Saturday 22 January 2011

Inspirational Interview - Lipglossiping



Hello lovelies! I hope you've had a wonderful week. This week's Inspirational Interview actually caused me to let out a fangirl squee when she said yes.... it's the fantabulous Charlotte aka Lipglossiping!! Charlotte's blog is responsible for many things in my blogging life - a desire to improve my photography skills, the start of my Urban Decay palette obsession and a fair few others, and I know she's a huge inspiration for a lot of other bloggers out there too! Anyway, enough waffle, let's hear what she has to say for herself!



Thank you so much for agreeing to let me interview you! Firstly, can you tell me a bit about yourself?
 
Thank you for deeming me interview-worthy!  I love reading these things about other bloggers so I’m excited to join in too! 
 
Well, I’m 29 and Mum to my 18 month old daughter.  I’ve been with my husband for 11 years and I repair computers for a living (though it wasn’t always meant to be that way).  I love taking photos, eating chinese takeaways and I’ve been an avid geocacher since 2006.  I’m too geek to be chic and too chic to be geek which means I’m just a bit uncool really.  I have a bad habit of sharing too much of myself and demanding too much from others in return... someday I’ll learn what the word “facade” means.  I’m really bad at arguments because I’m horribly inarticulate but I’m really good at staring someone out.
 
How long have you been blogging for and what inspired you to start a blog?
 
My first blog was on DeadJournal back in 2001 but before that I had a website, it had comic sans and animated gifs and everything! 
 
My first proper blog was angsty and mostly about how much I hated my course at uni and wanted to be with Mr. L (my husband).  We met on the internet in 2000 and had to live apart for a year or so... I was a grumpy teen blogger of the worst kind. 
 
More recently, I had a photography blog which I loved, with readers and fellow photographers who provided no end of inspiration.  I still miss it a lot but until Leila is older, there’s no way I could contemplate re-starting it.
 
I fell into Beauty blogging when I was 8 months pregnant and unable to blog about photography.  Bored, fat(ter) and reaching the end of my tether with how completely hideous I looked... makeup (which had always been an interest) became one really useful tool that I used to make myself feel better.  I came across many, many swatch photos online and decided that I wanted to join in with the big discussion!  It also meant that my photography equipment got some use again.
 
What's the best part of being a beauty blogger?
 
Being able to talk to like-minded people through my blog and watching something that I’ve created grow, evolve and on rare occasions – make a difference to someone. 
 
I love that at 29, I still have a justification for playing with my makeup and I love being one of the first to know about new products and sometimes being sent them to try too!
 
I’ve met some really good people through beauty blogging and ‘pushed’ myself out of my comfort zone to experience new things.
 
And the worst?
 
If I’m completely honest, most of the bad stuff comes from the PR/Network side of the world.  It’s created new breeds of entitled bloggers that can be spotted by their incessant press release posting and the way they work Twitter like marketing professionals.  They don’t care if their swatches or write ups are shit because the post/review is the afterthought... the real effort goes into hunting the freebies.
 
At times, I feel that beauty blogging has lost it’s heart.  I also feel that this issue annoys me ‘too’ much and that I should let people get on with whatever it is that they want to do... but I struggle with it and inwardly seethe instead.  I’ll probably get an ulcer (again).
 
A couple of months ago, you did a very personal series about laser treatment for some hormone related hair growth - how did you find writing the series and being so open about something so personal?
 
It didn’t feel any different to writing about anything else in terms of difficulty.  I’ve had the issue for 10 years now and I’m comfortable discussing it amongst friends, though I appreciate that perhaps my 17yr old self wouldn’t have been quite so willing. 
 
Recording the video was hard but that was more to do with the fact that I kept wondering which camera angle would make me look the slimmest.  Turned out, it was none of them.
 
Since starting the series, I’ve had emails from women in the same situation who’ve written to say that reading about my experiences has made them feel less alone.  And one particularly memorable email from a 17 year old who was distraught by the way she looked and felt.  She Googled her symptoms and landed on my blog.  Everything I said resonated and she’s since been diagnosed with PCOS and is now receiving treatment.  When I read this, I was sat in a cafe outside Harrods (there was a sale on in the beauty hall!)... my cousin brought my coffee and cake back to the table and had to ask me why I was crying!  One of the most worthwhile things I’ve ever done and I don’t care if that sounds twatty.
 
How has the treatment held up? Had it made a difference to your life at all?
 
So far, the regrowth is soft and downy like you get on the side of your face.  It’s pretty amazing.  I still get some dark (but fine) hairs along my jawline and the ones that are white will and (always will) remain stubbly.  I’ll be paying to have 3 more sessions because I’ve come so far I feel that it would be a crying shame not to give it the VERY BEST chance of success for the sake of a bit more money.  SK:N Clinic have always been upfront with me about managing my expectations and with about 70% improvement... my results have exceeded those expectations.
 
I have to say that I think your blog is excellent! What do you think makes an excellent blog?
 
That’s very kind of you, thank you!  I love blogs that engage me and invite me in for a chat.  The chat might last 20 seconds or for the entire time it takes me to drink my cup of tea!  I’m a really visual person so images are important to me... I love swatches and product shots, the more the better!
 
I love to learn new tricks and think that everyone, regardless of their perceived skill level has something to share.  Oh and I love seeing hauls... I’m such a nosey cow. 
 
Your blog has a real range of different posts - reviews, pr exclusives, FOTDs, comparisons, general natter - do you have a specific genre that you prefer to write or do you enjoy it all equally?
 
Definitely!  I love to ramble about a makeup related subject that gets my goat... rants are good for the soul! 
 
I also love to write about subjects that I can develop in the long term... like my red lip series for example.  It’s also pretty nifty to have an excuse to buy lipstick Winking smile
 
FOTDs make me feel a bit insecure and I always question their worth.  I have slightly hooded eyelids which means that you can never really appreciate any of the blending that goes on under there or even see much of the colour at all!
 
You post really frequently - do you ever get bored of writing? What keeps you motivated and inspired?
 
No, I never get bored of it... I go through periods where I have to give myself a kick up the bum but that’s not because I’m bored of writing, I’m just plain lazy in general.
 
My motivation stems from the fact that I have too much to say for myself.  Or so my mother says.  Inspiration comes from simply wanting to share things with everyone who cares to listen, it’s quite a self-centred thing to be honest.  I’m not all sharing and caring, I’m more of a... “I demand you listen to me!” kinda person.
 
Your blog has peaked over 1,100 followers and you were recently asked to judge the Search for a Simple Star competition - how does it feel to be so loved and respected as a blogger?
 
The whole Simple Star judging thing was insanely awesome, I felt very official with my clipboard!
 
If I start thinking about readership numbers or any of that stuff I start to feel self-conscious which is daft really ‘cos I do strive to make my blog more accessible and enjoyed so I can’t have it both ways can I?  It just seems that this floaty bloggy thing that happens in some internet land that isn’t really real so when my real world and blog world collide I get a bit uncomfortable.
 
I worry that I appear quite unfriendly and withdrawn when I meet people who know me from the blog, quite unfair because I realise that I’m so chatty in cyberspace!  I’m not one of those painfully shy types but I take a bit of warming up and am a terrible over-analyser when it comes to social situations.  Do you do that?  Analyse everything before you verbalise it to the point where you deem all your words completely ludicrous.  I’d genuinely never type a sentence if I did that at the keyboard.
 
What do you get up to in your free time when you're not blogging?
 
When I’m not blogging, working or mumm-ing then I like shopping... and stuff.  I don’t really have any bonafide hobbies like scuba diving or filofax collecting.  I guess I quite like Eastenders and eating nice things?
 
The closest thing to a proper hobby other than shopping (mmm shopping) would be geocaching which I’ve been doing whenever I can be bothered since 2006.  I don’t think it’s considered a cool pastime to have yet (it will be one day) so I won’t elaborate too much other than to say that if you don’t know what it is... it involves a GPS unit, stealth and a pair of gloves!
 
If you had unlimited funds and a whole day to spare, what would you do?
 
Ohhh, I do love a bit of London I must admit...
 
I’d start the day with a quiet brunch with Mr. L (what? I want a lie in!)... eggs benedict and orange juice (yum) somewhere with a great view like atop the National Portrait Gallery.  Followed by shopping (with an army to carry my bags) in Selfridges, Hamleys, Forbidden Planet and the Apple store.  Then I’d gather my friends (all 3 of them) and make them endure the geekiest tourist sights that London has to offer (in a limo of course) before making them like me again by taking them for afternoon tea and ice cream sundaes at Fortnum's.
 
Hmm... what next?  (I’m getting FAR too into this...)
 
Oooh... I’d book out a hotel spa so it was completely private... one of them ones with roman-esque baths and Elemis treatments galore and we’d stay there until we’d been pampered within an inch of our lives before heading off for blow dries and cocktails (apple martinis ftw).  Don’t really like clubs but I am partial to a bit of karaoke... we’d sing into the wee small hours before collapsing in giggles and exhaustion on super king size beds with our makeup still on...
 
What do Lipglossiping readers have to look forward to over the next few months?
 
More of the same... (sorry, that last question exhausted me!)
 
Ok time for some quick fire questions:
 
3 Favourite Items of Make up: lipstick, eyeliner, foundation
 
3 Favourite Foods: ice cream, sausage rolls (so classy...), curry
 
3 Desert Island Items: smartphone, lipstick, family (cheat)
 
3 People who've inspired you: my husband, Jamie Oliver (I’m aware that’s embarrassing) and Janis Joplin
 
3 Blogs you’d like to recommend: cosmetic-candybeaut.ie, (don’t make me just pick three!), scrangie
 
3 Words of advice: normal. is. subjective.

Charlotte, thank you so much for taking part! I've loved reading your blog since I first discovered it and think you do a fantastic job! :) 

9 comments:

  1. I loved reading this! Charlotte's blog is definitely my favourite! So funny and her photos are amazing! x

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  2. Great questions Emily, a fab post :) I love Charlotte's blog, it was the first one I started reading! x

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  3. What a terrific interview :D I love Lipglossiping and it's so interesting to hear more about the author. Actually, what she said about sharing too much and demanding from others really reminded me of how I operate as well - and then I've also met someone online really recently who lives 5,000 miles away, and of COURSE I just had to develop a meaningful connection, so ... I really relate to Charlotte in this interview ^.^

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  4. Fantastic interview, I love the lovely Charlotte and her amazing Lipglossiping blog :).

    xoxo

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  5. Great interview, I love reading Charlotte's blog. I love her answer to the unlimited funds q, I'd totally do the same!

    www.thatgurlwho.co.uk

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  6. Lipglossiping = favourite blog, easily! And the blog which inspired me to start mine :) Great interview!

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  7. Great interview, I think I love Charlotte even more now. x

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  8. Lovely piece! And thank you muchly for the very nice recommendation!

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  9. I so loved reading this!My first ever blog to read was lipglossiping and i'm badly addicted to it now.Charlotte is a lovely lady with great sense of humor.Thanks Emily for letting us know more about her!

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Your comments and thoughts are really appreciated :) Thank you for taking the time to chat xx