Talk It Out Tuesday: The Simpler Times in Nail Polish

My brain can only process so much information. I think it's because my brain is constantly in hyperdrive all the time. I'm already thinking about and processing so many things. My inner world is so complex I need my outer world to be a little simple so I can navigate it with some ounce of sanity. This includes nail polish which I have founder harder and harder to do over the past few years.

The indie movement has made my simpler nail polish outside world more like my complex inner world. There are so many brands, so many collections, so many boxes, so many brand Facebook groups, and my brain physically cannot process that amount of information overload. I have a difficulty navigating it. I sometimes yearn for the simplicity of the days of just OPI, Zoya, China Glaze, Essie, Orly, and Color Club. 

You only had to worry about your wallet burning holes on a few collections or a few colors. Everyone shopped at the same stores and there was an added element of "the hunt" for new nail polish at Ulta or drugstores. Everyone was also on the same page as far as nail polish discussion. I mean there were only a handful of brands to talk about, so it was easier to connect with people over the only few brands. There is just something so comfortable and nostalgic about all of that, that I miss. 

Mind you, I do not want this post to be misconstrued into I do not like indies and I resent them coming into the picture. That is not what I mean. I love indies and they have definitely reshaped the nail polish market and allowed for so much innovation and creativity we never could have imagined before. Not to mention, the indie market has become the bread and butter to many wonderful people in this community. It's just hard for me to keep up and sometimes I find it stressful.

The only way I've been able to semi-manage it is to just focus on brands I really enjoy and even that's hard. KBShimmer, Cupcake Polish, Different Dimension are tried and true favorites for me, but then I come across some others and then they have sales or involved with etailers with exclusives and have this box coming out....it hurts my brain.

I honestly think part of it is guilt. I feel guilty because makers are just like myself they're not hot shot mult-million dollar brands. They're everyday people and I want to support them all, but I can't. Financially I can't and mentally I can't keep up with everything either.  I feel bad about that. I honest to goodness do. I know there are makers I'm friends with on Facebook or who are involved in Hobby Polish Bloggers that I've never purchased from or only did once. There are indies I met at Cosmoprof whose products I've eyed and loved, but I felt ashamed to tell them I never tried their product. 

I don't want to come off as self-important. I don't think indies are up at night crying because I Stephanie Merlin, haven't purchased from them, but I feel like as a blogger I'm not doing my job to help support the community I guess? As I'm writing this I feel like a lot of this ties into my previous "Talk It Out" posts of feeling like I need to follow sort unspoken nail blogger guideline. 

I'm sure that's why I get nostalgic and miss the simpler times of OPI and Zoya when I didn't have to worry about so many people and whose feelings I could potentially be hurting or whose toes I could be stepping on. I do kind of appreciate the distance between brands and consumers that you have with major brands. Boundaries are good, and some indies don't have boundaries with their customers and fans, so a lot of lines get blurred. I know that makes it harder for people to feel comfortable expressing opinions. Heck, there is even a Facebook group with ask anonymously feature so people can discuss issues with indies anonymously so they don't have to fear retaliation (from indies or their fans). You don't have to worry about that with OPI or Zoya. OPI and Zoya have millions of dollars and don't really care if you think their polish sucks. 

This is a whole other issue, though, but it's definitely part of the same whole. There just a lot of noise whether it be the onslaught of so many releases, brands, exclusives, and such or the social aspect of the nail community. It's a lot of for my brain to process and handle. I think for me it's figuring out how to navigate it without the noise, so I can still enjoy what's new without getting caught up in the hum of everything else around it. 

Does anyone else feel this way? 

Happy Tuesday! 

Talk It Out Tuesday: Disconnecting

Talk It Out Tuesday used to be a weekly feature on my blog where I'd discuss topics and issues that came up for me in regards to nails or blogging. This fizzled out when I ran out of things to talk about. I'd like to revive this feature on my blog, but I don't think it will be a regular feature, just when something comes to mind.

A little over a week ago I posted this post in regards to feeling on the outside of the blogging community because I feel like I have a different blogging style than most. I wanted to use this post to share an update what I've done and how I've been feeling since then.

I think something I've always struggled with in life is fitting in. As an adult, I've grown out the idea of feeling a need to be popular or special, but I want to feel that sense of belonging. I mentioned in my last post that I don't feel like I really belong in this community. I have felt you have to make an effort to really be a part of the nail community, but I'm starting to realize I don't think that effort is worth it to me, and I don't think it's really needed for my sake.

I think a good way to get involved in the community is to be involved in Facebook groups. While I like indies I wouldn't say I'm really a fangirl over brands, so those groups while I'm in some to keep up with updates I'm not involved in otherwise. Then there are groups that are really focused on the going on's and gossip in the community. I think some of these topics in these groups are very useful and beneficial to the community. These groups do tend to get immersed with negativity though and that becomes the forefront.

There is nothing wrong with groups like this, but I think when it comes to a hobby I enjoy and want to do for fun, these groups can start to tarnish that experience for me. I have also felt conflicted because sometimes people in the community hold you to standard to be "in the know" and you can be viewed negatively if you're unknowingly supporting a brand that has some drama because you didn't make an effort to be in the know. There are so many unspoken rules it seems in this community and now it seems like there are daily multiple dramas and it's exhausting. It's draining and it has been killing my joy. Again, I'm not saying groups like this are bad, but right now I don't think they're very good for me.

I asked in Hobby Polish Bloggers last week if anyone else felt this way about negativity in the community, and I was truly surprised a number of people felt similarly. I've been so immersed in this idea that the entire nail community is representative of the people involved in certain groups and in order to belong you need to be involved as well. I felt some of the people regularly involved in these groups were setting the standard for the community based on their opinions as if they were their authority.  I felt intimated by a lot of people and worried if I openly expressed a different viewpoint I would be shunned or frowned upon. I don't think this is really how it is, but that's how it felt for me.  I learned this really isn't that case at all. There are many nail bloggers who stay out of groups and comfortably do their own thing. I felt very relieved and it dawned on me that I've been putting expectations on myself that were unnecessary and truly suffocating.

That's when I decided to disconnect. I will say I have not actually left some of these groups, but I removed them from my feed and from favorites. I haven't felt compelled to check them either. The reason I stay in them is because there may come a time when I feel differently and can navigate my own blog life separately from what I feel are the expectations of the nail community. That time may come and I may try to re-evaluate that experience again.

Right now, the only group I'm really following is Hobby Polish Bloggers. I've cut out the negativity in my blogging life. It's been a week now and it's honestly I've noticed an immense difference in my mood and my experience. I feel a lot better and feel energized about blogging again. Yes, I'm in my own little world alone outside the blogging community right now, but I feel more like myself than I have in a long time. I feel free from feeling like I need approval from others and feel free to be myself.

I'm a really sensitive person, and a lot of people see this as a weakness, but I don't. My blog is very personal to me, and going into it with the intentions I had I'm going to be sensitive to negativity and the competitiveness that I think comes along with some bloggers. I think competitiveness in this field and building up your blog is completely fine if that it is your goal, but it's not mine. I need to sometimes remove myself from environments that feel that way to me to continue on the path I always wanted for myself with my blog. This blog is my baby and I need to realize I can continue it on my own terms.

Thank you all for your support and love throughout these years.

Have any of you had a similar experience to mine about a hobby or passion you have in your life? What did you do to help you refocus yourself so you can enjoy it again? 

Happy Tuesday!

Talk It Out Tuesday: Indie Nail Polish Part II

*When I'm talking about indies for this topic, I'm referring to the handmade indie nail polish.

Let's talk about indie nail polish again. I think it's been almost a year since we discussed this topic last. I think it's pretty clear in the past year that indies are here to stay. There are countless indie brands now, and there is definitely something for everyone!

My Current Thoughts:  I currently own around 120 handmade indie nail polishes. I still love indies. I will say that now personally, I find mainstream brands stepping up their game. Last year, I almost ditched mainstream brands all together and favored indies, but I think I'm purchasing a bit more mainstream now. I've become pickier with indies. There is so much out there now, that it takes a really creative polish, finish, and color combination for me to get interested. I'm sure it is that way for many. One good thing I noticed is outside a handful of select brands (ughh Lacquer Lust and Ninja Polish!!!!), it is easier to get indies these days. The brands I most frequent seem to have a good stock of polish, where I don't feel a need to sit by the computer and stalk to the store to make sure I get a bottle! There are also etailers now that sell many indie brands. All in all I'm still an indie fan!

My Favorite Indies:
KBShimmer
Girly Bits
Sea Lore *
Sindie Pop Lacquer *
Maya Cosmetics  *

*- Indicates brands that do not get as much buzz as some popular indies that I think are amazing and should get a lot of buzz

These are my favorites because I've had the most experience with them, they have consistently good products, and they're really creative! There are of course, many other great indies out there, so my list is not the end all of things. I just have not had much experience with them or have not tried them. I really think if you love indies and have not tried Sea Lore, Sindie Pop Lacquer, or Maya Cosmetics you should check them out. I've always been really impressed with the formulas, creative colors, and fun collections with these brands!

What are your current thoughts on indies? Love them? Not your thing?

What are your favorite indie brands?

Happy Tuesday!

Talk it Out Tuesday: Nail Length

One of the things I've really experimented with throughout this blog is my nail length. I don't think there is a set nail length everyone should abide to. I really think it is what you are comfortable with, and what you feel looks best on you!

I think my nails were the longest in the Summer 2010:

(Revlon Star layered over ChG Grape Pop)

This picture I think was in in July or August of 2010.

I never realized how long my nails were then! I think this a nice length, but overtime I realized this wasn't really a length I was comfortable with. I'm terrible at shaping my nails, and having long nails that's something you need to be more conscientious of. I'm still in shock looking at this how long my nails were! I

In 2011 I downsized to this...

(Zoya Tamsen)

This was considerably shorter than the year before, and definitely more my speed. I think this is the length I've pretty much stuck with since. There are times I'd go teensy bit longer, and times I'd go shorter. 

My most recent nail length as of last week

(Sinful Colors Forget Now)

I think this my absolute favorite length. I wouldn't go any shorter than this, but I'd be comfortable going a just a hair longer (no longer than the Zoya Tamsen photo). I'd guess this would be just a touch passed the finger tip length. I just find my nails so much easier to manage, and look so much better on me short. My nails grow ridiculously fast though, so I'm having to file them down at least once a week or they grow like weeds. I know this is a problem many people wish they could have, but I'd rather not have it! 

All in all, shorties on me is how I like to roll! I'm not saying that's how everyone should be at all, because I follow blogs with so many varying nail lengths and shapes. This is just what works for me!

What nail length do you like best or find suits you best? 

Happy Tuesday! 

Talk it Out Tuesday: I Love Blogging

I know many of the Talk it Out Tuesdays are of the serious variety. I also know many of the topics have revolved around some of the more challenging aspects of blogging. I realized I never really talked about the love I have for blogging and being a nail blogger. Below is a just a list of things I love about this whole blogger thing. This is no particular order.

1. I get to share all my nail polish pretties with people who appreciate it just as much as I do. The people I'm around in my daily life are not nail polish junkies. They couldn't tell a red coral from a pink coral or a navy blue from a blurple.  I find it so fun to be able to share my nail polishes with people who know what I'm talking about, and why nail polish is so awesome!

2. I find blogging helps give me an identity. My life isn't all about being a blogger, I do have other goals for myself. That being said, blogging is something I am passionate about and gives me purpose in  my life. I do not make a dime from blogging, but in ways I see it as somewhat of a career. In April, Imperfectly Painted will be 3 years old. This is more than just a side hobby, it's a big part of who I am.

3. The connections I've made through blogging have been amazing. I think on just a blogging level, the connections I've made have helped really establish myself. The Beauty Bloggers of Central Florida has not only created friendships for me, but has helped me realize the value of bloggers. Bloggers are really the voice of all the consumers out there. I've learned that many cosmetic companies and brands appreciate the role of a blogger. It feels good to know that what I have to say is valued.

4. Respect. This is huge for me. I get emails every so often from readers telling me how much they appreciate my honesty and authenticity as not only a blogger, but as a person. These are the types of compliments that validate everything I'm doing as a blogger. The fact that you all put your trust in feels good! Thank you!

5. The other type of connections. I must say even more meaningful than blogger to blogger connections or blogger to company connections are the connections I've made with my readers. I have shared many personal challenges and insecurities with you all, and this opened doors for many of us to be able to connect on an emotional level. I've found I really have a bond with you all which means a lot to me.

I know there are more, but these are the major things for me!

If you're a blogger, why do you love blogging?
If you're not a blogger, what do you love about nail blogs and bloggers? 

Happy Tuesday!

Talk it Out Tuesday: Blogging Burnout

Blogging Burnout

* DISCLAIMER: Please note this post is not in regards to people who have had any serious life changes or challenges that have caused them to stop blogging. I genuinely understand and respect those circumstances, and take them seriously. This is really just a casual conversation topic, so please realize I'm not trying to diminish any serious issues here or be critical of anyone who has to stop blogging for reasons out of their control. 

The main reason I unfollow blogs is because of the lack of posting or inconsistent posting. I had to purge some blogs a few weeks ago because I was at my limit on Blogger. I ended up removing close to 100 blogs mainly because they had not been updated in months, weeks, or the blogger posted inconsistently (2 posts one week, one post 3 weeks later, 1 post a month later etc).

I understand blog hiatuses, and bloggers should not have to apologize for them. There is no need to apologize! We all have times in our lives and the reasons are irrelevant that we may need a break or have to be absent from blogging. These are not the blogs I removed.

A majority of these blogs were brand new blogs with 2-10 posts in a 1-3 week span, and they never blogged again. I see a lot of this happening since nail blogging has become so popular. I saw to a lesser degree blogs that had been very consistent where the bloggers just dropped off the face of the earth. 

Why does this happen? I have guesses I'm sure with newer bloggers who quit realize that blogging requires a lot of upkeep and consistency to gain a following (my opinion only). While blogging is fun, it is not always easy and it does take work. The other reason for good blogs being abandoned is I'm sure people have other things going on in their lives that take precedence or they've simply moved on to other interests. These all are valid and understandable reasons, but it is always disappointing to see a new promising blog disappear or a tried and true blog not get updated anymore.

There is also instances where regular and active bloggers experience a burnout. I have mini burnouts on a occasion. I know I blog differently than some. I tend to collect my new polish over a span of few weeks, and do a major swatch session on weekend. This allows me to have library of swatches to choose from at any given time. I started this even while I was changing my nails everyday. I knew I'd get to a point where I would not be able to do that, and wanted to the flexibility to have blogging material on hand.

There are times though where I put off the swatching a few days or a week because I just don't want to be bothered with it. There are times I open up a blog post, and I have no idea what to write. It's those times I just go with those feelings. I do not post or I push back the swatching. I don't do this because I'm tired of blogging really,  it's just at that moment it's not going to happen. If I'm not feeling right about what I'm doing the result are not going to be good. Plus, the last thing I want to do is push myself into corner where I feel obligated or guilty for not posting, that would ruin the experience. I do definitely have those moments and days where I just don't want to be bothered, and that's ok!

Thankfully, I have never felt the need to put my blog on hiatus for any extended amount of time. I hope that doesn't change, but there are no guarantees in life. Last week, is a good example of an off week for me blogging.  I only had 4 posts last week, when I typically have 5 or 6. I know that's a lot by many standards, but to me that's an off week. I just wasn't feeling it! This weekend, I had a bunch of new colors to swatch, and it revitalized me. Usually, a  couple of new pretty polishes is all is usually takes.

I know many bloggers have these moments too, and some more so than me. I also know that some life challenges occur that are out of our control cause this too. That is always of course completely understandable. If it's for reasons of needing a break or having other interests that's ok too. We all need a break at times, but please let your readers know if it's because of that...none of this falling of the planet stuff! We miss you too much!

What are you thoughts on this subject from a blogger or a reader perspective?
If you're a blogger who stopped blogging what are your reasons?
If you're a blogger who has had burnout or got in a funk how do you get out of it? 

Happy Tuesday 

Talk it Out Tuesday: Blogger Identity

Who are you as a blogger? What are your goals for your blog? What type of relationship do you want with with your readers? Do you want to be more than just a blogger? Where do you stand as far as other bloggers blogging on the same topic?

These are questions that have honestly plagued me over the past few months. I struggle with finding my blogger identity. I even wonder if there is such thing or if it's some type of standard I've created in my head?
There are some things I know for sure... I will not change my blogging style, content, or anything about my blog that makes it what it is now. It is also clear to me that my blog is very different from many other bloggers.

I love the Central Florida Beauty Bloggers group I belong to, but I can't help but feel out of place at times. I know many of the bloggers there who are very successful, professional, passionate and have amazing long-term goals to really be that go-between person between the consumer and the beauty industry. They're amazing bloggers who I really see becoming successful figures in not only the blogging community,  but the beauty industry too. Heck, they're already successful in that!

That's not me though. That's not what I want. I know I have the respect from my readers. You all are amazingly supportive of me, and continue to inspire and motivate me to keep doing what I'm doing. I am thankful for that. I often feel while I connect with my readers, that I do not fit in with other bloggers. I do not feel that other bloggers really see me as serious or really understand me as a blogger.  It is 100% possible I do this to myself. Perhaps I alienate myself on purpose from other bloggers because I assume they don't think I'm worthy or good enough because I have a different style of blogging? I don't know, but I feel very outside of the blogger world.

I see myself as a casual blogger. I hate using the word casual sometimes, because I'm scared that maybe translated as lazy or uncommitted. I work very hard on my blog, and dedicate a lot of my time to it. It maybe casual as far as content, and how I relate to my readers, but I do take it seriously. My favorite thing about my blog is the freedom I feel to be myself. I see my ability to connect with people and relate to people on a level I never could imagine. I've said it before, but I could be blogging about caterpillars and it is all the same to me. It's just nail polish is how I found a way to connect with you all--a very beautiful, colorful, and sparkly way! I love nail polish, and honestly I can't see myself blogging about something else.

What are my goals? I have a hard time defining this, and it needs work. I really would like to continue to use this medium of nail polish and combine it with what moves me which is relating, sharing, and connecting with people. This blog in many cases is therapeutic for me. It's been a way for me to share my insecurities and struggles with you all, and in turn find peace and healing for myself. It has been a place where many of you have been able to find some strength and healing for yourselves. When I get comments, emails, and message from you all saying that my posts have helped you or made you feel better about yourself that means the world to me. That's my goal, as someone who has felt insecure and alone for a good portion of my life, to know that I helped someone feel a little more understood or appreciated is the biggest reward this blog has given me.

I'd like to merge the beauty world with empowerment, self esteem, and confidence for the average woman being myself an average woman. I know there are many authority figures or companies who do the same thing, but I'm an average Joe. I'm not sure what this will look like for my blog in the future. I'm not sure how to get it there either. That's up to me to figure out. What does that make me as a blogger? I don't know I know I'm different, but I also want to be. I chose to be. I still get tripped up on my identity as blogger, and I wonder if I'm respected or appreciated by other bloggers? I wonder if other bloggers get me, my mission, and my passion?

Just through writing this post I'm beginning to see that this idea of a blogger identity is just another form of self sabotage. It's another thing that probably myself, and other bloggers out there put upon ourselves that make us feel inferior and insecure. It keeps us stuck and  makes us question ourselves. Does this mean it won't bother me again? No, it will. It's real, and as strong as I am, I still get tripped up by the same things over and over. It honestly takes me writing and sharing these thoughts to be able to process it and start to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

I am a different blogger. I may not fit in with other beauty bloggers as far as their goals for their blog. That's ok though, and honestly I'd never want to be anything else than who I am. It's conflicting wanting to feel a part of something, but wanting your independence too isn't it? I'll figure it out though. I always seem to manage.

Have you struggled with the idea of your "blogger identity" or if you're not a blogger have experienced similar identity struggles? 

Share your experiences in the comments. 

Happy Tuesday

Talk It Out Tuesday: My Blogging Experience

This not the first time I've posted on my blogging experience, but some recent conversations with people brought up some things for me.

I know all of us as bloggers and even as people have been in a position where we compare ourselves to others. I have had my challenges with this as a blogger, but this is getting easier as I am becoming more aware of the purpose of my blog and what it means to me.

My blog is very personal to me. I'm not saying other blogs are not, but I feel like my connection to my blog goes beyond just nail polish. This blog has been very therapeutic to me. It has given me a platform where I feel comfortable being genuinely myself with others. I have a freedom in this blog that I do not feel in another areas of my life outside of my close family and my boyfriend. I also feel most confident with my blog, especially when I do these "Talk It Out Tuesday" posts. I feel good about posting my feelings on issues, challenges, insecurities with myself and others. I feel like I have a voice on my blog, a voice that gets drowned out in a crowd often, but here it's heard. It's appreciated and welcomed here. That is an amazing feeling. A lot of my posts seeking support or talking about insecurities have been so helpful to me, and it has been immensely rewarding to find out they are helpful to others too.

I've been an outcast most of my life. I've never felt like I fit in really anywhere. I still don't! I don't mean that in bad way either, I'm coming to terms with my uniqueness! I'm finding out I don't really need to fit in anywhere in particular. Growing up this was hard though. I felt very invisible at many times in life.I'm introverted and complex person. I'm not the easiest person to get to know, and I internalize a lot. I have a whirlwind of thoughts, opinions, and ideas at any given moment. I'm an idealist who likes to try and fix things, find the opportunity in things, and make everyone happy. I like to see people succeed. I like to make people feel welcome and appreciated. 

Outwardly, no one would probably know these things about me, but with this blog I get to share this side of me. I'm not really a great speaker or conversationalist, but through writing I can say it all. I can share it all. That's why I wanted this blog not just be for me but for my readers as well. This is why I have the "Share With You Sunday" posts. I want to feature other people regardless of their skill, talent, blogger/non blogger, and etc. I know how much it means to me when people take time to recognize and appreciate me. It feels good, and I want to make my readers feel special. You are special to me, and I never want anyone to feel invisible here or unappreciated. I'm know I'm not the best at replying to comments all the time, but if you email me I will always write back to you! 

I think what I'm trying to say is while I love nail polish, this blog is so much less about nail polish than it is an personal journey of expressing myself to others, allowing others to share in my experience, and connecting with people. I could do the same thing if I was into gummy worms, telescopes, or pumpkin carving. Nail polish is just what I love, and it gave me the platform to open myself up to people. I hope this makes sense. I'll never stray away from nail polish in case your wondering. I love it too much, and I'll always blog about it! It's too fun not to. 

I think this is why a lot of other blogs and other bloggers goals have always made me feel so insecure. I think my blog and the purpose of my blog is very different from others. I don't have any professional goals with my blog as far the beauty industry goes. I don't want to big reviewer for PR companies. I'm not a guru. I don't want try and figure out how to make my blog appeal to x,y, and z. I don't care how many page views it gets. This blog is way too personal to me for me to change or improve upon unless it's under my terms. I'll never go around and ask what people think about my blog, changes, improvements etc? My space. I like it the way it is! 

My biggest break is that you all like this too. I did not have to do anything fancy, special, over the top, or out of my way for you all to enjoy what I share with you. I am so thankful for all of you who read this blog. It means so much to me. It's is so amazing that this blog has given me the voice and confidence I never could of ever imagined I could have had as a child and teenager. It feels so good to be heard and appreciated, and I only hope I provide the same for you all as well. So, many many genuine thanks to you all for your kindness and support. 

Happy Tuesday! 

Talk it Out Tuesday: The Blogger "Pet Peeve" Post

I came across a post in a nail polish FB group recently that got a very big reaction. In this post someone was asking what peoples blogger pet peeves were.

This is not my first encounter with posts such as this. I've seen a lot of similar posts and discussion on this on FB groups, Twitter, and even a blog post in my 2+ years of blogging.  A majority of the time I've seen posts like this and comments about this it causes hurt feelings, insecurities, and incites doubt into bloggers.

Some of the pet peeves included things like bad lighting, click to read more things, busy backgrounds, blurry photos, press release posts, and clean up issues. These are totally understandable, and I can agree. These were not the posts that bothered me. The responses that bothered me were the ones that included words like grungy, jacked up, scary, and disgusting to describe some people's nails, cuticles, or paint jobs on their blog that bothered me. Sure, it's an open forum, and everyone is entitled to so what they will, but it struck a chord with me. 

What struck a deeper cord was when someone responded to the thread saying they were scared to start a blog now based on these comments. That really hurt me. That's when I said something. This is a hot button issue for me because of my own experiences and with experiences other bloggers have shared with me over comments like this. I don't want any potential or new blogger feel inferior because of mean posts by a bunch of people who would rather bring people down than build people up. Am I just overly sensitive to this? Probably, but I care about how posts like this affect others and the blogging community. There are 1,700+ people in that group, and I'm sure there were quite a few people who this post negatively impacted. It's one thing to say I don't like blurry photos or bad lighting, it's another thing to say someone's nails scare and disgust you on their blog in public forum.

Almost every blogger has had not some less than stellar paint jobs, cuticles, and nails some point in their blogging life. When that stuff is attached with such negative words like I mentioned above it is hurtful, not constructive, and outright mean spirited. What I'm sure may have not been recognized is many bloggers work very hard on their blogs. They have a lot of heart and dedication, but sometimes they don't have every perfect element, and even if you don't name names to call peoples work scary, grungy, jacked up, disgusting,and scary is just mean. There are less offensive ways to describe discontent. 

Sadly, I was in the minority in this discussion. Most people found no problems with the post and found it constructive. Their defense was no one named names. Still, that doesn't fly with me. I honestly think people found me and some others who disagreed to be as someone even said "holier than thou". I was not trying to be holier than thou. I just genuinely care about peoples feelings. I'm good at keeping my mouth shut, but when someone says they're afraid to blog because of peoples nasty comments I will always stand up for that. I never want someone's desire or passion for blogging to be stifled. 

All I can say is it is the internet, and people can say whatever they want. I shouldn't expect any different, but I'm not going to keep my mouth shut when I feel something is just wrong. I'm not trying to be superman. I'm trying to just do what I feel is kind and caring to others.

Talk it Out Tuesday: Blogs of Yesteryear

This is less of a talk it out and more of a share it out Tuesday?

 I was thinking yesterday about all the blogs I followed before I became a blogger that now have been abandoned :(. I was reading blogs a year and half before I started blogging myself. Many of the blogs I used to follow loyally have been deserted. It's kind of a bummer, but I understand peoples lives change. It is nostalgic to go back and look at these blogs even though they are not current. Some of these get updated every so often, but not at the capacity they used to be. They are great resources still. You can see swatches of a lot of older collections and some have great tips of frankening or other nail related things! They're still relevant and valuable in my opinion.

These were some of those blogs I had in mind. 

Dr. Frankenpolish

Lacquer Laine

Polish Mayhem

Glammed-up

Iceomatic's Nails

The Lacquer Files

Nail Polish Addiction Anonymous

A Stroke of Color

GETCHA NAILS DID
Lacquerized

Sadly, quite of a few of the blogs I used to follow no longer exist.

You know what's cool though? When a blogger from a few years ago, who stopped blogging comes back to the blogging scene. This is what happened with The Polish Addict. Her blog was one of the first I followed along with Scrangie, Vampy Varnish, All Lacquered Up, and The Nailphile. It's nice to see her back!

Do you remember any of these bloggers? What were some of your favorite blogs that fit the subject of today's post? 

Happy Tuesday!

Talk It Out Tuesday: Quelling the Impulse to Buy

I've heard the subject of "no buy" or "low buy" come up recently. I've seen it on Facebook groups, and it's been a conversation I've had with a friend. It's definitely an issue we all face as nail polish addicts, and difficult one at that!

This is certainly different for every person, as we all have different budgets, lifestyles, and will-power. I no longer put myself on no buy. I actually haven't felt a need to recently, that's not to say I haven't come across times I need to cut back. I put myself on low buy. I buy less and less often. No buy though? I couldn't do it. I commend those who have!

I remember when I first got into polish I was making 3-4 times a week trips to CVS and Walgreens to go buy nail polishes. This does not happen at all anymore. I think I only stop at CVS or Walgreens maybe once every 3 weeks, and even then I may only get 1 or 2 polishes. The same can be said for Ulta and Sally's. I only go to Ulta or Sallys maybe once very 2 months, and max I'll buy maybe 3-4 polishes.

Online polish purchases from e-tailers used to be a huge deal for me when I got into nail polish. I'd place orders on etailers for 10-12 polishes every other month. Now, not so much. Online purchases from indie brands.... that's a little harder to curb. I do find myself purchasing an 3-4 indie polishes per month. I make that my limit.

Mind you, the week of my birthday, I went back to my prior polish spending days. I hauled a bit a Sally's, Walgreens, and placed an order from Jade holos and Hits Phenomena polishes on Ninja Polish. It was my birthday though, so special occasions don't count!

Overall, I think I do pretty good with my polish purchases. Is it perfect? No. I still will impulsively buy something on occasion, but that has gone down a lot.

How am I able to quell my impulse to buy lately?

I factor it down to a few things...

1. I avoid. I honestly pretend a lot of stuff doesn't exist. For instance, I never bought a single Brazilian polish until last month. They've been easily accessible for a long time and as gorgeous as ever, but I just put them out of sight and out of mind. I may see them on a blog, but I put it in my head that it's not an option now. I can say the same for those huge indie brands like Dollish Polish for example. Amazing polishes, but they're so unobtainable I don't even bother.

2. The urgency to purchase has diminished. The thrill of finding something and purchasing it or finding it first doesn't do much for me anymore. I saw the new OPI Germany collection at Walmart last week. I had not seen it in person yet, and I got that little spark of "OMG WANT!". I had to remind myself that this collection is not going anywhere for a few months. It will be somewhere 2 weeks, next month, and probably the month after. Lately, new collections I'm buying polishes from have already been out for over a month. The extra time also helps me realize what I really want in a collection.

3. When will I actually swatch this or wear this? I'm not painting my nails as much as I used to, so I'm not going through as much polish. I get backed up on swatches, and that often means quite of few of things I buy may not get worn until month to months later. It just doesn't seem practical to buy something that may not see the light of day for awhile or at all.

4. Been there done that. I think a lot of our go-to brands like OPI, Zoya, Essie, China Glaze are putting out a lot of similar collections with similar colors. Do I really need 5 versions of plum and navy blue?

5. Picky Picky. If there is something not extra special or unique about a polish I'm most likely going to pass it over. I will search colors on my phone, look for dupes, and really convince myself I don't need it.

These are just things that have worked for me.  I think a lot of it also has to do with how long I've been into polish. I love polish, but it's not a new thrill for me. I've got a feel for how things sell and what I really will use and enjoy over time. The indie movement has definitely been the hardest to resist, but I've been able to keep those purchases to a minimum. I think little splurges here and there are fine. I just bought Humble Bee on Ninja Polish since I found out it was still available. If you have the budget to spend on a lot of polish that's fine too, but if you don't remember your priorities and stop a think first!

What are your experiences with the impulsive need to buy polishes, no buys, low buys, and anything else on this subject?

Happy Tuesday!

Talk it Out Tuesday: The never-ending Swatch-a-thon

I was having issues coming up with today's topic. This is a more light-hearted one, but I'm curious to know how you other bloggers out there swatch and blog.

This is what I accomplished today. Some of these I was swatching for the blog, others I was testing out layering combinations.

I have a habit of letting my swatch pile build up for weeks...sometimes months. The only things I try to swatch ASAP are stuff I receive for review. I don't think this is the most practical way I can swatch stuff for my blog at all. I'm sure most of you know, the polish I have on my blog one day is rarely the polish I'm actually wearing. I really only do my nails 2-3 times a week max. This used to be different, I used to them every day or every other day, but my time has become more limited.

I always end up letting new polishes pile up, and then when I have a free day I sit and swatch, and swatch, and swatch. This last batch I was swatching from 10am-5pm, with a 30 minute break. This is always accompanied by catching up on shows on the DVR or Netflix. It's funny because the swatch pile is absolutely daunting to look at (which has caused me to put it off), but when I start swatching time goes by so fast. I really get lost in it. It is actually pretty relaxing. I do get to a point around 5 hours in where I have had about enough, and have to push through the rest.

I clearly make this harder on myself than it needs to be. I'm just the type of person who when they start a project I have to finish it.  It would probably easier if I had myself do 6 swatches of polishes every time I changed my nails, instead of swatching 30+ in one day.  I'm stubborn though, and will still let my swatch pile build up for weeks on end, and spend 7 hours one day catching up on it all. It does feel like quite the accomplishment when I get through though. It's just the way I like to do it!


Update: I figured I should add this, by using the word "swatch" I don't mean I just swatch these and I'm done with them forever. I do wear these polishes at some point as an actual manicure, it's just not the day I swatch them. I do things this way so I have a folder full of swatches to choose from that can set me up for weeks ahead. It's a time saver, and I enjoy doing my blog this way. I truly hope that me not wearing the polishes the day I post about them is not a let down to you all. :(


How about you bloggers out there? How do you manage to do your swatches for your blog? 


Happy Tuesday!

Talk it Out Tuesday: Blogger Confessions Pt. 2

I did Blogger Confessions Pt. 1 back in November. These are just some more things I can add to it.

1. I don't think I know how to file my nails properly. I use an emery board,  glass files scare me because of the sound they make against my nails. It gives me the shivers. Someone file my nails please?

2. I love looking at nail polish display pictures, probably even more than nail swatch pictures. I get giddy when I see Frazzle and Aniploish's display posts. I wish there was some magazine/catalog with pictures for nail polish displays from the past 10-15 years. -drool-

3. My posts from when I started blogging to a year into blogging scare me. My nails are nasty long and my polish jobs are horrendous, but I keep them up here anyways. I have learned that prefer my nails short though for sure!

4 . I'm officially no longer afraid of green nail polish.

5. I once got asked to review a mouse pad with a smiley face on it. Yes, because that makes sense with my blog?

6. I'm sure OPI hates me for my A Color to Diner For review, and Model's Own hates me for my Tropical Sun review. Actually, I doubt they've even read it, but if they did I'm sure I'd never be considered for their PR list.

7. If someone asks me what color I'm wearing and it's some really obscure, discontinued, or HTF color or brand, I just tell them a easy to find color similar to it instead of telling them what it really is. I'm sure this makes me sound awful, but it really avoids a long-ended awkward conversation. If the person is nail addict that's a different story, but the non-nail addicts it's not worth the energy. :P

8. I hate painting my toes, but I do it anyways. It's really like a chore for me, but I have to keep them looking pretty.

9. My nail polish icon is Joan Rivers. She jumped started my bright blue craze when I saw a bright blue polish she was wearing on Joan & Melissa show on WE TV. I also love her nails on Fashion Police she's always sporting some trendy and funky color at the age of 79!

10. Some of my favorite blog posts from others are nail art. I love looking at nail art, but unless someone else is going to do nail art on me I can't be bothered. Nail polish is my escape, doing nail art would require time, dedication, and patience I do not want to put into it.

11. I love my new camera (Nikon Coolpix 6100). It has totally changed my blog and photos for the better. It does have one tremendously annoying flaw. It changes all my oranges to corals, pinks, or reds. It does not capture the color orange. I always have to adjust my colors in the photo later on. It's annoying.

12. I still have never tried nail stamping. I have some plates, but I need the stamper....I will eventually try it. I'm just afraid I'll completely stink at it.

13. I worry about the sanity of people who are willing to spend $100 on one bottle of nail polish on ebay. I'm sure this will offend someone. Sorry, but livelihood > nail polish. Plus, with all the franken supplies out there now I'm sure you could make something similar or dupey on your own.

I think that's all for now.

Do we have any of these things in common? Do you have an blogger or nail polish addict confessions you want to share?

Talk it Out Tuesday: Blog Sales

I want to thank Amy over at Gotham Polish for this Talk it Out Tuesday topic!

What are your thoughts on blog sales? Do think there are some do's and don'ts when it comes to blog sales?


I'm not an expert on blog sales, I've had my share, but I certainly wouldn't call myself a pro at it. I do have some opinions on certain aspects of blog sales.

*These are my personal opinions. This is not a guideline for blog sales. I'm just sharing my thoughts.

PR Samples in blog sales- This is an absolute no no. It's hard for me to believe that people would find it reasonable to do this. If you get a product to review for free, you should not turn around and sell it. Do I even need to explain why? Morals people. If you get a product for review that you don't want anymore swap it or give it to a friend. Do not profit off of it!

Overpriced ETF (easy to find) used polishes- I've seen a few blog sales that are selling polishes you could easily find online or in stores used for the price they originally bought them for or more. I generally sell polishes I've used that are ETF for 40%-50% off of what I originally paid for them. They can sell it for what they want, and some people will buy it, but it just doesn't sit well with me.

HTF (hard to find polishes)- This is where I think there is some wiggle room. I do not have an issue with people marking up used HTF polishes. I do not mean to ridiculous ebay prices I've seen sometimes, but to what they guess is reasonable price for the item at the time. I've researched ebay and asked other nail people what they felt was a reasonable price for an HTF polish before I put it in a sale. For example, if I had used OPI Absolutely Alice I wanted to sell I'd check on ebay and see the average for a bottle is around $21-$23. I personally would start my price off at around $16-$17. If it sat around with no offers for a week I'd lower it to $15 and so on. Sometimes you don't find any information on an HTF polish you have, and you have to use your best judgment. It's important to be fair, but don't sell yourself short or be greedy either..find the middle ground.

Frustrations and icky buyers- When I've had blog sales I've had people ask for extensions for payment or strange requests. I've had children email me saying tings like "I'm 12 I don't have a paypal, can I send you cash?". Errr, no. I think it's a safe bet to deal with Paypal payments only. I've had someone buy a ton of stuff from me then turn around 2 weeks later and re-sell all of my stuff in a blog sale for double what I sold it for. Can they do that? Sure, it's their property now, but it sucks. I get it if it's a few items you didn't like later on and re-sell it, but the whole kit and caboodle of what I sold you?!? I will no longer sell to that person because I know what they'll do with my stuff.


These are the main things I have thoughts on as far as blog sales. I love blog sales. I've found so many great polishes through them. I enjoy having my own as well. As a rule of thumb I always look around other blog sales before I set prices on mine. I want to make sure I'm selling polishes around the same price others sell. I know there are countless other topics that can be discussed as far as blog sales go. Let me know your thoughts in the comments.

Happy Tuesday!

Talk it Out Tuesday: Beyond the Pretty Colors

Does how a brand/store functions (their customer service, social media interaction, marketing, and etc.) outside of the colors/products they make impact your purchasing decisions or general opinion of a brand?


The answer to this for me is a a definite yes!

The Good....

I have always been very impressed with a-england and Cult Nails. I think they are prime examples of brands that absolutely genuinely care about their customers. Adina, the founder of a-england does an amazing job of being very interactive with her fans and customers. Also, many times I've ordered from her I have received a kind note of thanks from her. Cult Nails succeeds in similar ways. Maria is very engaging with Cult Nails fans. She really listens to the needs of her customers, and tries to accommodate them. She also really using social media very well. I see her presence on Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter. These are two brands are definitely on the top of my list for not only their great colors, but for making me feel valued as a customer. They also have some of the more expensive polish, but I will gladly give them my money when I can because of the experience they provide.

Bloom.com and birchbox are companies I had issues with as far as mix up with orders, but how these companies handled it made me love them more than before the mishap. These companies were very attentive, apologetic, and handled the mistake quickly and efficiently. The way they fixed a problem, their professionalism, and kindness stood out to me, and have made me a long-term customer.

OPI I think does a good job marketing their brand. I'm always in the know about OPI nail polish collections pretty far in advance, thanks to the press releases and product samples they send to bloggers. They also do a good job of maintaining their Facebook page. I always see daily posts with tips and updates from them. I may not always be interested in all of their content, but I know it is relevant to others. I may not get any personal attention from OPI, but I don't expect to either. They're huge! I do know based on how they present themselves online that they care about their customers

I'm very much on the fence with Zoya. I absolutely love how Zoya is always having promotions, and they have done an amazing job  of creating a massive customer base. I remember when they were fairly unknown as a nail polish brand. It is incredible what they have done with social media to allow themselves to grow tremendously. That being said, I feel like they may have grown too much before they were necessarily prepared. I know there can be frustrations with back-ordered polishes and shipping delays. This does not bother me as much, as few comments I've seen from Zoya fairies on their Facebook page. Majority of the time it is all great, but there has been rare occasion or two I've seen snarky comments from Zoya on their Facebook page. This always causes a rightful stir, and the posts are deleted a few hours later that caused the turmoil without any acknowledgement or apology for the mistake. This puts a bad taste in my mouth. I will always remember the snarky comments whether they were deleted or not. It has not stopped me from shopping Zoya, but as brand that used to be my ultimate favorite it did really disappoint me.


The Bad....


China Glaze has been on my bad radar for probably two years now. China Glaze is great at creating wonderful colors. That I do not have a problem with. I have a problem with how they market themselves or lack their of. I feel like they release a preview of their yearly collections, and then go silent until the last minute before the collection comes out. I'll see their next year's Christmas colors before this year's Christmas is over, but I won't hear a peep about them again until almost the next Christmas. I've been waiting for months now to hear more about their Summer Neons. It isn't until this week an official press release has been made and it's already the beginning of May. I have not seen any swatches done by any major blogger either. Summer collections from other brands have been a buzz for over a month now. I also see on their page they're promoting Prismatics which have been out for well over month. They seem to have some serious delay, and it really hurts them. I like to get excited about colors prior to their release. I like to read about them, see swatches, and talk about them. This creates a buzz. I do not feel like there is an opportunity for this with China Glaze because of how inconsistent they are and how slow they are with their collection updates. They really need to fix this because other major brands are miles and miles ahead of them. You're fading in the background China Glaze.


The Ugly....


*Be aware these are outright non-censored personal opinions!


Julep and Llarowe. The way Julep started with their Maven program the problems that arose, and how poorly they handled damage control is absolutely unforgivable to me. I see they are now having issues again with their polishes going bad, brushes being bad, and they're not doing a good job at responding to customers concerns. I do not care if they have $0.01 boxes of polish. They will never see a penny from me. I think they're also absolutely pompous too, which is unattractive to me. Llarowe, the way the Lynnderella fiasco was handled and how it was publicly discussed on their Facebook page was insane to me. That situation was only instigated more by all the chatter that was produced by the Llawrowe page themselves. I do not feel these were responsible business decisions to perpetuate more drama around a situation publicly. It's one thing if you're an individual or even blogger with an opinion, but not if you're running a business and taking people's money. This situation turned me off from ever wanting to shop from this seller.

Phew! That took longer than I thought!

What are your thoughts on this? What brands are wins and loses for you based on these factors? 


Happy Tuesday!

Talk it Out Tuesday: Gaining Readership

*Let me preface this by saying, I am not anti-giveaway. I have had my share of giveaways, and I enjoy having them. In fact, I will be having a giveaway soon. My goal is not to eradicate giveaways with these posts, but rather look at other options to gain readership. 

The thing that trips me up lately is how many posts I'm seeing on Facebook and Twitter from new bloggers that say something like the following "Once I hit 100 followers (or whatever number) I will have a giveaway!". I even had people post things like that on my Facebook page, when I asked for people to share their blog links. It seems to be the new trend that some new bloggers are offering giveaway incentives so people will follow their blog.

I think what these newbie bloggers are missing is the real joy and rewarding experience blogging is when you gain your readers without the incentives and the promise of prizes. Blogs seems to be so giveaway driven lately, that perhaps some people do not know any other methods to gain readership. Instant gratification from a ton of likes or blog followers may feel good at first, but in the long run you may be lacking the substance from your readers and the blogging experience you may of originally planned on.

Here are some of the things I have recognized to be helpful in gaining readers outside of giveaways. None of these are quick fixes or will you get a large number of people fast, but if you're into the blogging thing for the long haul these will be beneficial and rewarding to you as your grow as a blogger.

1. Consistency- When you want to start a blog, figure out how it will fit into your life. Blogging will have to be put on your "to-do" list if you want to attract people towards you blog. People like to follow blogs that are consistent in their posting. This does not mean you have to post every single day, but a few times a week would be best. This may mean you have to cut out time in your life to blog or schedule posts in advance. The main thing is to find a schedule that works for you, and to stick to it. Long hiatuses or infrequent posts are one of the main reasons I do not follow blogs or unfollow them.

2. Personality- There is more to a nail polish blog than showing a picture of your nails and telling us what color it is. You have to spice it up, and it doesn't have to be anything big. All you have to do is to put yourself in your posts. If you're silly, be silly! If you're geeky, be geeky! If you have some little story to share about a polish, share your story. If you hate something, tell us how much you hate it! I let go of any hesitation in my posts, and just be my normal geeky self. This has been the biggest benefit to blogging for me because people get to know me, and I've found out people like me even if I'm weird and silly. They'll want to read your blog because you're so approachable, and they can relate to you. Keep it real though! Don't fake it, let go and be yourself!

3. Identity- Honestly, I hate the word "follower", it makes a blogger sound as if they're some celebrity or cult leader haha. I prefer readers. I never have assumed I am better than the people who read my blog. I'm an equal to them. I shop in the same stores, and hunt for the same nail polishes they do. I think people may see bloggers as a person of authority, but I do not see myself that way. I see myself as a friend sharing information with my other friends. Modesty and humility go a long way, even if your blog reaches 4,000 readers. Remember who you are and your role.

4. Engagement- No, I do not mean marry your readers. I mean engage with them! Your readers want to be appreciated and heard. Whether it be on Facebook, Twitter, or your blog ask your readers questions on occasion. You can ask them specific questions about products they like or just ask them what they had for lunch. It doesn't matter, but involve them in your world. You can also try to incorporate them in your blog. I do it with "Share With You Sunday", where people can share their links or pictures of their manicures. I genuinely like to know the thoughts of my readers, and enjoy seeing their creations. It's a win-win!

5. Originality- We all can review nail polish colors, but sometimes we need to separate ourselves from the pack. I do not do nail art. I do not have some awesome nail polish talent, so I rely on my personality to keep me relevant. I also came up with weekly or bi-weekly posts that vary up my routine. I have "Talk it Out Tuesday", "Bottle Spam Saturday". and "Share With You Sunday". These posts are different from my typical posts. This offers something different for my readers, and provides me with more opportunities to engage with them. You can have your own weekly themed posts or your blog can be focused on your talents (i.e. nail art, stamping, or etc). I see other bloggers do some of those 30 day or 10 day challenges or do weekly series. There are tons of options!

6. Integrity- Be up front with your readers. Disclose everything you need to disclose  (i.e. endorsements, paid ads, and product reviews). I know it can be difficult to review something honestly when it is provided to you. I had this experience with Butter London. I put off reviewing their top coat and base coat forever since it was sent to me for free. I had terrible luck with it, and I felt badly that I did not have anything positive to say about it, but I posted my honest review anyways. I have not heard from Butter London again, and I do not expect to, but being honest with my readers trumps free products in my book. You owe your readers honesty. They will respect you for that.

7. No Pressure- I still struggle with this sometimes! Your blog is your blog. It does not have to be like other blogs, and it can be however you want it to be. If you want to blog purely as a hobby and for fun, then do it! There are no requirements to be a PR maven or have a super professional blog. If your goal is for your blog to be professional and have involvement in the cosmetics industry then that is great too. I get intimidated a lot by bloggers who really are into the industry and their blog has given them a career path or some leg into the field.. I feel like "Should I be doing that?". No! I never wanted my blog to be anything other than my space to share my love of nail polish and make friends along the way. My blog is my little sanctuary where I feel comfortable letting loose and being myself. That's what my blog is, and your blog should be exactly what you want it to be, not what you feel it should be or how other people do their blogs. When you're doing what you love the way you want to do it, it is magnetizing. People will feed off your passion and want to support you whatever your goal may be.

*UPDATE* 8. Social Media- Utilize social media to your advantage. I recommend getting a Facebook page and a Twitter account for your blog. Be sure follow other bloggers on Twitter and Facebook, and chat with them. I do not mean spam your links with them, but take time to connect with them and get to know them. Other bloggers can help support you and your blog! Social media is also a great way to connect with your readers too. It is much more personal than a blog setting.

All of these things take time, trial and error, and patience, but they honestly will lead you in the right direction to having not only a successful blog, but a rewarding one. It will help you gain some amazing readers and commenters who will stand by you for YOU..not for what you can giveaway!  I actually got a little emotional writing this because of how much blogging has positively impacted my life. Blogging has been a life changing experience for me. When you blog from the heart being 100% yourself you will truly reap the rewards.

If anyone has anything else to add to this please let me know in the comments. Also, share your thoughts on this post too! I'd love to hear what you're thinking. 

Happy Tuesday!

Talk it Out Tuesday: Disclose Referral Links!

*This post will be controversial. Please remember these opinions are my own. If we do not share a similar viewpoint, that is totally cool, but let's keep it civil.*


-begin rant-

Referral links. This is a topic that makes me incredibly uncomfortable. A lot of times different companies will give out referral links when you make an account with them, so when someone signs up under your name you will benefit from their sign up. These sign ups can get discounts or credit to spend on the companies products etc. I know Julep does this and Zoya just started this yesterday.

I would never post a referral link on my blog or Facebook. I personally, do not feel it is right for me to benefit in some monetary way from my readers signing up under my name for something. If it's family or personal friends I think that is different. Those are people I know, while a majority of my readers (though I love you guys) are strangers. Remember, this is just my personal feelings towards this.  I do not judge others who do not feel the same as long as they disclose their referral links.

That being said, I've seen in the past and a few times recently on Facebook or blogs where bloggers post referral links WITHOUT disclosing they are referral links. If you disclose it I think it's totally fine.  It's the non disclosure ones that I think are just downright wrong. What's worse is sometimes I see these (non-disclosed links) from bloggers who have a lot of PR involvement and review samples.

Why do bloggers who already receive a lot of freebies feel a need to post referral links without disclosure, so their readers can help them get more freebies or stuff at a lower cost? Why do bloggers freebies or not not disclose referral links?  Does this bother anyone else?

This makes my blood boil. Is there some rule against them doing this? Absolutely not. In fact, a lot of people would think that is rather savvy of them. I guess people find it a perk to being a blogger, you can use your status to get some nifty things with the help of your readers! All you have to do is say click "here", without any disclosure and you're raking in the dough! ......Gah, that makes me want to barf. They can do it though. I'm not stopping them, but I sure as heck think it's wrong and insanely dishonest.

I might be overly sensitive, and perhaps reading into this too much. I just really dislike it when people are not upfront and honest. I feel that it is a shady, and it is taking advantage of people for your personal gain. If you disclose it and people want to help you out, then more power to you. If you don't disclose..just ugh. Do the right thing people.

What are your thoughts on non-disclosed referral links? Have you ever signed up under a referral link not knowing at the time it was a referral link?

-rant over-

Happy Tuesday! :P

Talk it Out Tuesday: What's in a number?

*Upfront this one will be controversial. I am just expressing my opinion, and it is my own. I am opinionated, but I am not trying to be mean or hurtful. I certainly hope this does not come off that way. 

The number of followers you have....does it really matter? Will it always matter?


As new blogger 2 years ago, I was really invested in how many followers I had. Every new follower you got was like a little sign you were doing something right. It got even better when I hit milestones like 50-100-250-500-1000. It was exciting! I remember that, and I can appreciate those who have that similar excitement now.

What is interesting is that there are factors into getting a certain follower count. One thing we know helps follower counts are giveaways. If you have a giveaway and you require people to follow your blog to enter you're going to get a slew of new followers simply because you're giving something away. There are few who will become loyal followers, but most just are in it for the free stuff. I'm sure I wouldn't have at least 25% of the followers I have now if it weren't for giveaways.

Also one of the things I've realized over time is your follower count is not really reflective of how many people are truly engaged in your blog. I currently have 1906 followers on my blog. I sure do not have 1906 daily page views. I do not have 1906 daily comments! Thankfully! Haha.

Just these two elements let us know that your follower count is not necessarily the best gauge for how many people are truly following your blog on a daily basis. Then why does the number matter so much? I understand that a high follower count can help you get into PR for some brands, but outside of that what?

I know this sounds very cynical, because I can understand and relate to everyone's excitement when you hit certain milestones. I've just gotten to the point where the number holds less of a value to me.  Of course, I'd be upset if I lost half or all of my followers. I guess what matters less to me now is the urgency to get these massive milestones. If it takes me months to get to 2,000 or years to get to 5,000 I am comfortable with that. The numbers are cool, but they do not hold a candle to the people who I know are really engaged in my blog. Those people however small or large that number maybe is more meaningful.

One thing I've noticed a lot on Facebook or Twitter is people tweeting "I'm 5-10-20 away from 200/500/1000 followers on my blog!" (I do not feel the same for businesses or companies. I understand the competition aspect there). What does that do? It just gets you random people to follow your blog so you can achieve that number to have a giveaway or something. I don't know. I get it when you're a new blogger, but I feel like obtaining followers through your own merit is more meaningful in the long run. I'm not judging people who do this, I just don't always understand the reasoning. Why the need to achieve this stuff so quickly? What is wrong with being cool with where you're at?

I'm sure I sound like a jerk or really negative about this. I guess I just really do not care about competing with other bloggers as far as follower count. I do not care about being the most popular blogger on the internet. It does not matter to me. These numbers mattered to me more at one point. I do not frown when I gain followers. I like to know that people like my blog of course, but getting to a certain goal in X amount of time is no longer that valuable to me. Is there some race I'm not aware of?

What are your thoughts on this subject? Feel free to comment even if you're not a blogger!

Talk It Out Tuesday: How much is it worth to you?

**I may be opinionated in this post. It is not my intention to offend. I'm not judging people who do differently, I'm just sharing my point of view.**

I'm sure we've all been in this position. There is some amazing polish out there that we want, but it's long discontinued, it was limited edition, it's very exclusive, and etc. What price are we willing to pay for it, and at what lengths are we willing to go to try obtain it?

The most I ever paid for a polish was $35 for China Glaze No Way Jose on eBay. I am completely embarrassed and truly regret spending that much.  I love the polish, but the seller after my purchase put a lifetime stock on eBay and is selling them for much less. I guess I was idiot he/she was testing the waters with to see how much some moron would pay for it. Guilty. How humiliating.

I will NEVER pay that much for a polish again. My biggest lemming at the moment is OPI DS Exclusive. This is on eBay now for $50-$65. No way. I think the most I'd pay for a huge lemming if I could find no other source would be $20. There is no way I'd pay whatever ridiculous price for Clarins 230, Chanel discontinued polishes, or whatever. Even if I were made of money, I wouldn't spend that much. All in all...it is really only nail polish in the end.

Lately, there seems to be an issue of how much you are willing to put up with to get a spectacular polish. Case and point....Lynnderellas. I have not followed closely a lot of the Lynnderella stuff, but from what I gather and the bits of it I've seen it seems like a nightmare. I think the polishes are gorgeous, and I'd like a few myself, but the exclusivity and demand for them turns me off completely. There also seems to be too much chatter and drama involved. When I'm buying polish, I do not want a whole intense presentation of raffles, lotteries, wait lists, and etc. I just want to grab it in a store and go to the cashier, or put it in my online shopping cart, send payment and be done with it. I understand the exclusivity of these polishes has made it come to those types of measures, but ugh so not worth it! I'll find some glitter and throw it on my nails and call it a day!

What are your thoughts? What are some polishes worth to you..price wise and sanity wise? 

Talk it Out Tuesday: Do you buy into hype? Are you an impulsive shopper?

Do you buy into hype about nail polish? Are you an impulsive polish shopper?

This is a a simple question for me to asnwer. The answer is yes.

I think I'm more of an impulsive shopper versus someone who buys into hype. Every year it seems there is a lot hype surrounding Chanel polishes. I NEVER seem to get why they get hype. I was completely lost on the appeal of Paradoxal. The hype on that polish got to the point I was irritated with the talk about it and why it was so great. Plus, $25 for a polish? No way. Rant- I sometimes think it's the brand name that attracts some people to it. Please, it's a nail polish not some expensive bag or dress. You don't come off as affluent by having a $25 nail polish. :P-Rant over

I see similar hype surrounding Lynderella polishes, but the hype I believe is warranted. I have not purchased them though, even though there are some I like very much. I cannot seem to be swayed by the uproar some polishes get. If it doesn't seem like something I really need, then what is the point? This is where I give myself a pat on the back. I do not necessarily buy into all hype, but I buy into it in a different way....

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I'm impulsive. My worst problem is when it comes to new collections that are not widely available at first. I get some thrill hunting and searching for new collections that a majority of people have not found yet. If I see some photos of a new display of polishes, I get some hunting instinct in my brain to go out and find it! 

This has happened with so many collections. The thought of being one of the first people to find something new and exciting is a thrill. This has happened with Milani One Coat Glitters, Wet n' Wild Ice Ice Baby, when Essie went retail, Orly Fowl Play, Essie Luxe Effects, and the list goes on. I feel some how validated when I find something before other people. The problem with this is that I buy it (not every polish in a collection maybe one or a few), not because I necessarily really like it. It's because I feel like I accomplished something by finding it first.  How terrible is that?!?! It's awful. There is another not-so-selfish reason. I do like finding things, so I can tell other people in my area where they can find it too. I like sharing the wealth! 

Isn't that weird though? What's worse is if I'm so interested in being one of the first people to find something  then why do I not post it on my blog immediately? I do not know. The thrill is gone once it's been found.  This makes me sound like some sort of addict, huh? 

I try to be less impulsive, but I have failed. A few weeks ago I spotted China Glaze Electropop, and that instinct popped in. I had to get some, even though they were more expensive at that place than they would be at Sally's where I'm sure I could find them a few weeks later....but no had to get them then. Epic fail. 

So......

What are your thoughts? Do you fall into any of these categories or both? What are some polishes you think were over-hyped?

Happy Tuesday!