Beauty blogging in Australia has exploded in the last two years. The ABBW is a phenomenal opportunity to bring together vibrant, diverse and committed bloggers with equally vibrant, diverse and committed brands,” revealed co-creater and organiser Jacie Galpin prior to the weekend. And was she on the money! With 85 beauty bloggers from across the country converging on Sydney, Darling Harbour was a mass of lipsticks, excited chatter and advice exchanging.
With a quiet Friday evening in terms of organised activities, bloggers were given the opportunity for pre-registration at the Novotel in Darling Harbour – but it wasn’t until the next morning that the real fun began. With registration starting at 8am on Saturday, it was then off to the International Make-up Artist Trade Show (IMATS) at 9am, where beauty bloggers where given the opportunity to roam around checking out the various stands.
I hit IMATS with a bunch of friends, stood in a lot of queues, impulse shopped a lot, restocked my make-up kit and spent far too much! It’s the third time I’ve been to IMATS in Sydney - it’s getting bigger each year and it’s really good to see that everyone is turning around and giving it more support," says Lara Hill from Swatchgirl. The Concealer's Paula Sunsanguan adds, "IMATS keeps getting better as more companies come on and there’s more variety.”
Next on the agenda was the beautydirectory seminar on Saturday afternoon. beautydirectory managing director Jackie Maxted began proceedings with her top tips to bloggers on building relationships with PRs. Guests were then invited to ask questions from a panel of industry experts including Maxted, Instyle beauty editor Eleanor Pendleton and Kimberly Nissen of The Plastic Diaries.
After this, everyone was split onto different tables with each table involved in a separate group discussion. Table topics included what is your motivation for blogging, what are the practicalities of blogging, what do you see as the future of blogging, what challenges do you face working with PR agencies, define the Australian beauty bloggers community, what challenges do bloggers face at events, what are the challenges of ‘appropriate’ beauty blogging, networking and social media and the do’s and don’ts of working as a blogger. The seminar finished with bloggers, brands (including Pure Therapy, Trishave and Lapurete) and the beautydirectory team enjoying some networking time over canapés and beverages.
I found the beautydirectory seminar was really informative. I have issues dealing with PRs – I don’t know what they expect and what they want, so it was great to be able to chat to beautydirectory and Jackie and really get an unbiased perspective from the inside," reveals Carina Lofaro from Gilded Nails. Hill added, "Just to get some really good clarification from experienced media professionals was super helpful. Some of the advice, particularly on relationship building, for me is really helpful because I am not good at it. But now I feel confident!”
Following a couple of free hours, the next exciting event on the agenda was a dinner at the Establishment ballroom held by Maxted Thomas. We jumped at the opportunity to be part of the ABBW,” revealed Maxted Thomas managing director Ian Thomas. We saw it as the perfect opportunity to get to know the wider Australian beauty blogger community and also to introduce them to some of our clients in a relaxed and informal way.” The evening started off with a showcase of some of their favourite beauty brands including Burt’s Bees, Coty Australia, NIVEA, ORLY, Remington and Sebastian Professional. Bloggers were given the chance to sample and find about their products and services and meet the people behind the brands. They also had the opportunity to ask beautyheaven editor Debbie Selikman questions about the industry. Afterwards, bloggers were given an extravagant three-course menu with matched wines, interspersed with some amazing giveaways. Then it was off to bed ahead of another big day on the Sunday…
Starting bright and early with a 9am kick off, Sunday morning saw bloggers treated to a light buffet breakfast of yoghurt and honey cups, miniature quiches, fruit, tea, coffee and juice by Alpha H. Alpha–H is passionate about supporting and recognising Australia’s beauty bloggers,” says Alpha-H’s Tess Stolarchuk. We are excited to have this opportunity to meet lots of bloggers face-to-face and interact with them on a more personal level.”
TV presenter Karen Ledbury was a guest speaker at the event, revealing that she is a long time user and supporter of the range. Alpha-H director Michelle Doherty and national salon trainer Bianca Georgiou then took bloggers through the groundbreaking Liquid Gold Skin Perfecting System – explaining the functions of each product and how they work together effectively in a trilogy. With no previous media launch event for the Liquid Gold, this was a blogger exclusive into the background and inspiration behind the products. Two bloggers were then given the opportunity for a live skin diagnosis.
Next up was a chance for bloggers to get their hands (or brushes) dirty with Face of Australia holding a masterclass using their new make-up collection. We are so thankful for the support we have received from the beauty blogging community,” says Face of Australia brand manager Tina Henry. The ABBW is a great chance to meet these wonderful beauty bloggers and showcase our brand via a truly unique platform.”
The last event for the weekend was a presentation by Rescu founder and editor Bahar Etminan sponsored by Procter & Gamble. "Online is the new frontier but also the most important communication medium in our history,” says Etminan. Raising the standard and reputation of beauty bloggers is key so that the business of beauty blogging is taken seriously and given the respect it deserves. In the next five years, bloggers will be driving more retail traffic, influencing more purchasing decisions and bringing more dollars to beauty brands than any other media source - so we better make sure we are prepared for this. RESCU is proud to be a part of this community and milestone event."
Topics covered by Etminan in her presentation included: Brand You- how to break into the beauty biz as a blogger and stand out for all the right reasons, Show me the Money - Tips for newbies and experts on monetising their site, What I wish I learned as an intern - how to run blogs efficiently and as a real business and The emperor's new clothes - why integrity and transparency matter.
I’m not as sociable as I should be in the blogging scene so it’s been great to meet the other bloggers and put a face to the name - to talk to them about what their passion is and their experiences with blogging," reveals Lofaro.
