Finally the day I’ve been waiting for has arrived!! My blog is finally a year old! Yay!! it wouldn’t have been possible with the love and support of all my near and dear ones! There are so many people i would like to thank for their regular feedback and comments: Kirthi, Upasana, Rekha, Preetha, Jyo, Coral Crue, Lee, Aarthi and many more.
I really didn’t know what to post on this special day! I was in half a mind to go on with regular posting! 😛 and then the idea of you guys asking questions about the blog or giving your feedback about the blog came to my mind and when i had announced this earlier I got a handful of questions!! Since most of the questions were similar I’ve combined them! Hope you like this post!
Upasana, Preetha, Health and Beauty and Aarthi had left their questions in the comment box below the post (1st anniversary post ideas) and Lee sent me a set of questions by mail! 🙂 Thank you guys! :X
Upsi I guess is talking about the evolution of our friendship here. 😛 I was completely new to the blogging world and I used to comment on Wiseshe earlier and I was always in awe of her work. But we never spoke to each other. Although I would bug her with my silly stupid talks, I never expected a reply. And then both of us slowly started talking about all the nonsense in the world and we became so close that Ive always felt we were long lost sisters! 😛 We’ve had our share of fights, ups and downs but still a day doesn’t go by without talking to her! So one of the good things that has happened to me through blogging is getting a good friend and a lovely sister like Upsi! :X
Lee: I know this will be very hard for you to answer but still, Which is the best blush you’ve used so far?
This is tougher than my 12th Math board exam paper!! I love all my blushers equally! I think a lot before buying each one of them and see to it that I build a good collection instead of a large collection. 🙂 but since NYX Tea Rose and Glow were my first cream blushers I have a soft corner for both. 😀
Lee: How & when did you decide about having your own beauty blog?
Divassence celebrates its first anniversary this month. Congratulations!! How has the journey been so far?
One day Kirthi (my childhood friend from school) and I were casually talking and I was telling her about how I was obsessed with makeup. And also that was the time I had become an Avon rep and I was in love with cosmetics!! Kirthi asked me to consider blogging and I felt blogging was a medium through which I could learn more about makeup than in any other way. So when my interest in makeup began a year and a half, I saw blogging as the only way to nurture my skills and also pass on whatever little I’ve learnt to others. V (those of you who are on my FB friends list would know him!!) wasn’t very supportive of it initially but later when he saw how passionate I was about it, he supported me in every way possible!!
The journey has been crazy, tough yet fulfilling. I’m still struggling to keep up with the rest of the beauty bloggers (who are way ahead of me) but I’m giving my blog all I’ve got. 😀 I’m always in awe of how much time and dedication others bloggers give their blog and the amazing ideas they come up with! The journey has been tough because I’m the kind of person who is obsessed with perfection and anything that is less than that doesn’t find a space in my blog (including my posts! :D) so it takes me a while to convince myself whether my reviews are correct, pictures are okay and so it takes me a lot of time to review one product! A major hurdle I would say is sustaining viewership of the blog and that’s where I really lack 😀 I haven’t had any major hurdles than sustaining viewership and facing criticism. I will have to work on the former!! Personally for me, it has also been a lot fun since I’ve made a lot of friends in this journey and hope to make many more!
My first reader was my friend Kirthi who helped me start this blog. From the beauty blogging world my first reader was Rekha who has been the first one to comment on the blog along with following the blog on all the social networking sites! Thank you so much Kirthi and Reks!! <3
Lee: Has it been a fulfilling experience? What keeps you motivated to keep putting so much time & effort in your blog despite your busy schedule?
Yes it definitely has been a fulfilling experience. Nothing gives me more satisfaction than writing for my own blog. At the end of the day it is my hard work and creativity that has gone into all my posts and for most part of the blog and that makes me happy.
Readers definitely keep me motivated and the more people appreciate my work, I take it as an added pressure to do better 😀 And people have told me that this blog has quality work so I put in a lot of effort to maintain that. 😀
Lee: Do you remember your first childhood memory involving makeup?Tell us about it.
I was a complete tomboy when I was a kid. I used to break Barbie dolls and other “girly” toys 😛 I remember breaking my mom’ s lipsticks as a child!!(I won’t be surprised if she decides to take revenge now 😉 ) So that’s the only childhood memory I have involving makeup. If you ask me if I have childhood memories involving GIJOE, cricket, climbing pipes in my building I can go on and on! 😀 And oh! I used to hate the makeup which used to get piled on my face during School Annual Days! I would cry and cry on those days!
Lee: At what age did you buy your first makeup product? What was it?
My mom bought me a Kajal when I was compelled to go for Classical dance classes when I was in Class 3 but even though I hated dance classes I loved the kajal she bought me 😀 Kajal is something I’ve always used.
Lee: Aha! The question ive always wondered about… How many blushes do you own?? *drumrolls* 😀
Lol! 😀 haven’t counted! 😀 but not as much as other blush lovers since I’m relatively new to this field!!
Lee: What is the product most dear to you in your makeup stash?
My blushers. Can’t live without ‘em! Even on the days I’m sick, a blush can give me a healthy glow!!
Lee: A purchase you regret buying?
There are loads actually; NARS Cactus Flower cream blush (a cream blush with too much shimmer!), Lotus Sunscreen Facewash, Avon Trio Eyeshadow (don’t remeber the name but it had a neon green, yellow and orange which hardy had any color payoff!) to name a few!
Lee: Which is the ‘must buy’ product according to you?
A good blush and a mascara; A blush gives you a healthy glow and a mascara can make your eyes look brighter.
Lee: Tell us about the products currently on your ‘dream list’
All NARS, Tarte and Illamasqua blushers, CS hot pot in Prehistoric Green, MAC Girl About Town lipstick, MAC Paintpot in Indianwood, Inglot Eyeshadow in Pearl #433, MAC Nylon, Colorbar Take Me as I Am Lip Pencils, Colorbar Eyeshadows
Lee: What is your beauty secret? The one tip you want to recommend to all those beauties out there.
Smile! Nothing can make your glow than a wonderful smile (a blush only enhances it 😉 )! And however beautiful you are externally it means nothing without a genuine smile! 🙂
Lee: Pls share with us some of the valuable lessons you learnt in your blogging journey
Publishing PR posts are a waste of space and time. I have stopped publishing them except for one or two brands which considered my blog to be promising in the initial stage.
I also learnt that various people have different opinions on the same product. If a product that works for someone doesn’t work for someone else then it is perfectly fine to write about it!
It is important to keep up with market trends but not necessary to review all the products that come into the market in a hurry. It is better to take time to review a product after thoroughly using it so that there is no room for doubt on certain aspects of the product.
Criticism is a part and parcel of life. Earlier I used to be such a sensitive person that if a person criticizes my action I used to get offended badly. But now after a year of blogging I’ve realized it is a part of what I do.
Quality work always lasts. When I look at my review 20 years from now I shouldn’t have any regrets on what I’ve written. So it is important to maintain the quality of writing and whatever is posted on the blog.
Lee: What are your future plans & aims for Divassence?
Honestly, I haven’t thought of anything!! I want to improve on my posts and pictures and change the look of the blog and get a domain name. I’m also planning to diversify the brands of products being reviewed so that will definitely require a lot of investment from my side!! I just want my readers to say that my reviews are trustworthy. That is my ultimate aim. 😀
Lee: <3 I had loads of fun coming up with the questions Deeps. I felt like a papparazi bombarding you with questions & more questions :D..Congratulations Deepsy!!! Hope you reach many more milestones
Best of luck!! :*
😀 I had so much fun answering all your questions and I hope all of you have enjoyed reading my answers and hope it has helped you know a little bit more about me and my blog! 🙂
