Expanding the Brand
One of the more recent and completely unexpected bonuses of being me and doing what I do came in the form of an expected gift from NYX Cosmetics, and how it reminded me of the work I need to do to refresh this site and highlight other bright ideas I've got swirling around in my head.
If you look back over any photos I've taken over the past two years, there is a distinct period of pre- and post-makeup exploration. Work stress and other life matters gave me a really ugly case of eczema that started on my forehead and quickly spread to big dark patches on my cheeks and chin. As I am a certified naturalista, it took a while before I resigned myself to needing to learn more about using facial makeup as a way to cover up the problem while it healed. In this business, there is so much demand for one to be present, to be camera-ready and to represent physical beauty as you share your gift. I knew I had to do something, but just hadn't committed to the process.
Sometime late last year, I made myself a promise that I would start doing two things: one, focusing on my lips as one of my best features and two, taking daily photos so I would be accountable for healing my scars and not trying to ignore them or pretend they didn't matter. So, my Instagram account (@vibemistress) became the place where I'd post my images and discuss the lipstick or gloss I had chosen for the day. I've been using the hashtag #LippieAdventure for those who wanted to play along, and it's been a very therapeutic exercise for me. I'm spending way too much cash on cosmetics, but I'm having a great time doing it.
Enter NYX. Someone on their marketing team must have stumbled onto my IG account and they reached out to ask if I'd be interested in helping them market a new line of colors. So they sent me a great care package of their new LUV OUT LOUD Collection! Six colors (purple and neutral) that celebrate diversity and inclusion (half of their "models" are male-gender-identified). I was so tickled!
I hope some of you will also be encouraged to yield to the process of whatever drama you may be going through and find your way to a blessing because of it. We've all got our issues and hangups, but ignoring them isn't helpful and neither is giving in to the feeling of being overwhelmed. Baby steps become mileage when you keep moving. And I am very thankful for the reminder in my own life. Besides adding to my makeup collection, it also motivated me to get this new website done. YAY!