Interviewing Krystal from Beauty by Krystal
Name: Krystal
Age: 25
Location: Bay Area, CA
I'm a full time stay at home mother of our 15mon old daughter, Madilyn, and our freshly newborn son, Jamison. In between all the domestic duties of keeping a house clean and fit for a family, and spending generous amounts of time with the kiddies, I find time to also run a beauty blog, a personal life blog, a youtube channel and I love to socialize on as many beauty-related networks as I can find!
2. Where can we find you?
BEAUTY BLOG: http://www.beautybykrystal.com
LIFE BLOG: http://www.lifebykrystal-c.blogspot.com
BEAUTY CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/BeautyByKrystal
VLOG CHANNEL: http://www.youtube.com/LifeByKrystal
FACEBOOK: http://www.facebook.com/BeautyByKrystal
TWITTER: http://www.twitter.com/BeautyByKrystal
3. What inspired you to first start blogging?
It was actually my annoying habit of telling people what I like and dislike about cosmetics and trends. It all started with me making random Facebook notes of my personal do's and don't's for makeup, then I decided to organize it all onto a blog - to be honest, I had never seen or read a beauty blog before I created one. It was pretty amateur, but ALWAYS honest - even if no one read it for the first month or so that I was blogging.
4. What types of posts can we see on your blog and which ones do you enjoy writing the most?
I LOVE to do reviews; I enjoy sharing my opinions so much - good or bad, I always feel as if my experiences may help some one else out there. I also love sharing sales and deals that I find online. Since I've started blogging, I've noticed that I save WAY more money and get more bang for my buck by shopping online than in a store - so I really like sharing all the coupon codes, links and freebie finds on my blog and facebook page as well.
5. What are your 2 favorite makeup brands?
I will always enjoy MAC, but I have grown to adore Laura Mercier so much! I'm fairly new to the brand, but from what I've tried so far, I LOVE their products! I also have a weakness for ELF products, they're so affordable and they have so many gems in their collection - you'll probably notice a large majority of my reviews are on ELF products, haha!
6. You also have a YouTube channel, do you find it easier to write posts or record videos, and why?
It's much easier for me to blog than to film. With blogging, I can take photos of products, swatches and makeup all day and then type up multiple blog posts at once - on a good day I blog up to 5 posts a day (depending on how intense the content is, of course). Unfortunately, filming takes so much more time - especially with having kids. A lot of work goes into preping to film just one video; gotta schedule when to shower in the day (usually early morning or during naptime), do my makeup before filming, setup equipment, film and get it right in one take (sometimes 2 or 3, lol!), and then there's the editing which can take me a few days with having mommy duties and chores to attend to first.
7. Where would you like to see your blog a year from now?
Seeing it excel in this past year has been amazing, and I love where my blog has taken me so far. I would honestly be content with it staying just the way it is now. I've created great friendships with fellow bloggers, worked with the kindest PR companies and I've been recognized and featured by a few websites and brands. It's been so amazing that I couldn't imagine expecting anything more than what I have received already.
8. How do you feel about Sponsored Reviews?
That's a toughy, it really all depends on the PR company or brand you are working with. If someone sends me free products/samples to review, they do so with the understanding that my review will always be straight forward and honest - no matter if it's a positive review or a negative review. If a PR company or brand tells me that they "expect" a good review, then I obviously decline their offer because I'm not good at lying or making up stories - I blog for fun, not as a "job".
To be honest, I receive a lot of emails every day from people asking me to do reviews, most of the time I decline them because either the product/content doesn't pertain to my blog(s), or they are specifically asking me to do a good review - which I can never promise.
Sponsored reviews are fun, but at the same time they can be so "business-ey" that they just become a headache, and more work than they are worth.
9. If you could give bloggers that are just starting out any tips, what would they be?
Always, always, ALWAYS be honest and real. Readers can pick up on "fakers" and "copy/paste-ers". My biggest blogging turn off is when people just recite info they read/heard somewhere else and not give credit where it's due - just be honest and say that you found some great info that you want to share. Please, never take credit for other people's hard work. Blogging is a fun hobby, and when you steal from other people it ruins their fun and yours.
Another tip - never feel intimidated to put your true opinions out there. Remember, it's YOUR blog. Have confidence in what you say and do and it will always show through to your readers.
Oh, and never feel shy to ask other bloggers for help or guidance. The blogging community is a wonderful place and everyone is more than willing to help each other out!
10. Lastly, has blogging changed your life in anyway, if so, how?
Oh, most definitely! Blogging has made me even more confident than when I started a year ago. It has opened my eyes to more creativity and possibilities. Blogging has given me a voice that was rarely used in the past. I adore all things beauty and being able to discuss it and share it with the world every day has become one of my favorite hobbies EVER! Plus, it's always flattering to receive messages from people saying how I've inspired them to start their own blogs, or to enroll in cosmetology school, or to become a makeup artist, or even to feel more confident in themselves and start dabbling in makeup and learning to wear colors and being more bold. I think the best thing blogging has done for me is giving me the ability to encourage other beautiful men and women ALL over the world - it's truly fulfilling to hear people enjoy your work so much that it's effected their own lives.
Thanks so much Krystal for taking the time out of your busy schedule to answer my questions. Your blog has been an inspiration to me and I'm looking forward to all you will bring in the future.
Great interview, you're the best Krystal!
ReplyDelete:))
ReplyDelete:D Thank you girly!! I had so much fun with this interview, I even got a bit carried away with the answers, lol!
ReplyDeleteYour welcome, thank you for doing it!! No, I loved your answers, it was fun to read
ReplyDeletexoxo