10 Things My Fellow Bloggers (and YouTubers) Have Taught Me

Here in the blogging community we are very lucky because, on the whole, we support each other.  Yes there is negativity and cat fighting going on out there in the nethersphere we call the internet but that's just life isn't it? I've been lucky enough to learn so great and valuable lessons along the way from bloggers who do know me and those who don't even know I exist.  Here I am going to list for you the ten top lessons I have either been given by bloggers or that I have read as advice on their blogs.

1. Editing is your friend.Some may say that this makes it all fake, but could you honestly look me in the eye and say you'd rather see an unedited photo that is dark and slightly fuzzy or a video with a million stops, starts, and dance breaks? I didn't think so.  Editing makes you look put together and professional.  I just got into editing my photos so I'm still learning so it's definitely a learning curve. 

2. Network, Network, Network! This is probably the biggest piece of advice I've learned in my years of social media and just being an actor in general. Get business cards made or make them yourself to hand them out to anyone and everyone so that you can get your name out there about your work.  Networking is how people get jobs and how people succeed, it takes time though and can be tough but is worth it in the end. 

3. Be yourself and the rest will fall in line. Don't try to be anyone else but yourself because inevitably it will be seen through and you will loose more people than you win.  While there will always be those trolls and haters out there who dislike people no matter what, there will also be a group of people who will like you for who you are.

4. Have a welcoming environment to work in. So I'm not the best one at this but having a welcoming environment really helps you relax your way into your work.  I've just recently added a plant to my desk and it really brightens my mood when I work.

5. Invest in your craft. This was a hard one for me to do because I thought what I had was good enough I've learned quickly within the year that it wasn't and that I truly had to invest not only my money but my time into my social media if I wanted to get noticed.  So invest in editing software, sign up for PicMonkey, invest in backgrounds, get a logo made. Do what it takes for how far you want to go.

6. Always have a notebook/notepad and camera at the ready. You never know what you're going to see or hear or read that might inspire you, so be on your toes and be ready!

7. Your creativity may not be that of others but it is still creative. Creative is creative, no matter what.  Don't compare your genius to someone else's genius or else you'll just be miserable.  Just enjoy the creative process and let those creative juices flow.

8. Have a good support system. A good support system is invaluable. They are the ones who are there for you when it seems like the world is against you: you're getting hate, your editing software won't work, etc.

9. Have a running list of post and video ideas, no matter how silly they may seem at the time. Every single idea I have for my blog or youtube channel or any social media, I immediately write it down even if I have no idea how to do it or if it sounds completely idiotic. Some of my best ideas have come really late at night or in my sleep, so be sure to keep a notepad in your night stand.

10.  Remember to take time for yourself, step away from the camera and blog for a bit. If you don't step back every once in awhile, you're likely to get bogged down with no ideas and no passion and no drive to do any of it. I experienced that earlier this year, which is why my blog went on hiatus from December to March, but I'm back now!

Here are some of my blogging inspirations, in case you would like to check them out!

ViviannaDoesMakeup

Amelia Liana

Lily Pebbles

Estee Lalonde

My Other Social Media:

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20 Under $20

My Favorite Skincare Bits

There are many pieces in my skincare routine but I've narrowed it down to my favorite skincare bits, the best of the basics you could say.  I have combination, acne prone skin so breakouts are a big problem for me.  Not as big as they used to be, but they can still be a problem when the crop up so the first things on my list are two spot treatments.

My top two spot treatments are The Body Shop's Tea Tree Oil, although any Tea Tree oil would be fine, and Mario Badescu's famed Drying Lotion.  They both essentially doing the same thing but when used in tandem they produce great effects.  I use the Tea Tree oil more on newly opened acne and the Drying Lotion I use on the acne before it's opened in hopes that it will just go away. Then again, don't we all want that?

My face wash of choice is Soap and Glory's Face Soap and Clarity Vitamin C Facial Wash. It has gentle exfoliating beads and a wonderful scent.  Along with all of that it really cleans your face :) As well, you get a really gigantic bottle which is great because you only need a pea sized amount which makes it last a good long while.

Toner is a must in my skin care sessions, and if it has Salicylic Acid that's even better because it helps to clear up my acne. Now I wouldn't recommend this if you have sensitive skin because it may be too strong but if not then I would definitely suggest OXY for acne prone skin because of the acne killing medication.  It also helps to rid your face of any other bacteria that might still be on your face after you wash it.  As well, it minimizes your pores because of the medication in it.

If you can't handle or don't want to use a toner with Salicylic Acid in it, don't worry I don't always use it either.  My other toner of choice is the Mario Badescu facial spray with aloe, herbs, and rosewater. This is a wonderful pump mist that refreshes your skin while helping to close the pores because of the cooling effect it produces.

Next up is my eye cream. This is an Argan Oil eye cream with Dead Sea minerals in it, I bought it at Marshalls not too long ago.  It's not my favorite but it's not the worst I have ever used either. It's nice and creamy and I do notice it hydrating my eyes quite nicely.

The Youthful Bloom cream is my choice for nighttime moisturization.  It is creamy yet natural and handmade.  There are Jojoba and Macadamia oils in it, which really help to hydrate the skin.  If you would like to read more about it, you can check out my blog post here and if you like the sound of the product be sure to check out the Botanicals By The Sea website to see their amazing full range of products. Or just search here on my blog because I have reviewed quite a few of their products and will be doing more soon!

For daytime hydration, I go the double wamy route- a base moisturizer and then a BB Cream.  I really like the Simple protecting lotion because it is very light on the skin but is great for those with sensitive skin and it has an SPF which is something I always look for in a lotion.  The BB Cream I use is the Garnier Skin Renew BB Cream which also happens to have an SPF to it.  This gives me hydration plus the added bonus of giving me a little bit of coverage.

Finally I figured I would throw in my favorite skin care, err, what would you call this? A tool? Let's go with that. This is my favorite skincare tool, the Clairsonic Mia 1.  Nothing super fancy, one speed and all of that but it does it's job nicely of giving my skin a good clear out two to three times a week.  I'm still nervous to use this every day because I did used to have sensitive skin but, as skin does, it changed.  I love this product and definitely think that it is worth the investment, if you can manage it.

Well there are my favorite skincare bits, I would love to know what yours are! Be sure to let me know down in the comments below! XO Emma

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Battle of the Mascaras: Round 3

Welcome back Stars, to the Battle of the Mascaras after we took the week off due to forgetfulness. It shall not happen again, I hope.  Today we have our reigning champion, Maybelline Lash Sensational Original versus the Rimmel Kate Moss mascara. Who will win? Will the reigning champ be knocked off of her pedestal? Keep reading to find out!

What Would I Put in a Beauty Box? (Things I want you to try!)

I was posed the question the other day; what would I put into a beauty box and why.  Then I thought, hey, that will make a great post! So here we are, another Tuesday and I'm sitting here at my computer with makeup products surrounding me from my previous photo shoots and I'm posed the question again, what would I put into a beauty box?  After much contemplation, I have finally come up with my answer and I hope you like it because they are all things I think you need to try.

MAY FAVORITES 2016

After much contemplation, I finally decided on my May Favorites!! This video was edited using my new editing program thanks to Cine Gear Expo this past weekend.  I hope you enjoy and will share some of your monthly favorites with me, too!

Planner Sticker Haul| Boulderbon, Stationary Heaven, Little Dog Paper Co...

Here it is guys, my first (filmed) sticker haul.  I hope you're enjoying my attempt to add things in that aren't just beauty! XO

Products You Need For The Summer | All Under $15

As the summer season is fast approaching, I wanted to share with you some of my skincare and makeup items that are my staples not just for summer but for the whole year.  I would love to know what some of your makeup and skincare staples are, we can learn from each other!  Click that read more button to see what I've picked.