I started off commenting and posting often in a community dedicated to MAC makeup, and then I ended up starting my own blog, which is where I am today. It was a hobby, but it became my full-time job after I graduated from my graduate programs.
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I follow a few makeup artists on youtube, I have an on-going working relationship with a few MAC makeup artists and I visit Temptalia multiple times a day and comment regularly. I get MAC makeovers several times a year and am notified about classes but since I’ve been going to the same makeup artists for the past few years, I prefer the one-on-one makeovers.
I transitioned from just applying to reading blogs and watching YT videos and in the end started to blog and film myself. As a hobby, I have another career that pays my bills.
It went from nonexistent in high school, to reading this blog and commenting pretty frequently, to working on an Instagram dedicated to the looks I do (sort of as a portfolio). After I graduate, I’m going to enroll in an esthetician program so hopefully my involvement will only increase from here!
Oh, definitely yes. I used to be strictly a MAC girl. My Pro discount didn’t hurt. But, within the last 4-5 years I have branched out and tried other brands. Probably lines I would have never tried before. I owe that to your site and reviews. Although it can be a little challenging for a brown girl, I have tried and continue to use many products reviewed on your site. Thanks!
Haha I think you mean, started from the bottom now we here! 🙂
Seriously, though, all hail Christine! I for one am hesitant to purchase almost anything beauty related unless I have heard your take on it.
Aw, thank you Indya! 🙂
Indya, I’m the same…I always come here to check Christine’s review before buying anything!
Nonexistent to still pretty much nonexistent, sadly.
I like it as a hobby, I follow a few makeup gurus on YouTube, and I like sharing my experience here on temptalia too. But the most I’ve done with makeup is applying makeup on my friends before a night out. I wouldn’t say that’s contributing to the makeup community.
I follow a small group of YouTubers and a few blogs (yours mainly), I also maintain a blog. I’m not a fan of Instagram and all of the overdone looks and photo manipulation.
I used to be part of a couple of makeup forums, but I stopped years ago. I find them too cliquish and I’m too old for the B.S. I would ask a serious makeup question and get no response, but I’d see 30 responses on cupcakes.
I first got involved in the beauty community in 2010!! I found Karen’s blog (MakeupandBeautyblog!!) WAY back in 2010, and i fell in LOVE. I loved, and still do, love her passion, and love for makeup!! It made young me. Want to have that fire too!!
Then in 2012, after reading ONLY Karen’s blog for 2 years. I found Temptalia!! And I’v read Temptalia EVERY SINGLE DAY since!! I didn’t start commenting on Temptalia untill last year, because of a unfortunate experience.
I had an AWFUL experience on MUA’s forums. They laughed at my “blending” they laughed at my nose, and my eyes. They used their anonymous internet status to say horrible things about me. Even though I was a child (I was 17 at the time. And some of these women were my mothers age!!) they ruined my self esteem.
I was scared that other makeup communities would be the same painful, and damaging experience as Makeup Alley’s Forums. So I just silently read Temptalia daily, and MBB every weekend.
Now, that i’m an adult and I have my footing. And I see a therapist, and am actively working on my self esteem. I feel like I CAN comment on your blog!! I feel 1000% safe here, and not judged!! Same with the Temptalia Discord.
Now, I have my OWN beauty blog. Where I want to make sure every one of my readers know they are beautiful, handsome, and smart!!! I want to do my part to create a healthy, and non damaging space in our beauty community!!!
Shannon, I am so sorry that you had such a traumatic experience on that other blog. I have never understood why or how women can be so destructive towards another woman. My heart really goes out to you. PS… You’re doing a great job on your blog.
Thank you so much for replying Shari!!
I agree with you, we as women should be uplifting and loving one abother! We should be building up our sisters!! No tearing one another down!!
Shannon, I feel terrible for what had happened to you on that other blog. No one has the right to put down someone and judge them for what they choose to do with their makeup,hair or clothes. You should like you have come a long way since then and its all good. You must be a very sweet and intelligent young lady, because you are helping others look great and feel good about themselves. Stay strong!!!! We all love you here. And Christine helps to keep all of us beautiful.
Thank you SO much for commenting this Denise! This comment made me smile!!
Im so tired of the beauty community being toxic, and having hateful people in it.
We all should be supporting one another! Not tearing down CHILD TEN for not knowing how to blend, or for our unique features!
Good for you Shannon! Keep on going, the way to succeed is to bring yourself above those type of people.
Ugh. That’s ridiculous that people talking about beauty can actually be so ugly. I’m glad for you that you’re getting past that. Those people’s behavior is a reflection on them, not you.
I’m not really part of the beauty community as in I’m not makeup artist or blogger. Just beauty obsessed. I’ve always read magazines like Seventeen, YM or Alllure. Read beauty books from Kevin Aucoin. And have visited many blogs/forums since about 2008. Otherwise like many I watch various youtube videos. I’ve learned many tips and have been inspired since I’ve really worn makeup as a teen in 1993
But you ARE part of the beauty community!! Readers and those who absorb all that is beauty-related in digital content are very much the bread and butter of the community! There would be no bloggers without them
I actually started wearing more makeup because I was active in an online beauty community, initially researching skincare. At some point I was very involved on forums there, and then decided to start my own blog. I had to stop posting on those forums as it was eating up too much of my time, so now I’m only involved through blogging, commenting on blogs, and on social media.
I started out just reading/posting on the mac_cosmetics livejournal, makeupalley swapping/forums, specktra forums. Then got into a few blogs; this one, makeup and beauty blog and one called makeupfix which I don’t think is around anymore. Started getting into youtube back in like ’08. I used to be dedicated to MAC haha! I’ve always wanted to start a blog, but just haven’t tried yet lol.
I can’t say that I’m very involved as I rarely comment but I have been reading beauty blogs since 2004. I began by reading MakeupAlley and then the MAC page on LiveJournal, which is where I first saw your posts, Christine. In all seriousness, you have one of the best beauty blogs. I never buy a product without checking here first because you do such in-depth reviews and your photographs are amazing. You provide a tremendous service so thank you very much!
Thank you so much, Paula! 🙂
When I was younger there was no such thing as the internet, so you relied on magazines for your makeup information. Also, we did not here in Aus have access to the emerging brands like MAC, UD, Stila, Kat Von D, ABH, Milani etc at all. We lived in blissful ignorance, although I felt I was being ripped off by the expensive HE brands.
Since the internet and my stumbling across this blog, my makeup evolution has exploded – understanding about how my skin works, what skincare and makeup products work best. Occasionally I watch youtubers as well.
I can say that I have moved out from a lot of DS brands to brands that provide the products I like and need.
I don’t even know how I got involved in the Beauty Community or how I found Temptalia. My guess is I googled a product and Temptalia came up and I clicked, liked the setup of the site, and subscribed to email updates. I do that a lot, but then most of them bore me so I delete without reading. There are a few though, like Temptalia, that I continue to enjoy.
My next big involvement was googling a beauty subscription to read the reviews, since I wanted to go beyond Ipsy, Glossybox, Birchbox, and Allure. I found a few sites, but got most involved at My Subscription Addiction.
The final step to where I am now is googling reviews for beauty sub boxes/bags that I wasn’t seeing covered on My Subscription Addiction. This lead to YouTube. At first it was just unboxings. But then YouTube started to recommend beauty videos that weren’t about subs, or some of the unboxers I liked also did other beauty reviews.
To be clear, I’ve been in love with makeup for most of my life, but there were times when I stopped overbuying and used what I had or maybe something I saw in a magazine. I wasn’t as product obsessed as I am since discovering these online communities. It’s been really great though seeing how many other people there are who love it like I do, since I only know 1 irl.
Gotta go…my Ulta package just arrived and I want to check out the haul!!
I’ve followed a few beauty blogs including Temptalia’s for a number of years, though I’m not a frequent commenter. I do comment here and there though. It’s hard to pinpoint how it exactly started, but I think it was along the lines of reading reviews when I began subscribing to some beauty subscriptions a few years ago. That led to following a series of beauty bloggers to see how they used some of those products, and also beauty gift-with-purchase blogs (which get me in so much trouble!) I also started my own nail polish company three years ago, which is now my full time job. (One bonus in starting the company was that for a number of months as the business was getting off the ground, I’d tell my husband that my frequent beauty purchases were for research. That doesn’t really work anymore though, lol.)
When I started with makeup the internet didn’t exist. The internet helped hone my skills and product knowledge. I use it mostly now to keep on top of new products and trends. And to talk to you lovelies of course 🙂