Archived Post

Thank you for 10 years of support, here's to another 10!

Can you believe it’s been 10 years? If you had told me 10 years ago that this is where I would be, this is where the blog would be, I would have looked at you like you were crazy!  This post is rather long, so for those who immediately think, “TLDR?” — thank you very much for being along with me on this journey and for your support!

I have had the honor and privilege of being part of the beauty blogging community since its early days and seeing it grow from more text-only blogs to the deeply interactive, creative spaces that they can be today. I have seen the change in how brands and retailers interact with bloggers (and now, other social media influencers) from when brands only worked with top ten online media to seeing brands continually evolve their influencer strategies across platforms and influencers with better ways to measure than purely the size of one’s following. There are more ways than ever before to find and engage with beauty lovers around the globe–one of my favorite places these days is Reddit’s MakeupAddiction community, which has given me a boost in enthusiasm since joining–that have made my joy and passion for makeup more enriching, personal, and enjoyable.

With Gratitude

I believe that Temptalia’s longevity and success are due to the strength and positivity of our community of readers, first and foremost, because without the support of readers, we really would not be where we are today. It is the enduring readership, engagement, and word-of-mouth (or click, in the digital space) that has given the blog a strong foundation to stand on. This belief is why I feel so strongly about being as candid as possible in my reviews, because my reviews are for my readers; they are not to win brands over or to convince you to buy something you didn’t need in the first place. They are intended to help you make better, smarter purchases; to have a better idea of what the product is like and does and whether that’s something that works for you. They are intended to take down the hype and buzz a notch and ground the product in reality. Starting from readers always helps me make better decisions in the long-run, so I thank you for reading, but I thank you for providing me the strength to make difficult choices about what directions to take because they have made me a better, more honest, more confident person, period. You earn trust, and you have to keep earning it to maintain; it is not something you want to lose because it can be near-to-impossible to earn it back. I am so humbled to have you believe in me, and to trust in my reviews, when I know the community at large has had issues with transparency and disclosure over the last five years.

There will never be an adequate way to thank you all for what you have done for me. I have grown-up blogging, I have moved from teenager to new adult to a total grown-up with grown-up responsibilities, like retirement savings, estate plans, and life insurance. You were there when Mellan, my furriest of family members, entered my life and changed it irrevocably. You were there when I graduated college, when I graduated graduate school. You were there when my husband proposed to me (quite literally, as he proposed on the blog!), and later, when I got married. You have provided not just me, but my husband and my brother-in-law (and so a smaller extent, my mother and my sister) enduring jobs. My husband has been working behind-the-scenes at Temptalia since it started, as he was already a web designer at the time!

Your esteem of me, your trust, and your support have shaped me over the last 10 years into the person I am today. I am so lucky and so grateful to be able to have a dream job: one that I am passionate about doing, one that I can do well, and one that gives me what I need to live a good life. A few years ago, my mom had our logo embroidered in silk, and it was a housewarming gift for our first home. It hung there, and it continues to hang in my second home, because whatever home I live is the home that Temptalia built. Thank you so much for giving me a home; both figuratively and literally–a reason for being, a place to share my passion, a place where my skills are useful, and a place to keep my family warm. Thank you so, so very much.

Second place finish, of course, goes to my family and friends who have supported me over the years. My mother, who is my role model in all things, is both responsible for my commitment to readers and honesty but also helping me build Temptalia as a brand and as a business. Her experience has been invaluable to me, and her advice, her fielding of negotiations when I first started, helped to set the stage for success behind the scenes. I more recently learned that my own mom’s work ethic flows from my grandmother, who just recently gave me the advice to do as much and as well as I can today, while I’m young, which was music to a work-a-holic’s ears! I was and continue to be lucky to have my family, extended family, grandparents, aunts, uncles, and cousins that have supported blogging, that have looked at it with admiration and not disdain, that never said makeup was frivolous or unworthy of pursuit. I’m pretty sure that of all my family members, my dad actually reads and keeps up with the blog the most, which is so endearing. My sister always asks me for more business cards, because she apparently distributes them at a rate of 50x faster than I do!

To my husband, who has been there for me for the last 11 years: thank you for your support, your faith in me, and your love. I could not ask for a more supportive and understanding partner in life or in work. He has been in the background of the blog since it started, and he laid a lot of the groundwork for features like The Dupe List, Swatch, Gallery, Foundation Matrix, and so forth. He is actually now responsible for what we call “new development,” where he has built other sites that he now designs and creates content for (his site actually gets more pageviews than Temptalia now!).

To Mellan, my labrador love: for an example of living life with only optimism, there is no better example than Mellan. He is a happy dog, one that plays like he’s still a puppy, and one that always brings a smile to my face if I am having a down moment. He also lets me talk his ears off, and he never interrupts or tells me to be quiet!

To my brother-in-law, Nick, who has become the lead behind development for Temptalia in the last couple of years: he is like a magic coding genie; I say, “I want XYZ” and he never makes it sound impossible. I tell him where a pain point is in my review process, and he looks for ways to alleviate the bottleneck. I appreciate his willingness to learn, his ability to take direction and switch on and off tasks as priorities change, and always finding creative solutions when we are faced with a technical problem!

Reflecting on the Journey, So Far

I’m not someone who looks back that often; I am surprisingly a present person–I plan for the future but I very much live my life day-to-day and focus on achieving short-term goals while having a larger picture sketched out. I thought today would be a good time to reflect on the past and share some of those reflections with you, my dearest readers, as so many of you have been here from the beginning but so many of you have joined me along the way.

I’m no stranger to the internet nor producing content online, and I’ve spent a large amount of my free time on the internet since I was 13, when AOL was the big thing (in fact, I still use AIM to chat with friends and family!). Few know this at this point, but I used to make ‘zines through AOL, and I had two that I sent daily for years (years!), which I really think set-up my ability to maintain a daily blog through the years. (Fun fact: this why there are regular “columns” like question of the day, hit list, rant and rave; they are all concepts I used in my past ‘zines.) I have, effectively, been making and distributing free content for over half my life! It is funny as when I was younger and doing the whole ‘zine thing, spending that much time online made you a loser, but now, I feel like so many of us have our lives intertwined with the internet and social media that the cool thing is to have a strong internet presence! I officially quit ‘zines when I graduated high school and went to college, thinking I would not be able to balance the two (and feeling like it was time to move on, to some degree).

As an adult, I understand more of what my mom has always said to me – that her dream retirement is not to do nothing but to have a second career (one she has always thought about) as a college professor (which she has already achieved, though I’m pretty sure she works harder and more hours than she did in her first career). In college, I was so, so bored. The concept of free time was foreign to me, and I had too much of it. I got two part-time jobs, I took extra classes, and I still felt like something was missing. I wasn’t allowed to wear makeup growing up, so when I went away to college, that’s when I really discovered and had a chance to play and experiment with it myself. I fell in love with MAC Pigments, and it led me to participate in the mac_cosmetics community on Livejournal. It was exactly what I was looking for; it was a something, a hobby, anything that I felt a real passion and delight in–and it was makeup.

The first posts on Temptalia were published on October 3rd, 2006, and they were really setting up an archive of makeup looks I had already shared with mac_cosmetics. The first review ever published was for MAC Formal Black (October 21st, 2006). There was no long-term goal for the blog when it started; it was meant to be a place to easily archive my looks, tutorials, and post the occasional review/swatches. I didn’t know anything blogging back then, and beauty blogging was definitely in its infancy–it was still the “wild, wild west” so-to-speak. It wasn’t until January 2007 that I started to post more regularly, and I got closer to daily blogging by May 2007.

I know the exact tipping point that turned Temptalia from a casual blogging affair to something more: MAC reached out to me in July 2007! Me! Little ol’ me! As a huge, huge fan of MAC (it was the only brand I purchased at the time), being recognized and contacted by their team (thank you Heather!) was incredible. I interviewed Dita Von Teese a few months later, I attended my first press dinner (with MAC) for San Francisco Fashion Week. The idea that my blog was being taken seriously by the very company I was most passionate about made it real; made it a THING! It made me take blogging a lot more seriously, even if I definitely had no expectations that it would be a career or even a part-time job at that point. By Semptember 2007, I was pretty much blogging daily, if not multiple times per day. This is where a lot of the format of Temptalia that you see today started taking shape; the first Temptalia Asks You went live in September 2007. (Fun fact: There have been 3,270 Temptalia Asks You posts to date.) By June 2008, I was posting between five and six times a day, which is the current level I post today, and since then, that’s what I’ve done. I think I have missed one day, possibly a question of the day still went up, when I was sick with the swine flu (I’ve never been that sick before; I could barely move) since moving to a daily schedule!

We have done some really cool things (well, obviously, I think we have!) over the years, like creating The Dupe List, Swatch, Gallery, and Foundation Matrix. We have improved on these things greatly over the last few years in particular, as the system of products has its own database so everything is intertwined, which makes everyone’s life better.

A Temptalia Timeline

  • November 2007 — First Annual Temptalia Awards
  • January 25, 2008 — WWD names Temptalia one of ten hottest beauty blogs
  • February 25, 2008 — Magellan is announced
  • November 15, 2008 — Beyond Beauty Look Compilation eBook
  • February 25, 2009 — New logo
  • April 20, 2009 — Best Beauty Blog, Glam Media
  • June 5, 2009 — Temptalia Gallery (predecessor of the Swatch Gallery)
  • July 24, 2009 — Top Beauty Blog (out of 50), Konector
  • January 23, 2010 — Foundation Matrix Born
  • January 31, 2010 — Newsletter started
  • June 28, 2010 — The Dupe List launches
  • July 16, 2010 — Revlon features Editor’s Choice Logo on False Eyelashes
  • April 5, 2011 — The Glossover introduced
  • May 19, 2011 — Swatch Gallery
  • May 30, 2011 — MAC x Temptalia, Jealousy Wakes Eyeshadow
  • October 8, 2011 — Foundation Matrix 1.5
  • December 24, 2011 — Shaun proposed on the blog
  • August 16, 2012 — First major direct campaign (Sephora Color Vision)
  • May 3, 2013 — MyTemptalia Launches
  • August 2013 — Illamasqua features Editor’s Choice Logo on Nail Varnishes
  • November 21, 2013 — Foundation Matrix 2.0
  • February 7, 2014 — The Dupe List 2.0
  • February 7, 2014 — Christine Mielke, Editor, listed as 50 Most Influential People in Beauty by WWD
  • August 7, 2015 — MyTemptalia 2.0
  • February 26, 2016 — Foundation Matrix 3.0
  • May 2016 — The Dupe List 3.0 / Swatch Gallery 3.0
  • October 2016 — 10 Years

Thank you for your support, and here’s hoping for another 10 years we can be proud of!

418 Comments

Comments that do not adhere to our comment policy may be removed. Discussion and debate are highly encouraged but we expect community members to participate respectfully. Please keep discussion on-topic, and if you have general feedback, a product review request, an off-topic question, or need technical support, please contact us!

Please help us streamline the comments' section and be more efficient: double-check the post above for more basic information like pricing, availability, and so on to make sure your question wasn't answered already. Comments alerting us to typos or small errors in the post are appreciated (!) but will typically be removed after errors are fixed (unless a response is needed).

We appreciate enthusiasm for new releases but ask readers to please hold questions regarding if/when a review will be posted as we can't commit to or guarantee product reviews. We don't want to set expectations and then disappoint readers as even products that are swatched don't always end up being reviewed due to time constraints and changes in priorities! Thank you for understanding!

Comments on this post are closed.
Angela Kalra Avatar

Way to go!!! Congratulations Christine. Been a ‘quiet’ follower and admirer of your blog for many years and today this is my first comment. So thank you Temptalia for your superb stuff.

Megan Avatar

Congratulations on 10 years! I’ve been reading you for years and years because I trust your expertise, and I trust your reviews. I was literally just talking to my husband about you last night – in a space where bloggers and “reviews” are increasingly becoming advertising, it’s so wonderful to have you as an honest voice online. Don’t change! And I’m looking forward to many more years of reading your blog!

All the best!!!

Christine Avatar

Thank you, Megan! Haha, never! It is definitely part of the lifeblood of the blog – I saw some of issues with transparency/disclosure/paid reviews earlier on, and I made an affirmation that I didn’t want that to be a question here, so I’ve tried to go in the other direction (over-disclose – that’s why I also have a “purchased” disclosure!).

Wednesday Avatar

My thoughts precisely. Every word. I was stewing over same just the other day after watching a little bit of youtube. It’s not even remotely the place it used to be. Conversely, Team Temptalia just keeps adding better and better decision making tools all the while still maintaining integrity and keeping it real with the reviews. Indispensable!

Congrats on a beautiful decade, Temptalia!

Mariella Avatar

Christine, a huge “thank you” and “congratulations” to you and to the Temptalia team on reaching this milestone anniversary. Not only you consistently provide the best, most thorough and objective information about almost every single cosmetic brand and item that is out there (I’ll try not to sulk about the dearth of Lise Watier stuff!), but you’ve also created a place where like-minded makeup lovers of all ages, races and backgrounds can get together to chat and share, joke and question. Yours is an amazing achievement and I know so many others here join me in thanking you most warmly for all you do. Most of us think it must be the most fun in the world to try on makeup all day long, 7 days a week but we’ve also come to realize a snippet of your reality in doing this – that it’s darned hard work.

Christine Avatar

Thank you, Mariella! 🙂 And thank you for always helping us and being one of our power users. Your use of the vanity/wish list functions on the site really helped us figure out better ideas for scaling!

I still pop by the Lise Watier site in hopes of some sale… anything… c’mon! I will keep an eye out during Black Friday 😉

Mariella Avatar

Wow!!! I feel so flattered, especially in light of the fact that I am so NOT into technology and I’m pretty much in the Luddite category when it comes to all the stuff that most people use with such ease!

rashmi Avatar

Million
billion
trillion
thanks to you baby ….
God bless you and Shaun our Hero ….
and here is wishing to see that million dollar smile many more years
xoxo

sorry for poor English ..

you know what I mean …. right ???

KK Avatar

Wow! What a journey! You have accomplished so much in the last decade Christine! Kudos to you! And wish you all the best for the next decade!.

As a reader/follower – what makes your blog so amazing and pretty much a Bible in the Beauty Blogosphere is:
1. Your rating system – The fact that there is a defined “system”
2. The humungous amount of reviews you churn out – don’t know how you manage to review so many products on a daily basis.
3. Your reviews are bang on! When i (and everybody else, i believe) – see your rating, they know the quality (or lack thereof) of the product instantly. You say it like it is. There is no bias. You do not get swayed by whether you bought the stuff or was sent by PR. We Really Really appreciate that!
4. There isn’t any negativity / sarcasm / etc – even if the product is scrap! You discuss quality without including feelings. The sense of detachment helps us readers.
5. Love the Tempatlia community – love reading the responses from everyone. Its like a small place on the internet where “its okay to be makeup crazed” !!

Love all that Temptalia stands for! Thanks for being there! Thanks for all that you do – on a daily basis!! <3 <3

Christine Avatar

Finally, my more no-nonsense approach is of value, LOL! People used to call me boring, old soul, too serious, blah blah, but I feel like that is part of what helps reviews be more objective (even if they aren’t as entertaining as more personal reviews – there is room for all kinds!).

Thank you so much, KK!

rashmi Avatar

Kay is a good friend and I agree with her ..
C … can you imagine how many fights I had with my close friends on liking and believing you …
But I know am not alone …. we allll love your no nonsense approach and trust me this is the special thing about ‘C’ and ‘T’ …
Christine and Tempatlia

and remember I say , I want Temptalia to be included in Dictionary …
crossing fingers and wishing you allll the very best

Lily Kelley Avatar

Congrats Christine and thank you for all the all reviews and everything you do for us the readers. I honestly look for your reviews before buying makeup. To maybe another 10!!!!!!!

Lauren Avatar

You say you owe your longevity to your readers, but you owe your readers to your quality of images, thoroughness of your assessments, and variety of products and brands you cover. And last but definity not least, the fact that you post frequently and consistently. So many makeup blogs I’ve followed have become very incosistent in their posting frequency, or just ghosted alotogether. I can always count on you to be keeping up with your blog, and I appreciate that (although sometimes my wallet doesn’t!).

Thank you for all the work you put in for us, I hope you’re around for a really long time!!

Christine Avatar

I am super lucky that this is a viable full-time job/career for me, and I think for some bloggers who started earlier, it was never enough for them to make that transition so real life and “real” jobs became more important. I also saw some who just moved on, as their interests changed. I am a bit surprised that my interest has held as long, but I think the passion I have and get from beauty/makeup has shifted – I definitely get a lot of joy out of writing reviews and knowing that readers use/appreciate them.

Thank you so much, Lauren! I didn’t even notice a spelling error, because you were too busy making my head swell 😉

Mo Merrell Avatar

I agree. This blog is like a machine. Everything is so fine tuned, your swatches, photos, comparisons, so much. She takes so much time to give as much info as possible and that is something I enjoy.

Julie Avatar

This site has been my first stop every morning for years and years. Your blog is the gold standard for us bloggers, always striving to be better, be more detailed, be unbiased, be professional. Thank you for all the hard work you do!

Lorrie Avatar

Happy anniversary, that’s quite an accomplishment. You have a very thorough, well researched site and people can see that. That’s what keeps them coming back. Congratulations.

Domi Avatar

Amazing summary of the history of Temptalia! I truly enjoy your hard work and I really trust your opinion! I really appreciate your almost scientific approach to evaluating makeup! I have started to use your links to buy products because I really want to support your work! I hope you will continue to feel passionate about your work!

Sheena Avatar

2017- Baby Temptalia is born!
So… should we expect a little bundle of joy soon?? Haha no pressure Christine! I’ve always loved and appreciate that you are as consistently honest with your reviews as from the day I’d come across your blog (I remember it searching for Foundation match and the Foundation Matrix was the top result!!) I’ve never come across any other beauty blogger as dedicated and as passionate as you are!! Keep doing what you do because you are great at it! Cheers to another decade or 2! (Or 3 or 4 or just basically as long as there are makeup junkies around!!)

Sheena Avatar

I’m sorry if I sounded intrusive, not my objective at all!! And I’m not one to judge if a couple decides to have or not to have children. Totally understand that, and thank you Christine for understanding! I just feel like as a long time avid reader, I was just curious thats it! ?

Anime Avatar

One of my favorite things about Temptalia is that you genuinely feel the ‘labor-of-love’ concept. The point of view you offer never feels pretentious, no matter how expensive or high-end an item is, and always comes from a place of genuine appreciation for the art of makeup. What’s better is that it seems to come so naturally to you; almost effortless, even though I am sure it requires an incredible amount of work. Thank you so much for all your hard work — it most certainly does not go unnoticed.

Alice Avatar

I’m not sure how long I’ve been on here (a few years, 3 maybe 4?) I lurked and read for a while before ever making an account.

You and your blog have been not only a great help but a wonderful inspiration for me. Reading your reviews and looking at the swatch gallery, dupe list, and looks page have saved me from buying bad products & dupes, introduced me to a greater range of brands, and shown me new techniques and styles of doing makeup. Your honesty, wit, and commitment to accuracy across reviews is much appreciated.

I’ve also loved interacting with people in the comments. I’ve gotten good recommendations on products to buy and avoid for my skin tone and type, and gotten inspiration from some of the other age 30+ ladies on this blog who are still into bright/bold colors and funky looks. This community has been one of the best ones I have ever joined in my long tenure on the internet 🙂

SusanG Avatar

Congratulations, Christine! Ten years is an amazing achievement! You have become a major factor in how I regard both new releases and old standards. You work incredibly hard, and deserve every bit of your success!

Sherry R. Avatar

Congratulations!! You deserve all the happiness and more because of the work and time you put out there for us makeup-lovers and artists is invaluable!! Keep on keeping on!! 🙂

Vivian Avatar

Congratulations and thank you for all your hard work and dedication to your readers! I’ve followed your blog religiously for years, mostly in the shadow, not much of a participant. But it’s a daily highlight for me to see your newsletter in my inbox to see what hot new products you’ve reviewed. I truly appreciate the details you provide with the high quality pictures. It helps me as a consumer to make informative (and emotional) decisions. And I can thank you for enabling my makeup hoarding tendencies lol. I look forward to the next ten years! ?

Andy Avatar

Wow! 10 years of awesomeness!!! I swear by your reviews before any purchase as you tell it as it is. And your foundation matrix saved the day when I didnt know I could ask for sample or when my fav was discountinued. And what about your dupe list that made it possible to recreat looks even if I didnt buy LE items. Bref, your blog rocks! Congrats again to you and your awesome team!

viv Avatar

you are the best, christine!
your fotos are outstanding. your texts are intelligent and a pleasure to read.
i read you for about 6 years daily.
your hard work is fully appreciated!
and not to forget: your independency.
thank you and your team and please another 10 years 🙂

Olivia Avatar

I still to this day read your blog every day when I get to work every morning. I have been doing this since probably 2010… I only read CNN after I make sure I am caught up with Temptalia. Thank you for your hard work and your honest reviews. I know that we all appreciate your hard work. You are the authority that decides whether I purchase something or not. And you have even helped me to appreciate makeup in a different way. I went from hating makeup to really enjoying it! I know, why read a beauty blog if you hate it? You made me enjoy it! I don’t even remember how I found you but I am so glad that I did. Congratulations on 10 great years!

Katherine T. Avatar

What a wonderful and touching post! I stumbled across your blog in 2013, was lurking around shyly for months, then finally got the courage to make my first comment on Oct 3, 2014 and haven’t shut up ever since LOL ! At that time, I had no idea that was your 8th blog anniversary, but I remember it very distinctly because it was over the Hello Kitty Pop Up Party palette 🙂 Since none of my friends or family are into makeup, this has definitely become my second home. Thanks to all your hard work, I get honest reviews on so many products, and the opportunity to interact with other people who share my passion for makeup. Keep up the great work Christine!

monica Avatar

Congratulations on a decade Christine! I’ve been following you since your Live Journal days, when I used to be more of an active member in the beauty community. Since then I’ve tapered off but have always found your blog a great source of information and honest reviews. I’m a terrible at leaving comments, but I do read everything. Thanks so much for all of the dedication you put into the blog.

Chelle Avatar

It makes me wonder how long I’ve been reading this blog! I remember when you missed that one day (and I know you’ll forever remember it as the ONE DAMN DAY that got missed in a string of consistent posts).

I love that you did a recap of things in the past – it’s amazing how far this has come for you based on what was a collection of makeup looks. Congrats to you! I’ve been coming here for years, and I’ll continue to come back until you stop!

Some of my fondest memories of you were when you did YouTube for a bit (was fun to actually see you talk!), getting to see what your wedding dress looked like and what makeup you wore on that day… as well as purchasing Jealousy Wakes when it came out. I think that was the very first blogger collaboration at the time (that I knew of anyway) and I was soooo happy to support someone I read all the time.

Much love to you. 🙂

Christine Avatar

I guess there’s a reason why one is supposed to have some posts pre-written for “just in case,” LOL! I am getting closer to that, but I inevitably get caught up in taking tons of photos/swatches and then get behind on the writing.

I definitely think MAC was one of the first to collaborate with bloggers! It was a really cool experience – thank you for supporting my endeavor then and now!

Marie Avatar

I never post comments on blogs, websites… but it’s a special occasion ! Congrats Christine ! Thank you for all your work, 10 years with you behind my screen – sounds crazy ( and I feel old) -. All the best, regards from France.

Elizabeth Avatar

Wow…congratulations! Very well deserved success to someone I respect very much. I always trust your opinion not only for your professional demeanor, but you are so well mannered, cultured and intelligent. Bravo!

Amy Avatar

I want to thank you for the work you do, Christine. Not only have you and your team built a huge and reliable resource for makeup lovers, but for me you’ve made this an area of positivity that I visit throughout the day. Even when I’m having a rough time, this constant reminder of your dedication to your work motivates me. I truly enjoy the work that you do so much and even if you’re reviewing a product I would never consider buying, I still want to know your take on it. Hurray for 10 more years!

Vanessa Avatar

Congratulations and THANK YOU!!! Before I even ever thought about blogging I always have used you swatches as a reference before making a purchase. Now as a blogger you are a constant inspiration! Here is to your next 10 years!!

Stephanie Avatar

Congratulations on 10 fabulous years. Thanks for all the work you put into this passion we all share. I look forward to reading your blog every day, appreciate your honest reviews. Thanks for trying on so much makeup, and showing us what it looks like on. Thanks for being a darker skin twin to me. Helps me like you will never know.

Linda Avatar

What an accomplishment! Congratulations! ??? Thank you so much for the immense amounts of work you do, it is greatly appreciated. ?
Feels really good to have such a trustworthy opinion just a click away. Much love to you and your team! ❤

Rae Avatar

Christine, this is amazing. I am so, so blown away by what you’ve managed to create here at Temptalia, and I am always so proud of you whenever you (or the blog!) enter a new step in your life. It is such a treat to be able to read Temptalia every day, and I am always so excited see what you’re going to publish nest.

Sending you lots and lots of love on your big 1-0!

Alison Avatar

Christine, thank you so much for all the years of beauty enjoyment! I’m a long-time reader and always come back to Temptalia for the quality and transparency you provide. Glad you’re out in Phoenix now and here’s to another decade of top-notch blogging!

Christine Avatar

Thank you, Alison! 🙂 It has always been my pleasure!

I’m loving Arizona – it is funny because I feel like people doubted my move, but I really love it out here. The only thing I miss about California is sub-90 temperatures at night in the summer and my family! I just have to con my parents into retiring out here, LOL!

Melissa Avatar

Congrats on 10 years!

I totally remember when you used to put up eye looks on this site. I was in senior year of high school 10 yrs ago and starting to get into makeup and I did a look for prom based on something you posted. I loved the sunset colored eye looks you did. ^_^

Also that LJ community was awesome back in the day. I’m saddened that it turned into a BST thing, and really missed seeing looks and swatches and people’s crazy pigment collections.

Anyway, thank you for doing what you do best, for growing this project into something great over the years.

Joyce B. Avatar

Congratulations Christine! Yours was the first beauty blog I ever read- many years ago- and it’s still one of only 2 I follow every single day. Thank you- just thank you- for everything you have done for the makeup lovers community. Your reviews are invaluable. Celebrate!

Joyce B. Avatar

Karen at Makeup & Beauty Blog is the other one. I’m a lipstick fanatic though and your lip swatches are the be all and end all for me.

Robin Avatar

Happy Anniversary Chirstine! You and your team have made this site the ‘gold standard for cosmetic reviews. Kinda like the Consumer Reports for makeup folks! Lol. I read your site daily and check the archives for items that are new to me (for example, my new addiction to Colourpop).

I also love seeing pics of Mellan on ‘Friday’s. It starts my Friday’s in a great way.

I wish you continual success and blessings for you and your family.

Jocelyn Avatar

Wow, Christine! What a fantastic post! I’ve never doubted your gratitude for your readers or your passion for what you do, but it’s a joy to read it in your own words. I’m not exactly sure when I started visiting Temptalia, but it was near the beginning. I have undoubtedly contributed many thousands of page clicks, so for that you’re welcome. ? Seriously, though, it’s a pleasure to visit this site because it’s a reflection of your work ethic and I couldn’t really ask for more from a website representing one of my favorite pastimes. I’ve loved makeup since i was a little girl and at 37 years old, I still get giddy when I see your swatches. Well done, sister!

allison Avatar

So cool! I’ve been following you for about 2 years now, and i check the site at least 10 times a day!!! You effort and contribution to the beauty community is invaluable to me. Nothing makes me more excited to see something that I want to purchase pop up on your site and get a great review! Congrats on 10 great years, and to many many more!

Tammy Avatar

Okay, so I got a little emotional as I read this post. As an eavesdropper in 2011 and then a devoted daily reader from 2012 to the current day, I cannot tell you how much I love this blog. I am so grateful for a trustworthy site where I can look at reviews and photos of products, learn how to use different and innovative formulas, be inspired to create new looks and use new combinations of colors, to read the thoughts of others, and to share my own thoughts about all things make up! Thank you, Christine, for this WONDERFUL beauty blog. It makes my life a little bit brighter to check in here and indulge my passion for cosmetics with a like-minded community?

Christine Avatar

I started tearing up while writing the thank yous! I was pretty bleary-eyed when I writing out the part to my husband, so I figured I must have wore my heart on the sleeve for the post, haha!

I had to stop reading all of your comments today, because I needed to take photos and get swatches done and that’s NOT POSSIBLE WHEN UGLY CRYING!

Thank you, Tammy!!

J Avatar

Congratulations Christine! Ever since I discovered your blog many years ago it has become one of my “go to’s” for honest and thorough reviews. It has also been an amazing resource for me to find an excellent blogger with good swatches and similar colouring to mine – that means a lot for someone who frequently buys products sight unseen. Thanks for being such a great resource in the online beauty world!

Angelica Avatar

First comment for me as well, but a follower for a few years. I am so happy to have found Temptalia when I did. I click the tab in my favorites bar daily and look forward to each entry–it’s like eye candy! I could not be more grateful for the time you have spent reviewing makeup products for all of us. So, thank you, Christine. Congrats on 10 years and here’s to 10+ more!

Christina D. Avatar

Congratulations, Christine and Temptalia! I’ve read your blog for years although I only starting making comments relatively recently. You provide a great service to those of us who love cosmetics but prefer to spend our hard-earned money wisely. I feel pretty confident in my likes and needs at this point in my life, but I freely admit that I often refer to your reviews and especially those terrific swatches!

Thank you again and here’s to another 10 years and more of Temptalia!

Sam Avatar

Congratulations! I rarely buy without checking your honest, detailed reviews. You are the absolute best and I truly don’t know what I’d do without you.

Annette Avatar

This was such a heart warming read from the one beauty blog that I’ve come to admire and respect most over the years. I’ve been an RSS subscriber for at least 5 years and I’m so glad to see the progress.

Also seeing Magellan as a puppy again throws me through a loop =o

slick Avatar

Happy anniversary Christine! Been following since September 2007 after joining and see you in the mac_cosmetics community on LJ. I was just getting into makeup at the time and you have been my go-to resource since day one! I happen to have the same ethnic background and skin tone as you as well, so it was my makeup match made in heaven right off the bat 🙂 It has been a pleasure to follow you all these years. THANK YOU!

Christina Avatar

Congratulations Christine! Has it been that long already!! I guess I have been following you from the very start! I admire your worth ethic, your integrity, honesty, and professionalism, all while still being able to come across as warm and friendly–I think that’s a hard thing to balance, especially over the internet. I do love that you show us tidbits of your personal life here and there–it’s just enough to remind us that you’re a person, too, and you love makeup as much as we do! It’s too bad I never ran into you while you lived in the Bay Area. How neat would that have been? LOL!

Here’s to wishing you and your family many more years of success. And thank you for all the work you do in the beauty community!

Mia Avatar

Happy anniversary to the blog and congratulations, Christine! You are definitely a role model in my life, if for one reason, then for your sheer dedication to your job. Temptalia is the first place I go for reviews; this blog makes it so easy to navigate the beauty world and pick winners constantly. Though my skin type hasn’t always agreed with the products I’ve found through your reviews, I don’t expect it to, and I’ve still found favorites like the MUFE shadow formula through your hard work. You’re basically the Roger Ebert of makeup!

Do you have any new ideas in the works that you can share with us? And, I think you’ve done one before, but are you planning a 10th anniversary AMA on /r/MakeupAddiction?

Best,
Mia

Christine Avatar

Wow! Role model! Wow! I am honored, Mia – thank you 🙂 I also appreciate that you can separate that sometimes what worked well for me might not work well for you and it’s not a reflection of you or I being right/wrong! I am happy you have a few favorites, though 😀

We are currently working on a redesign/partial recode (bringing it up to the newest framework), which was supposed to include a major reworking of some of the user functionality of the site (user profiles, notifications, etc.) but some of that might be pushed after the design gets changed over, because it’s been taking longer than anticipated. The whole point of revamping and getting the user section fully fleshed out is to then start getting bids on a mobile app and whether it is financially feasible.

I was considering doing an AMA after the redesign goes live, so maybe then 🙂 And yes, I did one before!

Fiona Avatar

Congratulations, Christine! It’s such a challenge to keep a blog going, never mind for ten years so well done for your achievement. I love reading your blog and look forward to continuing to do so.

Monica Avatar

Christine, I want to echo your statement about the positive community here on your site. Having an online community that fosters thoughtful sharing and positivity is a testament to the care and integrity of the work that you produce. Happy anniversary! XOXO

Christine Avatar

Thank you, Monica! It means a lot to me to have such an awesome community, because I know that a lot of communities can feel clique-like, and I always disliked that as someone who tended to lurk, so I’m impressed by the type of lovely people who make up the Temptalia community!

Lisa Avatar

A HUGE congratulations! I’ve been consistently visiting your site the past few years.. Sometimes multiple times a day because I can’t get enough of new beauty updates and just seeing what you have to say. I love that your voice is unbiased and honest and how you can describe a product with such detail sometimes blows my mind. I’ve learned so much just reading your content.

Thank you for creating a safe space where all individuals can unite to share tips and converse. I bow down to you Christine, much respect for what you do. There’s really no place like Temptalia! Seriously if I ever met you I would tots fan girl! Lol

Natasha Avatar

Congratulations Christine! I want to echo what others have said, that your objectivity and sense of integrity, as well as overall uniformity and thoroughness when evaluating a product is spectacular. Whenever a product catches my eye, I head over here to see if you’ve reviewed it because I know I can trust your judgement.
I’m also amazed at how you make it a point to interact with your readers and answer questions everyday, even with all the reviews you put out. We appreciate your hard work and I hope you continue to enjoy it as much as we do. Cheers!

Ginny Avatar

I simply couldn’t live without the Dupe List and Side by Side. And I always appreciate your no-nonsense approach to reviewing. You bring those much-hyped products back to earth lol! Keeping it real with that elusive Temptalia Recommends!

I’ve only been seriously into makeup for about five years. Blogs and vlogs have come and gone, but from the day I discovered Temptalia it’s been a constant. Actually you’re in my top 2 blogs, period, on any subject matter. Probably haven’t missed a post in three some odd years? (When you post on *Christmas*, girl, I’m reading!). I greatly admire your work ethic and your professionalism.

::close credits to Simply the Best by Tina Turner::

Christine Avatar

I love that you use the Side by Side feature, Ginny!! It’s so handy for me, haha!

I can’t believe you haven’t missed a post in three years! That’s awesome! The way I look at holidays (and weekends, to some extent) is that my audience is truly global with diverse backgrounds, so a holiday to me is not necessarily a holiday to others! I think NOT posting anything in a day would just feel so weird to me now, as well!

AB Avatar

I have utter respect, gratitude and enjoyment from your blog that is a service and a generosity. I read i every day, and sometimes it’s the only one I read while on international travel to give me a sense of home. Your even-handedness, constant spirit of exploration, and masterful handling so a community develops are amazing. And the core of it all, the research and reviews, have saved me like a zillion dollars! So thanks to you and all who support you for being a gold standard in the blogosphere.

Risa Avatar

This is so awesome. Congrats on all of your success, Christine! You deserve it! This is the one place on the internet where we never have to question the transparency and objectivity that goes into reviews of these products, and I think that’s a heck of an accomplishment. I was super excited when you joined Reddit and immediately became a valuable contributor there too! You’re my go-to resource for reviews, swatches, and just general product knowledge (just like for everyone else that loves makeup). You and your team are awesome, and I love that the blog is always evolving–it shows how much you care about what you do and about your readers. Here’s to another ten years!

Christine Avatar

Thank you, Risa! I can’t express to you how reassuring that is for me, because I have become more and more disillusioned with reviews in general (not just in beauty) because of lack of transparency and how some brands leverage influencers, and I don’t want someone to feel that way about me!

Indya Avatar

And THANK YOU for staying real! I’d say 90% of my purchases are based in some way off your reviews. Sometimes I fall for the hype (getting better at not doing that), but most times I say, I’ll wait for Christine’s review, or Christine gave that bad marks — not buying it! Your blog is a huge source of information and I hope you continue it for many many years to come! Happy Anniversary!

emily Avatar

Happy Anniversary. I love you blog. I’m very impressed how many reviews you put out daily every day of the week. I’ve found myself in Ulta, Sephora etc talking to other shoppers and referencing your blog. So glad you’re able to live your dream :).

Abigail Avatar

Christine,

Wow 10 years–Huge congratulations!!! You deserve every bit of recognition because of your hard work and commitment. Your love for what you do translates so clearly on your posts. I wish you continued success and nothing less than the best. You know I’ve been a longtime fan and it is a joy to watch you and your craft grow. Maybe a printed publication is in the cards…? I’m in when you’re ready. 😉

Much love and all the best!
Abigail Devera

Gina Avatar

I found your blog in the middle of my divorce. At the time I had just had my 2nd child and desperately needed confidence. I’ve really fallen in love with makeup as a hobby and I spend a ton of money on it but your blog really helps me make informed decisions about what I spend my money on. I appreciate you always responding to my comments & e-mails and the sheer quantity of your posts. I love having new stuff to read about. This now sounds like a combo of sappy & robotoic so I’ll end it here and just say THANK YOU Christine, there really is no other beauty blog that compares to Temptalia.

Bonnie Avatar

Congrats on 10 years, Christine! I didn’t know Temptalia started that long ago. Really enjoyed reading the timeline and look back through the years. What a huge accomplishment! You do a great job and should be very proud. ?

Sonya Mann Avatar

Congratulations, Christine! Temptalia is an invaluable resource and a very impressive accomplishment on your part. I rarely comment here but I frequently read your reviews and reference the Dupe List. Here’s to another ten years, and beyond 🙂

Kitty Avatar

Wow what a journey! Congratulations! I really value the time, dedication and honesty that you put into this site and your reviews. You are the only makeup blogger that I follow at all — you are that good! Your reviews are timely and spot on, not to mention enjoyable to read.

The “baby” photo of Mellan is super cute too!

Nicole D Avatar

Christine, thank you so much for your blog! I learnt so much from your reviews, which easily became a key reference for me when buying beauty products (hmm… I’ve tried to find the right translation for the French “référence incontournable” and I feel that “key reference” might not be the exact one; French Canadian here 🙂 ). I love and admire your authenticity, thoroughness, hard work, dedication and the list may go on. Congratulations and all the best to you and your family !!!

Deborah S. Avatar

Congratulations to you Christine and to everyone behind the scenes. I have been a follower for quite awhile but I hadn’t commented until relatively recently. My journey to Temptalia began with googling different products and always seeing “Temptalia” come up. Usually I was looking for where I could buy something as I live in the boondocks. I started clicking and reading and over time familiarized myself with the blog. Today it is an invaluable and intrinsic source of reviews, accurate photos, beautiful inspiration and a fellowship of sorts with other like minded people. This is the only beauty blog that I follow now and has been the only one that I need. Thank you for all of the hard work and dedication over the years and I look forward to at least 20 more. Since I am 62 I am not sure I will get any more than that but my daughter will carry on for me, LOL.

Christine Avatar

So glad the blog has helped you with your purchases, Deborah! I used to live a little more rural, so I got used to doing a lot of online shopping myself, and I can appreciate that any help and insight before buying can be so useful!

Let’s double it to 40 for both the both of us 🙂

Donya Avatar

Congratulations! I joined the fun a little over a year ago. I know there are a zillion blogs/vlogs all over and I am not sure how I stumbled across yours but it is literally the only one I subscribe to! I will occasionally google for swatch photos since I am much paler than you but in the time I have been reading Temptalia and interacting with the question of the day, I went from “I used to have great makeup but now I am married with kids” to “yeah, I can still rock it, and NOW I can actually afford this stuff!”. My husband and friends can attest to the difference in my self esteem. I learned about skincare in your 50s, hooded eyes, and much more. Just recently, you mentioned something that made me realize you are in Arizona so now when you say “it lasts”, I know it will last in MY ENVIRONMENT. Thank you for your tireless hours! xo

Christine Avatar

Right on! Sometimes growing up has its perks 😀 Happy to hear that you’ve been able to learn more about self-care and how it has improved your self-esteem!

Yep, I am here in Arizona! It will be a year in a couple of days, lol! While it’s a dry heat, it is a HEAT in the summer, and that was definitely interesting when testing base products!

Kira Avatar

Love you, Christine! Congratulations on all your well-earned success and accolades. The journey you’ve been on is truly incredible. I kind of wanted to read more, haha! I remember first seeing your baby site in 2006, though it was in the 2012 range when I believe I became completely addicted. Your site is addicting not just because makeup and beauty are wildly fun, but because your reportage is lightning fast and clearly the best! Your prose is always interesting and nuanced and I truly appreciate it 🙂 Hear, hear — to Christine, Temptalia, and the team that makes it all come together!

Christine Avatar

Love you, too, Kira! Ten years on the blog, but that just means we’ve known each other HOW LONG now? You were always one of the smartest people I knew growing up, so being able to keep you engaged and reading is a particularly personal goal for me 😉

Irene Avatar

Thank you so much for your hard work, and for making what I consider the golden standard of beauty blogging. I hardly ever purchase any beauty products without first checking for your review of it!

Chacha Avatar

We love you Christine. For me it start by hearing your name when someone talk about her wishlist of products he want because she ssaw it on Temptalia…After that when iam searching for swatches for hot products on google,everytime i saw you and ask who are this girl with reviews for every products?!…Later of this,i start to read you more and more…One day i am become a suscriber and trust me,only shop online have my email,and you’re are the one blogger in all around the world that iam suscriber for the newsletter…With the difference of time between you and me i received your newsletter everyday before to go to bed at 11pm and its ever a pleasure to read you…And finally i start to comment and join the community 🙂 And trust me again i dont comment everywhere,its so so rare when i do it,but you are an exception,and iam ever happy to do it,because its exciting! the way that you turn your blog its interesting and the love for makeup do the rest…<3

Kylie5 Avatar

10 years? 10 years ago I didn’t Even Know that Blogs exist or what it is. I began with Reading blogs/looking for swatches in 2011 When I started Collecting nail polish. I think about 3 years ago I switched from nail polish to makeup especially Mac and came to your blog. I like your Blog Most of all. I only have 2 blogs I get a Mail from, yours and one from Austria. And When I am looking for swatches I First Look if you have a picture of it.
THANK YOU !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Nancy T Avatar

My most sincere kudos and congrats to you, Christine, and to your team!!!
Up until just now, I had not known your backstory or the history of your blog. Reading it actually moved me to do something I almost never do: tear up! But they were happy tears, appreciative tears, not sad ones. Making ones true passion their career is something I firmly am in favor of. Because ones career ought to give one a strong sense of satisfaction and accomplishment. And I am genuinely glad for your success at doing exactly that!

Up until my fellow makeup loving daughter, Sabrina, introduced me to your blog back in 2009, I had not been a makeup blog reader at all. Didn’t really even know of their existence, to be honest. I was very impressed! And then she helped me get foundation matches on your Foundation Matrix, and from then on, I have been able to get the undertones and depth correct. I had a tendency to go too light and neutral before that: aka: Floating Head Syndrome!

When I read the part about your husband being a web designer (would have been my personal dream job), it bolstered my desire to contact Voc. Rehab to see about going back to school for training! The only other thing I could see myself doing would be actually creating makeup. That would be Nirvana!

May Temptalia stick around for many, many more years as younger generations of makeup lovers grow up and discover this phenomenal blog!

Christine Avatar

I don’t even know if I’ve ever talked about pre-blog/pre-college on the blog much – probably in passing but not sure if I ever wrote it up. I’ve noticed with people I know, the ones that live happier lives are ones that have greater joy at work – and it makes sense as we spend so much time working that if we are miserable at work, it takes its toll.

You must give Sabrina a big hug and a thank you from me for introducing you to the bog! It is great to have you here, and I always look forward to reading your comments.

Best wishes as you look into going back to school! That is a worthy pursuit!

Arantza Avatar

Congratulations Christine!
I follow you from Spain since 2007 (I believe…) and you have became my making-decisions-reference.
You “made” me buy that Chanel Dragon when it was about to get discontinued! 🙂 And I never buy anything without reading your reviews, so I wanna say a BIG THANK YOU (to all the Temptalia staff) for all your hard work and dedication!

Liesbeth Avatar

Huge congratulations on reaching this milestone Christine! I can’t count the hours I’ve spent on your wonderful website, that just keeps evolving to higher levels. Your writing and photography is top notch and I trust your reviews, this is truly one of my favourite places on the interwebz 🙂
Thank you for sharing your love of makeup with the world!
Love.

Alix Avatar

Happy anniversary, Christine! Temptalia is by far my favorite beauty blog. Not just fun to read, but tremendously informative as well. Here’s to the next ten years!

LindaP Avatar

Congrats, Christine! Long time reader, short time contributor sending you hugs and a shout out for such an outstanding site.

As I have mentioned before, I work in digital marketing, and I really, really get how hard this can be, how relentless content production is, and how much time it takes to build and sustain this work. You deserve the life rewards for this site that provides so much service to your followers, and is so intelligent. Have you seen what else is out there? 😉

Way to go and outstanding continued success to you.

Christine Avatar

The sustaining is the part that seems to be harder for some – I am told that is one of my strong suits… the ability to push through and just keep on trucking. I know someone who always starts really strong, and they can end strong, but it’s slogging through the middle to get to the end that is the real challenge.

Thank you so much for always taking the time to comment and share your thoughts, Linda! 🙂

Katie Avatar

You are the one of the most thorough, honest reviewers in the online beauty community, and manage to be a genuinely kind person in an industry that can be…dramatic at times (to put it lightly). You have totally earned your success and I will be reading as long as you keep blogging!

CeeBee Avatar

Congratulations on the amazing journey and thank you for sharing your passion with us – I know you are the “go-to” person for swatches and reviews for so many and you deserve so much recognition and appreciation for all your hard work! I have been reading since 2009 and it’s been such a joy to see Temptalia grow and expand.

You have created and built something incredible!

Dua Avatar

We should be the ones to say Thank You for comitting to the website and always keeping it real and being up to date with the non-ending realeases. For years you’ve been my buying reference and I learned a lot about the products and quality from you.

Thank you once again and wishing you nothing but the best.

Dee Avatar