my website design just to help polish it up a bit and make it more appealing to readers. I hope to post a lot more in the future and have more time to do so. 

"Don't tell people your dreams show them". - Unknown 

Make sure you go and check out Laura's blog here and her Twitter here as she's definitely worth a follow. 

Thank you so much for reading today's post and I really hope you're enjoying this series. As always, let me know your opinions of it or if you yourself want to take part. Thank you so much and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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See you guys soon x

What's In My Bag?

As a beauty blogger, I love all posts makeup and skincare, but some of the posts I love reading the most are ones where I can be a bit nosey. What's In My Bag and Makeup Bag posts are some of my favourites, so that's why I thought I'd do one of my own for todays post. I have to say I'm a very messy person when it comes to my handbag, so opening it up for this post made me realise how much crap I really keep. Apoligies in advance - I'm a bit of a hoarder.

The bag

My mum bought me this River Island bag for my birthday last year, and I use this as my daily bag wherever I go. It's really spacious which I love, and I really like the colours and patterns it has on it.

My purse

I've had a little Miss Melody purse for a few years now and refuse to use any others. It's been my trusted purse for so long and has all the compartments I need. It's really spacious and fits a lot in it - mines is absolutely filled with receipts and tickets (told you I'm a hoarder). It also has just the right amount of spaces for my cards which is perfect. This purse goes with me absolutely everywhere, so it's no surprise it's in my bag.

Hand Food

Now another thing that goes with me absolutely everywhere is my trusty Soap & Glory Hand Food. I get dry hands very easily, so this thing has saved me many a time. I can't leave the house without having a hand cream with me and this one is my current favourite.

Krispy Kreme voucher

I was at Glasgow Central station on the 11th of August when the new Krispy Kreme store opened, so was given this voucher at the shop. It allowed me to get a free coffee when I bought a doughnut, but at the time I wasn't allowed caffeine so I couldn't redeem it. That meant this voucher has been sitting in my bag since then, but since it's out of date I should probably throw it out.

Thorpe Park map

I spent a few days at Thorpe Park at the start of August so picked up this resort map while I was there. I had such a good time while I was there as I'd never been before but I absolutely love theme parks. Things like this I tend to keep as I always like to have a memento of trips or holidays I go on, even though I know I'll never use it again - I just can't seem to part with it.

Safety glasses

I can't believe these are still in my bag. I do Pharmacology at University and used this bag while I was there. These are my safety glasses I use for my labs and I've left them in there since I was last at Uni - which was in March.

Calculator

My Uni bag. Enough said.

Headphones

To be honest, you'll probably find a pair of headphones in most peoples bags. I make sure I always have a pair on me in case I need them - which is pretty often. I genuinely think I would die if I was on a train and didn't have these in my bag.

Pens

Considering I took this bag to Uni with me last year, it's no surprise there's so many pens in here. Plus it's always handy to have one on you. Maybe not 5 though.

Citizen M key card

Citizen M is a chain of hotels, one of which is in Glasgow that I stay at quite a lot. After your stay, you're allowed to keep your key card, so one of mines has managed to sneak it's way to the bottom of my bag. This is another thing I like to keep to remind me of trips or overnight stays.

Drink coaster

I saw this cute little drinks coaster when I was at The Social bar in Glasgow. It says Heads on one side and Tails on the other which I thought was quite cute, so I had to take one home with me. I haven't actually used it though which is why it's still in my bag.

To be honest, I'm surprised my bags not more cluttered than it is. I never really clear out my bag, so there's some stuff in there that's been there for quite a while. As a beauty blogger, it's surprising there's no beauty products in my bag, but that's because they're the only things I make sure I take out my bag at night so I don't lose them. Let me know what kind of stuff you keep in your bag and if you're as bad - or worse - than me. Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a great day.

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See you guys soon x

Kiehl's Skin Brightening Exfoliator

Kiehl's is becoming one of my favourite skincare brands of the moment. Their facial cream absolutely saved my life, or at least my face, and that's why I've been desperate to try some of their other products. I had actually never used an exfoliator before I bought this product, so I knew that's exactly what I wanted when I walked into the Kiehl's store. I picked up the Skin Brightening Exfoliator as it sounded like something I'd really love and enjoy using - and I was right.

I first of all want to say how much I've loved using this. I only apply it once a week, and honestly do look forward to getting to use it. The feeling it leaves you with after you wash it off is amazing, and it smells so fresh as well. It's very gentle on the skin, which is something I always need to watch for considering how sensitive my skin is and how easily it can be irritated. This exfoliator helps to reduce skin discolouration and help restore hydration levels, which are the main reasons I really wanted to try this product. The other main reason I chose this product is the fact it helps to brighten and illumintae your skin, which is something I was really needing to be honest.

This does exactly what it says on the tin - I've noticed such a change in my skin since I started using it. I have honestly found my face looking much brighter, softer and illuminated, and it has definitely reduced any irregularities my face had. This paired with my facial cream has definitely helped increase my skin hydration levels, and I rarely find my skin to be looking dry anymore which is something I'm incredibly happy about. My complexion looks much more even and I've found a very noticeable reduction in any dark spots I used to have. I honestly don't have any negative things to say about this exfoliator - I honestly love using it.

If anyone is on the lookout for a new exfoliator or a new skincare product, I'd definitely recommend this one. It has really helped improve the look and feel of my skin and has been worth every penny. It's very easy to use and wash off, and feels beautiful on the skin and not at all irritating. Kiehl's really is a great skincare brand that I'd encourage anyone to try out if they haven't before. I'm desperate to try out more of their products soon.

Let me know if you've tried out this exfoliator before, or any of Kiehl's other products, Thank you so much for reading my post and I hope you all have a wonderful day!

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See you guys soon x