Wednesday, May 22, 2013

Why Aren't Readers Flocking To Your Blog? Are You Guilty of These Blogging Sins?

Top 10 Reasons I Don't Read Your Beauty Blog

I get asked a lot to look at other people's blogs and tell them what is wrong, why don't they have thousands of hits a day after they've been on the internet for all of a week. (Yes, really.) Surprisingly enough, most of those blogs are committing the same deadly blogging sins over and over. I thought I'd write them all up into one place, maybe some people will take a hint (especially about the random use of capital letters) and fix some of these issues!


1. Your photography sucks
I run from blogs with bad pictures. Is everything skewed to a strange tint? Learn how to set your color balance. Or fix it in iPhoto or photoshop so it looks true to life. I don't care what that lipstick looks like if everything looks green. I've had some other bloggers (ok, really just one) play high and mighty in a blogging group and say that she considers it against her integrity to alter any pictures. Implying that the rest of us are as bad as the magazines that make celebs look flawless and 20 pounds skinnier because we corrected a lighting issue. Get off your high horse. Readers want to see what something looks like, it's why they come to a blog (because you know that the companies don't have accurate pics on their sites).


2. Your photos are too small
That tiny picture of your little swatch on your arm? I don't need to see your whole arm. And the entire picture needs to be bigger than 100px wide. Please and thank you. Please learn to crop and zoom.


3. You only post about products you LOVE or HATE
No one wants to read about you gushing over a product all the time or complaining that you didn't like the floral scent of a lotion and therefore the product is horrible... Be honest, explain what a product is like, how it worked for you and how it could have been better for you or who it would have worked better for. Those posts come across as more genuine and honest (because they are) rather than sounding like you were paid for your endorsement.


4. You aren't disclosing properly
I admit that I'm a bit of a fanatic about FTC disclosures (I was high profile about them when they were first introduced to the blogosphere thanks to a Social Media for Dummies book I was interviewed in as well as a Forbes.com article), but now it comes across as either you're too stupid to do it correctly or think you're above it. Either way, it's definitely noticeable when you only have a "c/o" label in your small print explanation of that look of the day.


5. I can't search your site
Where's your search box? Readers want to know what you thought of X, Y or Z. Let them find it more easily.


6. I can't follow you on social media
At the very least, you should have your RSS automatically going to a Twitter Feed and/or Facebook page. Even if you don't touch them, you'll be glad you set it up later when you do want to interact more. Set it up.


7. Social Media corollary.... I can't pin your images.
What is up with that? Is that picture of your eyeball or arm swatch so precious that you won't let me pin it? Slap your website on it as a watermark and let me pin it. I get about 6x more traffic from Pinterest than Google in any given month. Really, it's worth it to let someone pin.


8. You don't have a unique voice
You might love Pink Sith's blog, but she has a very unique style. Writing in the same voice as her comes across as forced and fake. Find your own voice, make it your own and develop it. Copying someone else's style, posting about the same stuff as them 1 day later... Readers catch on to those things and you'll find your blog boring to keep up with. Find what makes you unique, your own voice and perspective and work on that point of view. If I want to know what Pink Sith says, I'm going to head to her site instead of your site, she's funnier than you.


9. Your site makes my eyes bleed
All of your different tags everywhere linking to other blogs, 10 different affiliate banners and adsense blocks, that purple background with pink writing... I just can't take it! Simplify as much as you can, make your site easy to read with a nice big area for posts and put your search bar and social media buttons up top. Done. Now I can navigate and read your site and won't just close it as soon as that page loads (eventually). Oh yeah, I'm going to close the window if your site takes more than 30 seconds to load. Fix that. No one needs a musical soundtrack while they read your blog.


10. Your writing is just...bad.
I'm not being elitist here (I haven't taken an english or writing class since high school), but when you start purposefully misspelling words, mixing up their and there and throWiNg in RandOm Capital LeTtErs it makes me insane. Try to adhere to some basic grammer rules, spell check is your friend, and the capital letters should be used and used in the correct manner. If you're guilty of any of the above and are wondering why PR isn't coming to you with information on their clients, that is the answer. They would be embarrassed to send the placement to their client.


Did I miss anything? Have you been guilty of any of these issues? I'm sure we all have been guilty at one point or another, but fixing them will make your site more user friendly and I guarantee that will result in more traffic.

Tuesday, May 21, 2013

Get the Look: Léa Seydoux at Cannes Film Festival

Nothing to Disclose
Get the Look: Léa Seydoux at Cannes Film Festival

Celebrity makeup artist Saraï Fiszel created the look for Léa Seydoux for the premiere of “The Grand Central” at the 2013 Cannes Film Festival. If only the products would give me her full lips...

Eyes
Saraï started by applying just a few individual lashes to the outer corners and then applying Votre Vu’s Eiffel Power mascara. To create thicker looking lashes, Saraï took the mascara brush and wiped off some of the product with a tissue. She then meticulously applied the mascara making sure to coat each lash and then went back and layered the mascara several times, each time using the same method.

For her brows, Saraï used Arch de Triumphe in Warm and applied it with the Brow Brush & Shaper first to her hand to ensure that it didn’t apply too heavily and then filled in her brows lightly to look natural and not too defined.

Face
It was raining really hard the night of the premiere, so Saraï wanted to make sure that Léa’s makeup would withstand the weather and look fresh and dewy all night. Starting with the base, Saraï first applied a layer of Love Me Deux in Paris and then lightly powdered her face with a YSL pressed powder. The trick is to then apply another layer of the tinted moisturizer on top of the powder wherever needed to make sure that it stays on really well and doesn’t look cakey.

Then, Saraï took Beauté en Bronze and applied it all over the face with a thick brush that wasn’t too dense. “The brush makes all the difference when applying bronzer to the face because you want it to apply evenly and without patches.” After dusting the bronzer all over, Saraï then went back with a denser brush to contour the face and create a nicer angle.

Lips
To finish off the femme fatale look, Saraï created a deep red lip using Votre Vu’s French Kiss Moisture Riche Lipstick in Margaux.

Finishing Touch
Use a lip balm on the eyelids and cheekbones for a fresh, dewy look. “There’s something sexy about a little glossy eyelid and on the cheekbones to make it look like you don’t have any makeup on,” says Saraï.

Votre Vu

Monday, May 20, 2013

Get the Look: Zoe Saldana at the Blood Ties Premiere

Nothing to Report
Get the Look: Zoe Saldana at the Blood Ties Premiere

Eyes
• First, Steimberg lined the eyes using Laura Mercier Crème Eye Liner in Noir using the Angled Eye Liner Brush, and extended the line outward.

• Next, she applied Illuminating Eye Colour in Fire Glow under Saldana’s eyes, close to her lashes to give her a “golden luminescent colour.”

• For added definition, Steimberg applied a combination of Illuminating Eye Colour in Fire Glow and Caviar Stick Eye Colour in Cocoa to the tops of Saldana’s eyelids.

• She added the final touch of glamour by applying multiple coats of Laura Mercier Faux Lash Mascara in Black to the actress’ top and bottom lashes, along with a few individual faux lashes.


Face
• Steimberg covered minor imperfections using Laura Mercier Secret Camouflage in SC-6 and then applied Secret Concealer in #3 underneath Saldana’s eyes.

• Next, she lightly dusted Laura Mercier Mineral Illuminating Powder in Candlelight all over the star’s face to create a natural glow.

• Lastly, Steimberg applied Crème Cheek Colour in Rosebud to the apples of Saldana’s cheeks to give her a natural, soft flush of colour.


Lips
• Steimberg applied Laura Mercier Stickgloss Lip Colour in Cranberry to Saldana’s lips. She noted that it was the perfect red to complement the rest of the makeup and that there was no better place to “rock” a red lip than France.


Laura Mercier

The Favorite Beauty Products of an Expert: Jamie Sanders from The Beauty of Life

Nothing to Disclose

The Favorite Beauty Products of an Expert: Jamie Sanders from The Beauty of Life

1) Stila Lip Glaze in Starfruit: This has been my favorite lipgloss for at least 10 years! It's the perfect peach/pink hybrid and, while it's a bit sticky, works for every skin tone and lasts for hours.

2) Seche Vite: Hands down (no pun intended), the absolute best top coat. It dries nails in five minutes flat, cuts down on chipping and keeps them looking glossy for over a week!

3) CND Stickey: The only base coat I like - and I've tried a lot! Keeps nails from yellowing and helps polish adhere to the nail better.

4) Garnier Fructis Sleek & Shine Intensely Smooth Leave In Conditioning Cream: I need to use a leave-in conditioner or I can't get a brush through my hair. This one makes every strand sleek, shiny and manageable; plus, it smells fantastic.

5) Stella McCartney Stella: I went through a phase where I thought I didn't need a signature scent and wore a different one every day. That changed when I found this intoxicating fragrance. Everyone -- and I mean EVERYONE -- compliments me whenever I wear it.

6) Bonne Bell Lip Smackers: It may make me a tween, but I can't help it -- these lip balms just make my lips feel better than every other balm I've tried (and believe me, I've tried a lot). Plus, you just can't go wrong with flavors like Strawberry or Watermelon!

7) MAC Paint Pots: I love them ALL. Really, I have every limited edition one and every one that makes its way into the permanent collection (Painterly is my favorite)! I love that they dry without creasing and look amazing on their own or layered under other shadows.

8) CeraVe Hydrating Cleanser: So, admittedly, I'm not really someone who washes her face all that much ... well, until now, since this amazing cleanser came into my life. It makes my skin super soft and smooth, I never break out from using it, and it even comes in a travel size.

9) Garnier Moisture Rescue Refreshing Gel-Cream for Dry Skin: This is my skin SAVIOR. It's light but somehow thick enough for summer or winter, and it keeps my skin from drying out (which is perfect, since I travel so much).

10) Deborah Lippmann Believe: If I could only use one nail color for the rest of my life, this would be it. The gold and silver glittery hybrid is just sparkly enough for day while remaining super flashy for night.



Jamie Allison Sanders has a lifelong passion for beauty. Playing the Youngest Royal Child in The King and I at 4 years old (complete with a full face of pancake makeup and loads of black eyeliner) was just the beginning. Over the years, she's cultivated her obsessions of bold nail polish (Chanel, Deborah Lippmann and Rescue Beauty Lounge top her list), candles (her collection of over 60 includes BURN and Diptyque) and all things M.A.C. And yes, she still has her two Caboodles from 1991!

You can read Jamie's blog, The Beauty of Life

Sunday, May 19, 2013

Don't Forget! Great Contests to Enter

You could win one of 2 $455 skin care make overs with Your Best Face Products!
Enter to win skin care

Want some help looking tan, but don't want to ruin your skin with sun exposure? My favorite sunless tanner is Beautisol, and I've teamed up with them to hold a giveaway for samples! You can enter daily.
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Dr. Cynthia Bailey is giving away a Clarisonic! Go enter to win a Clarisonic now!

Know a deserving mom? You can nominate her to win a huge beauty giveaway!
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Prime Beauty is giving away a Lancome Visionnaire Advanced Skin Corrector. Enter to win!