Bloggie Wednesdays: Confessions of a Beauty Blogger

Bloggie Wednesdays: Confessions of a Beauty Blogger

Happy hump day, fellow beautyholics!

Since it’s Wednesday and I’m dragging my behind over the week hump as usual, I thought I’d write a more lighthearted Bloggie Wednesday post today compared to my usually dry, technical ones. 😛

Forgive me, oh readers, for I have sinned. My last confession was … er … never. Today, I’m sharing some of my blogging secrets and confessions with you. They’re not secrets to gaining more readers or scoring a fantastic Google page rank. They’re little secrets that I do on the blog that make it look all fancypants but in reality, it’s all just smoke and mirrors.

Be warned when reading this post for it will strip your good (I hope) impression of me and the blog.

SO WHY AM I EVEN TELLING YOU ALL THIS??

I blame the summer heat. It’s turning my brains to jelly.

1. I Photoshop my nail photos

Oh dear, the dreaded word on the blogosphere: Photoshop. I may write a lot about beauty but truth be told, I have the gnarliest cuticles ever. They’re terribly dry and peely. They don’t improve much even with lots of cuticle oil. But I do love nail polish and want to share my likes and dislikes with you. So I edit the grottiness away. I’m sorry if this disappoints you; it’s not something I’m proud of but trust me, if you see the unedited photos, they will turn you off nail polish forever. I guarantee it.

2. I’m not as neat as you think

My desk isn’t as neat as you see in a lot of photos I post during Bloggie Wednesdays. I feel bad when I receive a lot of compliments about how neat my desk is because in reality, it’s far from it. Most of my stuff are on the floor or pushed to a corner just so you see a strategically placed lit candle and iPad (I don’t place the iPad on the desk. Hello, my arms need more space, not the iPad). I’m not the kind of person who can just have a computer, a potted plant, a candle, a notebook and a pen on the desk. I need my shit stuff.

Like I said, it’s all just for the photos.

3. I live in my pyjamas

For every FOTD or makeup look post that I do, I have on a proper top for the camera but will be wearing pyjama bottoms that you can’t see. Sometimes I even try to “fancy up” my PJ top. 😛

4. They didn’t teach me that many colours in school

When I don’t know how to describe a colour or scent (especially the former. It’s so hard to describe colours! It’s not just red. It’s maroon, scarlet, raspberry, rose, vermilion, wine, etc.), I check reviews on blogs like Temptalia and Makeup and Beauty Blog, and use their descriptions instead. Why reinvent the wheel, or in this case, reinvent a colour? 😛

5. I like to show you my fingers

For nail polish swatches, I don’t bother painting the thumbnail, which is why you only see 4 fingers at a time. I don’t want to have to show you the claw. 😛

6. I still don’t know how to apply false eyelashes properly

They look good in their packaging and they look good when someone else applies the falsies on me. But whenever I try handling them, it’s like handling a cockroach with many furry legs and trying to stick that roach on my eyes. I haven’t given up yet because I will conquer you, YOU FLIMSY @#$%!!

7. I’m too boring to not wear neutrals

I love applying and photographing green eyeshadows for the blog but in real life, I seldom wear them. I prefer my neutrals. I adore emerald green eyeshadows and think they’re so very pretty. But I also like my browns. I do wear other colours but I wear neutrals a lot more. I’m quite dull in real life as you can see. 😛

8. I’m a hair cheapskate

I spend a lot of money on my face in terms of skincare but I’m quite a cheapskate when it comes to my hair. Unless it’s for a good hair cut and colour (I don’t compromise on this), I don’t like to spend a lot of money on it and usually just buy drugstore brands. It’s ironic because my hair is in a lot worse shape than my skin. Having said that, there’s a lot of very good drugstore haircare that are more than comparable to the expensive stuff.

9. Google is my best friend

When I say “research” on the blog, I mean Google the crap out of the topic. Er, don’t we all? 😛

10. So are big hair clips

My hair might look wooshy/sleeked/nicely coiffed, etc in FOTD and makeup look posts but that’s just strategically placed hair clips that you can’t see. It’s like bulldog clips on clothes that don’t fit mannequins.

So, have I burst your beauty blogger bubble yet?

If you’re a blogger, go on, ‘fess up. What’s one thing that you do behind the scenes that aren’t al that glamorous? No judgement here. Hello, I have shitty cuticles.

😉

Bloggie Wednesdays is a series of articles just on blogging. They contain tips, how-tos, discussions about anything and everything you need to know about blogging and how we can be better bloggers. If you have any suggestions, tips and tricks about blogging you would like to share with us, or if you have any questions you would like me to address, please let us know in the comments.

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44 comments… add one
  1. LeGeeque

    Most hilarious shit ever. Spill it alll! 😀

    1. Tine

      Very glad you enjoyed my most hilarious shit. 😛

  2. Rebecca

    I can identify with so many of these things. Definitely with the pajamas, being a hair cheapskate, and the er… not-so-tidiness. I also may have Photoshopped out a spot or two. Shh, don’t tell.
    Rebecca recently posted..Memebox 4th Global Edition Review (Korean Beauty Box)My Profile

    1. Tine

      I won’t tell if you won’t. Oh wait, I just outed myself, didn’t i? *facepalm*

  3. Kate from Seduced by Beauty

    If only I knew how to use photoshop!! Unfortunately due to my lack of technical ability I haven’t managed to work out how to use photoshop to erase my wrinkles but I SO would if I could 🙂

    I have done YouTube videos and FOTD’s with pj bottoms on – along with ugg boots. Anything that is out of the shot I don’t worry about and I couldn’t share my work space either as it looks like a bomb went off.

    So glad to know that I am not the only one and that you are human too 🙂
    Kate from Seduced by Beauty recently posted..5 essential products to help with the heatMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Try the online image editor, PicMonkey. It’s my favourite editor next to Photoshop (especially when I’m traveling and have no access to the software). They have a variety of *ahem* “beautifying” tools that erases at least ten years off your face. I tried it out once and omg, I had white teeth, zero wrinkles under my eyes and flawless skin. It looked too good to be true so I never publish those photos on the blog. But in a pinch and you want to remove a pesky spot, really, I can’t recommend PicMonkey enough (they should pay me for the amount of free advertising I give them).

      1. Kate from Seduced by Beauty

        Thanks for the recommendation Tine – I have been using PicMonkey for a while and love it although I haven’t erased any wrinkles with it. I love it for the ease that I can add text to my photos etc and it is easy for dummies like me to use 🙂 I love that you didn’t feel the need to wear makeup in the photo – I couldn’t do that for fear of people never returning to my blog!!
        Kate from Seduced by Beauty recently posted..5 essential products to help with the heatMy Profile

        1. Tine

          Oh I’m sure people would return to your blog! Sneak a couple of makeup-free photos in once in a while. I can guarantee you that more often than not, people wouldn’t even notice 😛

    2. Tine

      Damn, I clicked on Submit Comment before I even finished!

      Oh I’m most definitely human. Most images in base makeup reviews, I don’t even have eye makeup on. The photo in the picture above? Zero makeup. Couldn’t be arsed. Call me a beauty blogger? 😛

  4. Sarah

    Love this! I too love to live in my PJs or harem pants and Google is my best friend (blogging wise!). 🙂

    Loving the new blog design, too!
    Sarah recently posted..Gong Xi Fa Cai! A Chinese New Year gift to myself… Glasshouse’s Hong Kong/Double Happiness limited edition releaseMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Thanks Sarah! I may or may not have, on occasion, also wear my PJ top in FOTD photos. I just cover it with a scarf looking all boho and stuff. 😛

  5. Jess @ Miss J. Shopaholic

    Hahaha love this post! I’m guilty of most of these too, especially the 4 finger nail swatches and wearing PJ bottoms but a nice top for photos/videos! 😀
    Jess @ Miss J. Shopaholic recently posted..NARS Fall 2013 Single Eyeshadows in Yamal, Bavaria & Kamchatka!My Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahaha yay for four finger nail swatches! The angles with the thumb just aren’t flattering, no matter how I try. I almost always end up with the claw. Plus it’s one more to paint and I’m lazy like that. 😛

  6. Maddy

    Interesting post!! I know what you mean about cuticles…I prep mine for days before doing nail swatch and if they are still not perfect, I just angle my hand in a way to avoid it 😉 I also fail at reapplying hand cream and lipstick. I can’t style my hair to save my life. Remember the MBBE event in 2011, I had practiced the hair look weeks before the event and even then on the day, I was in tears doing it.

    1. Tine

      Hahahaha love, you looked absolutely FABULOUS during that MBBE day. You had nothing to even worry about!

  7. Paris B

    Teehee loved this one, gonna steal it one day 😀 In my case, for nail polish (whenever I do them) I just apply on 2 fingers and then immediately clean them off. I hate wearing polish and I’ve come to terms with it 😛
    Paris B recently posted..Penhaligon’s Zizonia: A 1930′s original perfume that chose meMy Profile

    1. Tine

      I’m looking forward to you spilling your secrets! I’ll start you off with those gorgeous floor and curtain pics. Oooops did I spill the beans too soon? 😛
      Damn, I should start doing two finger nail swatches too. That’s two less fingers to paint!

  8. Allison

    Hysterical! You had me fooled 😉
    Allison recently posted..Michael Todd True Organics Anti-aging Face Lift: A Failure for MeMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Hehehe I sure did! 😀

  9. Norlin

    OMG…naughty naughty! LOL! Actually…I would’ve thought you were sharing stuff about me! Yeah, I use Google, I can’t for the life of me apply falsies (I can but they’re NEVER even!!!), the last post I did on styling my hair…well, that was after I got back from the gym and was still in my gym gear. Good thing I was wearing a black top! I just did my makeup and hair so that I can wash them all off afterwards. 😉
    Norlin recently posted..Health & Lifestyle: Getting My Juice OnMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Haha see, I know you have your secrets too! 😉

  10. Victoria

    Hahaha…this must be your most hilarious post ever Tine! Thank you for your honesty and I certainly would not judge you worse because of it. LOL. Plus I already knew you wore a pyjama bottom and a nice top when you do your FOTDs 🙂

    1. Tine

      Hehehe so glad you enjoyed it! Damn, I wasn’t at all good at hiding that fact, am I? 😛

  11. lyn

    Such a cute post but I can relate to a few of your secrets especially the “colour description lookup” 🙂
    lyn recently posted..A Deadly Attraction to Chanel Illusion D’Ombre in FatalMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Seriously, that colour description lookup thing? I salute people who can come up with accurate colour descriptions. For me, it’s like, it’s orangey-red-brown, whatever the heck that means. Oh, there’s a word for it – sienna. Yeah, no one taught me that in school. 😛

  12. Evelyn (cotton candy diva)

    I’m not the best at applying false lashes either, so when I do get them on perfectly it makes me happy lol…ironic since I have a large lash stash, but my most used lashes are the half/accent lashes lol

    okay, one of my blogging confessions…when doing nail swatches/nail art I very rarely paint both hands lol (usually only my left hand, because I’m right handed and am bad at applying nail polish neatly on my right hand! haha)

    thanks for sharing xo
    Evelyn (cotton candy diva) recently posted..Favourite Aussie Beauty ProductsMy Profile

    1. Tine

      OMG I have a huge false eyelash stash too! They’re either PR samples or the stuff I get from Daiso for “practice”. I end up wasting so many shitty ones.

      Err, for nail swatches, I never ever paint the other hand. Why? No one’s going to see the other hand. 😉

  13. gio

    Great post! I’m guilty of most of these too, especially numbers 3 and 4. Some colours can be really hard to describe!
    gio recently posted..Can Eucerin Hyaluron Filler Concentrate Really Fight Wrinkles?My Profile

    1. Tine

      Haha I know, right? No, it’s not bluish purple. It’s periwinkle. I’m like whaaaaat?

  14. My cuticles are HORRIBLE right now; winter is not playin around this year. And I still don’t know a thing about falsies, but it’s a goal of mine to become proficient with em 🙂 I’m definitely following your blog now! ♥
    Galaxia @ Hopeful Kiss | A Pink Lipstick Life! recently posted..Light Pink Lipstick | Matte and PrettyMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Aww thanks Galaxia, welcome welcome! Welcome to the club of grotty cuticles. 😛

  15. issy

    Love this! So you are human after all… hehehehee :o)

    1. Tine

      Hehehe apologies for bursting the bubble. 😉

  16. Hilary

    Lol – Love it! 😀 Me too on the falsies – I have quite a sizeable stash of them now, but have only worn them twice in my life – once when a friend got me a pair and a fitting session on a MAC counter as a Christmas pressie before we went out on the lash and once for my wedding, again fitted by MAC when they did my make up that morning. They look pretty in my drawer though lol

    1. Tine

      Oooh MAC, fancy! 😛 I have a lot of unopened and unused falsies. I can do crafts with them. Anybody need “legs” for bugs? 😛

  17. Rose

    Hahaha, I do most of these things too! Here’s a tip for figuring out what colour something is: look up the colour family on wikipedia (like blue) and at the bottom it lists every shade of that colour with a swatch. I hold up the bottle of nail polish (or whatever product) up to the screen to match it. That’s how I identify shades like “cerulean blue” and “rainforest green” :p
    Rose recently posted..OPI Brazil Liquid Sand Beach Sandies Collection – Swatches & ReviewMy Profile

    1. Tine

      OMG Rose you are a GENIUS! That’s such an awesome idea!

  18. Monica P

    I like #4 because when I’m researching a product, I like to read about consistency.

    And #5 .. not always, but sometimes .. I only shoot my left hand with nail polish.

    So there .. you’re not alone .. lol

    Monica.
    Monica P recently posted..More juice, Sunshine State of MindMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Hehehe good to know! 😉

  19. Swati

    awesome Tine 🙂 loved the post!!!
    Swati recently posted..Books 2014 Vol. 3 – On the List : “The Body Book” by Cameron DiazMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Haha thanks Swati! Glad you enjoyed it. 🙂

  20. Shamim de Varax

    haha I do my reviews and swatches sitting in my bed in my pyjamas! so comfortable!
    Shamim de Varax recently posted..Mim’s Mini Manicures: RIMMEL Chic Chick and SALLY HANSEN Gem Crush in Showgirl ChicMy Profile

    1. Tine

      Hahaha I know right? Why do I need to be all dressed up, wear possibly tighter than Spanx clothes at home when I can be comfortable AND more productive in my pyjamas? 😛

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