Friday, January 31, 2014

Friday Five : New year, new reflections (on beauty blogging)


          At this time of year, (right around New Year's) I like to pull out my figurative mirror and examine who I am as a person and as a beauty blogger. Today I'm taking the opportunity to wax poetic on some valuable advice I've come across, and other lessons learned while blogging. Whether you are a blogger, reader, or first time visitor, I hope you'll find something that resonates with you as well!

1. Be a unique snowflake
When I started blogging, I spent a good deal of time thinking about where I would fit in in the beauty blogging world. Should I be goofy? pretentious? obssessed? None of the above seemed quite right (after all, I suppose I was meant to be "cute and mundane"....). The reality is that most of us are a mixed bag. Instead of fitting into a pre-made or idealized mold, the grail is to 'be yourself' and do what is meaningful to you. That may sound easy (and a bit cliché), but it really takes work to realize who you are inside and outside of beauty blogging, and how you can effectively translate your unique personality into typed text!

2. Follow the rainbow
I've somehow managed to keep at Cute and Mundane for three-plus years now (my fourth blogiversary is this May!). I've realized that the trick to longevity is to follow and develop your passions. A love for beauty draws bloggers and readers together, but the reasons we love it are varied and often quite personal. For me, it really is about following the rainbow, both figuratively and literally. I feel so alive when talking about pure color and color inspirations (it's a bit of an obsession and compulsion actually); focusing on this aspect of beauty is what keeps me energized day in and day out.

3. Time is precious
In real-life, I have a job I love. That said, this year is a particularly busy one - to give you an idea, there's a mandated 80 hour work-hour limit on our week (you know, to make sure we have a break once in a while... to blog study....).  On a typical work week, I usually don't end up reaching that upper limit, but the long hours still give me an appreciation for the preciousness of time. Since my time is so valuable to me, I've learned to blog almost exclusively about what I want- not what other people want. I've tried to eliminate as many obligations as possible, including company product samples, because I've learned that my personal time is more valuable than goods, favors, recognition, pageviews, or really anything else!

4. Creativity is key
I think creativity is the most important aspect of blogging. A unique photography style, a personal watermark, and a bookish mentality are among the attributes that helped me to draw out a niche for myself. What I've learned over the years is the value of a new idea. Truly novel ideas are few and far between, and bloggers do take notice when you find one. While there is no exact formula for how to come across these new ideas, I think being true to yourself and cultivating your uniqueness is absolutely fundamental to the process!

5. We are family
In life, all endeavors are better when family is involved. I'm lucky to have a brother who (albeit a bit begrudgingly) edits my posts when he can. As yu can imagin, (<= I'll let thsi one slied... Ed.) it helps avoid some silly typos and add a bit of fluidity to my prose. But more importantly, it's a fun way to stay in touch. My mom's also been helping out by sending me the occasional sample and tossing recommendations my way! I know my grandparents in Korea take a look at the site every now and then too. Knowing all this keeps me focused on writing quality content that I'd be proud to share with my family!

        Thanks for reading and for spending time with me here today on Cute and Mundane! It's really a joy and a privilege to write, photograph, and share a love of beauty with you on this little slice of the web! If you have anything you'd like to share (agreements, disagreements, or new advice), I'd love to read your note below!

Love, Dovey.

25 comments:

  1. This is lovely! I definitely agree about the time factor––there's never enough, so why spend any on activities/topics/products/what-have-you that don't captivate you? And I love that your brother edits your posts! That's so sweet :)

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    1. Hi Amy,
      Thanks for the kind comment (and I'll pass on the message to my bro)! I feel like the time crunch issue is something so many of us can relate to!

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  2. Thoughtful and poignant as always, Dovey! I agree about time as well - why bother with something that doesn't capture my interests? The lack of enthusiasm always shows, I think.

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    1. Hi Larie,
      Thanks so much! I think enthusiasm is such a key point --- and can sometimes can get lost in the blogging grind (or whatever one calls the process..)!

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  3. Hey Dovey, what a fantastic post! I've been rethinking the whole thing a little recently as well, and your advice is definitely pointing me in the right direction! <3

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    1. Hi Sunny,
      Thanks so much for the encouraging comment! I think thinking and rethinking is such an important part to the process --- it really helps us evolve!

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  4. Hi Dovey! I've followed your blog for a couple of years, which I really enjoy, but I think I've never written anything. What I most like about it is how it's unique following your creativity. I've been blogging for a year and had a couple of doubts the other day, but yeah I agree, I'll continue to do things my style, my creativity, because thats how we enjoy things best, while always remembering that my free time is precious. Thanks for your reflections. Happy New Year! xx

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    1. Hi Papayapieces,
      I'm so glad you took the time to comment! It's really wonderful to hear from you and to hear that the creativity / personal stylistic aspects resonate with you as well. I think it's definitely a fun and essential part of blogging!

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  5. I agree with everything Dovey! I'm finding time to blog is getting harder and harder too, so slowing down is just what happens when blogging isn't a full time paid job. It's our hobby and for me, it has to stay fun! If it's not fun anymore, then whey bother. :D

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    1. Hi Tracy,
      Thanks for the kind comment! I think the emphasis on fun is so important! After all, it's the reason we started blogging to begin with :)

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  6. Hi, Dovey! I'm such a fan of your thoughtful prose and lovely pictures, so it makes me happy to hear that you're still going to treat us to posts despite the gruelling work schedule. I admire the way you can keep a clear head and perspective no matter what. :)

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    1. Hi Liz,
      Thank you so much for the sweet comment and encouragement! Blogging has been such an interesting journey --- it's been wonderful to travel that path with such good company :-)

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  7. This is one of the best new year/reflections posts I read. You truly speak what I think is very important as well. I really enjoy your blog and knowing that you have a job and still post so many nice pictures, thoughtful writings/posts, etc makes me like your blog even more. As for blogging, I could write on and on, I was thinking about this and that (blogging, beauty community, etc) last year and I made some decisions for me this year. Very nice post Dovey! / Claire xxx

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  8. Hi Dovey!
    This is exactly why I love your blog so much, your lovely personality always shines through!
    Your images are always so beautiful and striking. Everything always feels peaceful and uncluttered,
    and well thought out. It never feels like you are just featuring "stuff" for the sake of more stuff. I also
    love that while your posts may be about a special beauty product, they could just as easily feature something completely different that you encountered and found to be beautiful. Thank you so much
    for your blog. It's a lovely place to visit! Nancy

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  9. Dovey, thanks for sharing this with us!
    Your blog has been always inspiring. This post is not an exception, which makes me reflect on blogging itself. I try to keep up and offer quality posts but it is not an easy thing to do, that much I have learned.
    I wish you a good balance in life and blogging and hope to see more of your great posts.

    Happy weekend! :)

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  10. You are most definitely a unique snowflake who's found her voice Dovey! I appreciate the thoughtfulness that goes into each of your posts. It shows consistently. I'd rather see fewer posts that have substance than lots of PR pics & regurgitated copy. Your Inspired by posts are some of my favorites. While I don't blog, I do have a limited amount of time to read blogs. I want a point of view that increases my knowledge about a product, let's me enjoy the beauty of a color or visualize the fragrance or is something that causes me to look at products in a new way like your Inspired by posts. While I don't comment often it doesn't mean I'm not reading! I look forward to continuing to read as long as you enjoy writing! That you post at all with your work schedule boggles the mind. Cheers!

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  11. Awesome tips! Fingers crossed at blogging as long as you have. I've been blogging for two years and running :)

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  12. I absolutely cannot imagine working that much AND going to school AND blogging. You are truly an inspiration. Thank you for this post. I sometimes get caught up in things and forget why I'm doing this. You've helped me remember. Thank you <3

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  13. This is such a nice post Dovey! I recognize a lot of things in myself here.
    It really is quite a bit of challenge to find and maintain your own true style. I noticed I get distracted sometimes or feel a bit insecure. But it's really what makes a blog so much more beautiful and to some people relatable. I'm so impressed that you still find the time to blog, amazing!

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  14. What a lovely, thoughtful post, Dovey! You sure have your unique voice and photography style too that we all love and come back to again and again. I definitely have to agree that finding what's right for you and doing just that is a good recipe to follow in life, not just in blogging!

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  15. This is such a fantastic list. Thank you so much for your advice and passion! Your blog is amazing.

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  16. Hi Dovey, I admire your approach to blogging and it comes across in your unique and engaging blog. You have an artist's eye for color and attention to detail. Despite your long working hours, I hope we can continue to look forward to your outstanding posts for many years to come! :)

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  17. Hi Dovey, it is encouraging to know that you still have time for blogging while you work (I assume medicine?) I start med school next year, so recently I have been thinking about where and how blogging would fit in my life. finding your blog was a good way to know that it could work

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  18. Another resident and makeup enthusiast here. Strong work, lady!

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  19. You should definitely be proud =D Your blog is filled with pretty content and down to earth words and love for cosmetics! =)

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