Monday, June 21, 2010

Meet the Bloggers: The Nail Polish Addict

Hello, everyone!  I thought that I would start a new series on the blog.  No word yet as to the regularity, but I've been thinking about this for some time now and I thought that it would be a great idea.  Think of all of the blogs you follow.  How much do you know about the people that run them?  Outside of their beauty preferences and a few random things posted here and there, probably not that much.  I thought that it would be a good idea to create a way to get to know some of the bloggers that I (and some of you!) follow.  It would be a great way, in my opinion, to learn about someone knew and find a way to get in contact or network with someone that has similar interests as you.


So without further interruption, let's get to our very first blogger, Leah from The Nail Polish Addict.  I'm pretty sure that the first time we met was on the Makeup Geek forum, where we discussed how to make homemade lip balms.  Since then, we've been chatting casually via Twitter and a bit through our blogs.  She's really an awesome person with a lot of knowledge about things.  I ask a Twitter question and more often than not, she's right there to answer.  She even takes the time to explain her findings or experience to me about skincare and haircare.  All of this helpfulness doesn't even include the stuff that I get from her blog--which includes swatches, nail designs, and tips.  I'd really recommend giving it a visit (let's plug the link in again, shall we? The Nail Polish Addict) if you haven't already!  Thanks so much to Leah for agreeing to be featured on the blog!



Q: Do you have any nicknames?

A: Red, Leelee

Q: Where are you from?
A: Pittsburgh - which I've learned over the years is a beautiful but very twisted city. lol

Q: What is a typical “day in the life” like for you?
A: Being unemployed gives me plenty of time to do whatever I want to do, so my days tend to be rather low-key. I spend a good deal of time with my pets and dealing with the perpetually dull and boring household chores. I've got a garden that needs daily tending, and I walk my neighbor's dog for her while she's at work. I love living a simple, quiet life. Some might call it boring, but I call it wonderful. =)

Q: Aside from beauty, what other types of things are you interested in? Have you found that your interest in beauty has made a point of connection with any of these other interests?
A: I love crafts of all sorts, but my favorites are crochet, knitting, and spinning yarn. I also do a lot of reading and I love music. I sing incessantly. I'm not good at it, but that doesn't stop me from doing it. lol Photography is my number one - I've always got a camera at hand. I have actually found that beauty does have a connection with all those things. I can get inspiration for makeup from my photos, the fibers I get to spin into yarn, descriptive passages in the books I'm reading (or the cover art!) and of course music is such an emotional thing it's bound to stir up some inspiration at some point. It works the other way too. I sometimes see pictures of the makeup other ladies have done on their blogs and I'll think about how those colors would pair nicely for a knit or crocheted piece or something else crafty. They're all forms of creativity and self-expression, so I think it's only natural there would be some connections between each of them.

Q: When did you first become interested in makeup and other beauty products?
A: I've always loved makeup and beauty products! I remember when I was little, like three or four years old, I loved Tinkerbell makeup and beauty products. Those were so fun - everyone bought me that stuff for my birthday and Christmas and I absolutely loved using the lotions and powders every day, and of course the lipsticks and glitter products. I didn't really take a serious interest in makeup until I was about 20; it was then I finally started learning proper techniques and how to apply my makeup well rather than just sort of slapping it on.

Q: What is your personal philosophy regarding beauty?
A: I think you should just do your own thing and not worry about trends or what experts say. As long as you're happy with your look, that's all that really matters at the end of the day.

Q: Who or what would you say are your beauty inspirations?
A: Nature is very inspiring for me. There are so many colors, shapes and textures in nature that can trigger creativity and inspire a new look. Celebrities that I think have great style are Jennifer Lopez, Christina Aguilera, Hayden Panettiere and Selena Gomez. I think they're all beautiful ladies with individual styles and I often turn to photos of them for inspiration.

Q: What do you believe is the biggest beauty mistake that others could make and/or what are your beauty pet peeves?
A: The biggest beauty mistake is not choosing the right shade of foundation! It just looks silly to me when I see someone with foundation that's glaringly off for their skin tone, be it too light or too dark. My biggest beauty pet peeve is when others are "brand snobs". Just because something doesn't come with a high price tag and a fancy name on the packaging doesn't mean it isn't good quality, and it gets under my skin when people look down on cheaper brands and those who use them.

Q: How would you describe your signature nail polish design?
A: Simple but fun. I love doing variations on the classic French manicure, and the one I do most often is with a clear base, soft metallic tips and ring fingers and thumbs embellished with a simple flower. I love this design because it's easy to do and it's casual enough for daily wear but also classy enough that it would be ideal for a special occasion too.

Q: What would you say are your “go to” products and what products are you currently in love with?
A: My absolute must-have is Just For Redheads Mascara Naturelle in Ginger Red for "barely there" makeup days and Ginger Brown for when I do a bolder look. I have tubes of lip balm all over the house, mostly Carmex and Lydia Marie's Bath & Body Boutique. I've always got Tee Tree Oil in my stash as well; it's great for helping blemishes heal a little faster and it helps with dry skin too. For nails, Seche Vite top coat is definitely a must! Some products I'm loving right now are Beauty From The Earth Multi-Use Minerals in Lola, Gentle and Country Blue. For nails my favorites right now are Sally Hansen Continuous Treatment Strength formula, the Milani 3D Holographic collection, Misa "Denim & Lace", and Sally Hansen Complete Manicure "Hidden Treasure". And some general beauty favorites: Suave Professionals Humectant shampoo & conditioner, Beyond The Zone Frizz Zapper, Caress Evenly Gorgeous body wash, Avon Love Blush body creme, and Curve Crush perfume.

Q: How did you get your start in beauty blogging and why did you choose nail polish as a main focus?
A: I'd already been blogging for a few years about general topics, and makeup was often one of the things I would post about. I realized over time that the posts about nails and makeup were beginning to dominate the blog so I decided I'd make a new blog to dedicate solely to beauty. Nail polish is my focus because it's my favorite. As much as I love other areas of beauty, nail polish is the one thing that I consistently use and never get bored with.

Q: Do your friends and family know about your blog? If so, what do they think about it? If not, why haven’t you shared it?
A: Oh, they know and they think I'm crazy. They aren't into beauty or the internet the way I am, so they don't really get why I blog at all, regardless of the subjects!

Q: What type of impact, if any, has running a blog had on your life?
A: I've made some great friends through blogging who I know are going to stick with me for a long time. Friendship is invaluable so that's been a huge thing for me. I've also gained confidence from blogging. I've still got a long way to go where confidence is concerned, but it does always give me a little boost when someone has something nice to say in the comments.

Q: We all know that you have a blog, but have you already or are you planning to post videos to YouTube?
A: I did have some videos on YouTube at one point, but I decided videos just aren't my thing.

Q: What advice would you give someone that is looking to start their own blog?
A: Blogging can be frustrating sometimes, especially when you're starting out. Your blog won't be a hit overnight - it takes a long time to gain readers and to get comments so you really have to stick with it and don't give up. You have to remember even if you don't get a lot of comments, that doesn't mean people aren't interested in what you're posting. And we ALL have to deal with people leaving rude comments from time to time - don't ever take those comments to heart because they are not worth it. Delete them and move on, and enable comment moderation if necessary. Most of all just have fun with it. If you aren't enjoying blogging, make the necessary changes so that you do enjoy it.

Q: What do you think the future holds for you?
A: Hopefully a lot of love and happiness! I'd love to be able to go to beauty school and become a licensed nail tech but we'll have to wait and see what the future has to say about that.

Q: What would you like people to remember about you the most?
A: That I'm sincere and genuine. I may be a hopeless dork sometimes, but I'm not afraid to let that show because it's just who I am. =)

Visit her other websites here:
Personal/Random/Photography - http://shutterbugssanctuary.blogspot.com/
Photography Shop - http://www.shutterbug.winkelf.com/


---

Would you like to appear on the next Meet The Bloggers segment?  Please send all interest notices to LMFAOBeauty@gmail.com.  I'm looking forward to getting to know you!

3 comments:

TeaserhiMUA said...

I think this is a really good feature. Keep it up! :)

Red said...

Thank you Mellie, it was fun! =) It's amazing the amount of information I can retain about various topics (some of which are completely ridiculous) and yet I have trouble remembering what I did a week ago. haha I'm glad I can manage to provide some useful info for you though. =D

Jess said...

Featuring other bloggers is an awesome idea

Post a Comment

Twitter Delicious Facebook Digg Stumbleupon Favorites More

 
Powered by Blogger