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Safiyah Tasneem: How I Became A Beauty Blogger

With #makeup and #beauty being amongst the top most used hashtags on Instagram, it is no wonder why the number of beauty bloggers is on the rise. Reviews, fun makeup tutorials and colourful swatches of new products gather millions of likes every day. In fact, a single sponsored post by Instagram queen and beauty blogger turned businesswoman Huda Kattan reportedly costs over £25,000. Needless to say, this industry is booming as more and more people want to share their makeup artistry and skincare must-haves.

Safiyah Tasneem has been a beauty blogger for the past 10 years, accumulating well over 4,000 subscribers on YouTube and 20,500 followers on Instagram. Safiyah blogs about her experiences trying new products and often posts arty swatches and reviews on her social media. Being a beauty blogger has meant that she often gets invited to events hosted by big brands such as Too Faced or Clinique and has a ton of free make-up waiting to be “swatched” and reviewed. We caught up with Safiyah to find out about life as a beauty blogger and social media influencer.

 

How would you summarise what you do in a sentence?

I help people decide whether to spend their money on beauty products or not!

 

Can you briefly explain how you got into the beauty and makeup industry? 

My love of makeup stems from trawling beauty counters on Oxford Street as a teenager with my mum. I then worked in a department store in the beauty department throughout university and really fell in love with a particularly colourful brand that I knew I wanted to work for. Then, I decided to do a short course on makeup after completing my degree and went on to work for the brand I loved as well as various others too. I also began working as a freelance makeup artist for photoshoots and weddings.

 

What was the inspiration behind starting your own blog and Instagram account?

I’ve always been a fan of using social media and joining the newest platform. When I discovered Blogger through Gmail I thought it would be cool to keep a diary of my purchases, after all, I was a beauty junkie with a department store discount to tempt me to buy more!

When I first set up an Instagram business account I only wanted to join to see what it was about but didn’t think it would be as big as it is today.

 

 

At what moment did you realise you could start making a living from your social media? Were there any posts which had a significant impact on your following?

It’s only in the last year or so that I realised there was real earning potential; by real I don’t mean Google AdSense as that can be pennies and has literally taken years to earn just £60.

I can’t remember which posts had an impact on my following initially. However, before the algorithm change on Instagram if a brand featured a makeup look I’d done and reposted me I could get a lot of followers from the shoutout.

 

What are the challenges with becoming a well-known beauty blogger?

If you’re referring to the blogging industry, right now it can be a bit harder to be recognised as it is slightly over saturated. However, I do believe that if you’re truly passionate and consistently working hard it can be achieved.

 

How has your brand evolved since you began blogging?

Initially, I started a blog to write about topics related to my degree (Human Nutrition) and beauty so I chose a name to reflect that – “frootibeauty”. It then ended up being just about beauty and so I rebranded in March 2016 to just my name, Safiyah Tasneem, as I felt like I had outgrown “frooti”, ha-ha.

 

You have over 20,000 followers on Instagram, do you have any tips for any entrepreneurs wanting to boost brand awareness through social media?

As aforementioned, I do think that being consistent with posts and having a true passion for whatever you blog about is key.

Sometimes it helps to be open about any insecurities, for example, your age or skin concerns like acne, psoriasis etc. as these are niche subjects that people tend to find relatable.

Do you ever struggle with being a mum and running your blog/social media yourself at the same time?

Yes! At the moment I mostly work on content/blogging at night when my son is asleep as I am busy with his routine in the day or I just feel guilty if I spend too much time on my phone/laptop. It’s also quite distracting when a four-year-old only wants to play with you and doesn’t understand the concept of “work”!

Since you often get invited to events by makeup and skincare brands, do you have any tips for networking and making a good impression?

I’ve generally always loved talking to people; I was always told at parents evenings that I’d do better if I didn’t chat so much… So, I guess it comes naturally to me to hold conversations which fare well when you need to network with brands. In this industry, you do have to be able to have social skills in real life as well as online so it helps if you’re friendly and sociable.

How do people typically make a living out of being a beauty influencer?
I’m still figuring this out properly myself! But, generally speaking, the most income comes from sponsored posts (brands pay for you to advertise a specific product for them through a social media post). Other ways include affiliate links and advertisements.

What are the challenges of your job on a personal level?

Recently, I have been feeling the pressure to constantly be up to date with the latest releases in the blogging world. This can, of course, impact your social life – especially being a single mother with my main priority being my son. It’s also a challenge to explain to friends and family who don’t understand the industry that in order to stay relevant you need to continually be present online. It then takes time to create content that is of good enough quality for brands to recognise and people to support.

What are your proudest achievements?

Firstly, being a mother to a (mostly) well-behaved boy and juggling it all! I do still feel proud of my degree in nutrition. Although my work isn’t technically being used for the field I studied, it has definitely impacted my life and helped me to establish my blog. Overcoming a few personal hardships but coming out stronger is also something I feel grateful for and proud of.

What is your next main goal?

I’d love to use all the knowledge and experience I have gained over the last 10 years in the beauty industry to work with brands to develop products that consumers really want. I’d also love to also combine my degree in nutrition and experience in the beauty industry to create my own brand as I have a few ideas in the making…

What are your top 3 tips for someone looking to make a career in your field?

Have true passion.
Find your own style and be consistent with it.
Be friendly and relatable!

For a comprehensive guide to getting your business up and running, download our how to start a business in 20 days eBook.

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Safiyah Tasneem is a beauty blogger. She was talking to Huw Moxon, Digital Marketing Manager for Informi.

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