Confessions of a Blogger Chicara from Lipgloss Kisses

Today on Confessions of a Blogger, we are featuring the gorgeous Chicara from Lipgloss Kisses, one of my favourite local beauty bloggers!

Hi, I’m Chicara and I’m a 30-year old (Eeek!) beauty blogger that lives in Pretoria. I’m a freelance web designer and some might call me a computer nerd, However, I’m probably not your typical ‘nerd’. I’m utterly obsessed with makeup, beauty, TV games, cupcakes, coffee, dogs and hello kitty. If it’s girly, pink or cute then chances are I love it.

•  When did you start your journey as a blogger and why? Almost 3 years ago.  October 2011.  I’ve always loved reading other blogs and decided to put my own experiences, personal views and creativity to good use. I remember when I first started blogging. I was worried nobody was going to read my blog and that I would be a laughing stock. Wow, look how far I’ve come!
• Do you blog full-time or do you have a 9-5 as well? I’m supposed to blog part time, but seeing as how I’m a freelancer and I work at home the lines are often crossed. Oops!  I sometimes find myself spending my work hour’s blogging. It’s just so much fun. I can’t help myself!  I also have a slight problem with procrastination so I’m sure you can guess what I’m doing when I’m supposed to be working. *blush*.

• Tell us a little about your space on the interweb and what you blog about? My blog, Lipgloss Kisses, is my own personal wonderland of pink, beauty & fashion. I blog about everything I love and all the things that inspire me daily. I share my personal thoughts on beauty products, what foods I currently love or even what I’ve recently spotted at the shops.

• Being a blogger is not always easy – what motivates you and keeps you going? Blogging is really hard work. It’s not necessarily as glamorous as just being sent free stuff to test out. I usually have to take about 50-100 photos in order to find 2 or 3 that will work for a post. Can you believe it? I spend all day in pajamas without any makeup on. There ain’t anything glam about that is there. My skin sometimes reacts badly to a product and I often feel the pressure to blog every day. But I usually look at how far I’ve come and all that I’ve accomplished and that motivates me to carry on. Also when I receive comments and emails it totally makes me smile and sometimes I even do a happy dance. Internally of course 😉

• What have your biggest blogging challenges been? I would have to say it’s a tossup between time management and competitiveness. I actually only discovered how competitive I really am when I started blogging. But I think it’s only natural to want to succeed at your endeavors. Blogging isn’t a walk in the park. There are so many good things that come with blogging but there are also a lot of not so good things.
• What do you love most about being a blogger? I love chatting to followers and fellow bloggers. It’s just so amazing having all these people who share the same likes.  I’ve met so many people and even made new friends. I love every second of it.
• Do you have any blog related or social media pet peeves? {things that other bloggers or social media peeps do, that really annoy you} I think the biggest thing for me is when people create a fake persona on social media. It’s almost like they’re a completely different person.  They only show the best side of themselves and this really irritates me.
• What has your journey as a blogger taught you {about yourself or in general}? Has it changed your life in any way?  Absolutely. It’s given me confidence and it’s helped me meet new people. I’m so shy and blogging has really made me feel more comfortable with who I am. Okay, I might be getting a bit too soppy now.
• If you had to give a newbie blogger any advice, what words of wisdom would you impart? Be yourself. Don’t try and copy other bloggers in the hopes of being recognized. Your followers will value your honesty and they will appreciate you if you share your true self with them.
• In three words tell me what blogging means to you:  Passion, Happiness & Hard Work

Thanks Chicara for sharing a bit more about your life and blogging journey with us! If you would like to find out more about Chicara and Lipgloss Kisses please click the links below.

Blog link: www.lipglosskisses.com

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If you would like to be featured on Confessions of a Blogger, then please email Fiona or leave a comment below.

Image Source: Lipgloss Kisses