Paris Beaverbanks is the editor of one of the most popular beauty blogs in Malaysia, My Women Stuff. She’s been featured in newspapers, websites, fashion magazines, and she was the reason I started beauty blogging 4 years ago. Believe it or not, I invited her to my wedding when we’ve never even laid eyes on each other (the first time I saw her was when we went from table to table to toast the guests :P). We sure have come a long way since then, and I’m proud to call her my blogging mentor and friend. And might I add, an incredibly dangerous shopping enabler too!

I had a chat with the blogger lovingly known as Paris B.

**************************************************************

First of all, I’m sure we all want to know this. Your name isn’t really Paris Beaverbanks, is it? How did that come about?

If it was really Paris Beaverbanks (or Paris B as I go by these days), I must have very imaginative parents! 😀 But no, the monicker came about when I was playing around online with a name generator, and around the same time, I was starting my blog and needed an online persona. “Paris B” sounded cool so …Tada! Interestingly, it seems to have stuck, so I do also answer to “Paris” in real life 🙂

What made you want to start a beauty blog?

Because I’m opinionated! No seriously, I used to be active and contribute to online forums but things started getting political (as they do) so I pulled out. But I still enjoyed learning and talking about beauty. About the same time, I learned about blogs and blogging. I thought it would be fun to have a blog with my thoughts on beauty products I’ve tried. It was all quite new back then.

What advice would you give to new beauty bloggers and to those who are thinking of starting one?

1. Be passionate about what you do. Its easy to start a blog. Its harder to keep it going and to post consistently. The one thing that will keep you going is your passion and interest in the subject you are blogging on.
2. Network. Blogging is a social activity so if you want to be noticed, take time to socialize by visiting other blogs in your niche, and leaving a comment. Interact with other bloggers and build the community. Its hard and discouraging going at it alone and besides, it is always more fun with friends. Blogging isn’t and shouldn’t be a competition, its about being in a community.
3. A stock photo is better than a blurry self-taken one. If you plan to take your own photos, please use a proper digital camera (an inexpensive basic one will do) and learn how to use it properly.
4. Learn HTML. I’m serious.

Many a time, new beauty bloggers would be pressured to buy more beauty products just so they can do a review of them. This could be taxing to their wallet, especially when they’re on a tight budget. What advice would you have for her/him?

First off, I don’t think there should be any pressure per se on anyone. As bloggers who blog about beauty, we are just sharing our views on whether we like or dislike a product. It does not have to be about the latest and newest products in the market. That said, if someone is keen on blogging about beauty, they most likely already have an interest in the subject and a sizeable stash, and would probably buy more beauty products anyway. It boils down to interest. I don’t think any “beauty blogger’ ever started blogging about beauty with just 1 eyeshadow and 1 lipstick 😉 So, if you are just starting out, there’s no need to run out and buy the first new thing you set eyes on. Look in your stash and start there. Do you have a product you love you want to tell everyone to try? Is there a lipstick that has served you well? Use your stash as the foundation to build on. If you want to buy something, be rational about it and not just get it for review purposes, because if you end up not using it thereafter, it’ll just be money wasted. I’m not an advocate of wasting money either.

You know what they say about negative comments; if you get them, you’ve got it made! How do you deal with them?

I don’t. I just delete them. I have a comment policy in place which sets out what sort of comments are allowed and what are not. I allow comments with a different point of view (provided its coherent and polite), but not anything that personally attacks me or any other commentator. I have been fortunate to not have to face too much negativity… whew! *touch wood*

Now that more brands are recognising the influence of bloggers, what would you say to new bloggers who would want to approach PRs for call-outs? Should they wait for the PRs to approach them first instead?

To be honest, in a large active blogging environment, PR may never notice your blog. So if you have their contact, I do not see the harm in dropping them a polite note informing them that you are a beauty blogger and are interested in the brand they represent, and to request to be updated on what’s new if they find your blog suitable.

However, if a blogger wants to approach PR, my suggestion would be to first ensure you have a credible looking blog with sufficient posts so PR can properly evaluate if they might be amenable to working with you. I’ve heard stories from brand PRs who are absolutely flabbergasted at some of the blogs they view – bad grammar, blurry photos… are just some of the complaints. Secondly, work out what is it you are approaching PR for. Is it to be placed on their mailing lists? Or for freebies? Not to be cynical, but most of the time, from what I’ve heard, PR people field a lot of requests for the latter. Its one thing to contact PR and ask to be put on their mailing list, but another to contact PR and ask for freebies “for review because I’m a beauty blogger”. In my early years of blogging, we’d never have thought to contact PR or brands but these days, i think its acceptable, within reason.

You have a day job, yet you manage to come up with such great posts on a daily basis. Don’t you ever get writer’s block, like so many of us do? (*ahem* me *ahem*) How did you do it?

Yes I do get writers block too! Having a schedule helps with curbing writer’s block. I don’t know if anyone notices, but I do have some sort of daily schedule of posts on the blog. Once I set my schedule in place, it made it easier to know just what posts I need to prepare for daily. Sometimes, when the inspiration hits, I draft out some ideas or posts and keep them on the back burner. When I run into a busy time or when I really run out of ideas, I reach into this stash and pick one, update it, and publish it 🙂

What was the biggest challenge you’ve faced in blogging?

Learning to code. There is a lot of code hiding under that innocuous blog exterior! I have no technical background in software or programming, so it is a challenge every time I need to do something to the blog framework. I’ve also had to learn about servers, their capacity, bandwidth, plugins… things I’d never have dabbled with had I not taken to blogging!

What’s the best thing blogging has brought you?

Friends! 😀 I’ve met lots of awesome likeminded people through blogging – just like you, Tine! Many are fellow bloggers who share the same vision and wavelength, and some are readers too.

Now, on to our favourite topic, makeup and skincare! What are your favorite makeup and skincare brands?

I don’t have one single favourite, sorry! For skincare, I tend to go for products instead of brands. If it works, I’d get it 🙂 For makeup, I do have quite a few faves in Dior and Guerlain, but I’m not blindly loyal to either, and yes, I do prefer high-end cosmetics.

You completely wowed me with your blush collection! You are no doubt the Blush Queen. What’s your favourite?

*polishes tiara* Really? I’m sure its not THAT large 😛 My blush preferences change over time, but presently, I’m really liking Benefit’s Bella Bamba, along with the 23402 other people out there.

We can’t end without the ubiquitous desert island question. What are your five must-have beauty products? Makeup, skincare, haircare, anything!

1. Sunscreen – any brand
2. Kiehl’s Midnight Recovery Concentrate
3. Dior Addict lipstick
4. Smashbox Liquid eyeliner
5. Guerlain Meteorites

Thank you for having me Tine! Its been an honour 😀

**************************************************************

Thank YOU, Paris B, for being such an inspiration!

Paris B, sister Pinkelle and I at my wedding reception in KL (February 2008)

Please check out her blog at MyWomenStuff.com.