Name Gio
Age 32
Location Italy
Blog URL Beautiful With Brains
What is your blog about?
It’s a beauty blog with a scientific perspective. It features product reviews based on my personal experience and what science says about its ingredients, skincare and makeup tips, the occasional post about the history of beauty, and a lot more.
Is this your first blog?
Yes, it is.
When did you start your current blog?
June 2008.
What made you do it?
I wanted to share my passion for all things beauty with other like-minded people, as none of my friends are interested in it. I also wanted to help people make smarter choices and buy the best products for their needs. At the time, I was just beginning to research cosmetic ingredients and kept coming across a lot of misleading and erroneous information. I wanted a place where I could set the record straight and debunk common beauty myths.
What was your first blog post about?
A welcome post to announce the birth of the blog. The second was a review of Maybelline Superstay Silk Foundation.
What do you think is the most useful tool to you as a blogger?
Blogger networks and social media management tools like Hootsuite. They make it so easy to engage with your readers and fellow bloggers, and promote your posts.
Do people in your real life know about your blog? If yes, has your blog helped you career wise?
Yes. I kept it secret for a couple of years, but now everyone knows about it and is very supportive. I hope it will help my career soon.
What has been the one thing (blog post, project, etc) that you have been really proud of?
Being featured in Fabulous: All About 50+ Top Beauty Bloggers of 2010 by Nicki Zevola, the author of Futurederm.
Where do you see your blog in a year?
Hopefully, with a few more readers. I’d love to turn it into a part-time job, and just keep doing the best I can and keep helping people.
What do you wish you knew when starting your blog?
I wish I knew more about photography. Pictures can greatly enhance a blog and help you engage with your readers, but I knew nothing about how to take good ones back then.
What do you wish you know more about now?
Coding skills. I know the basics of HTML and CSS but I’d love to learn more because there are things I’d love to do but don’t know how yet.
How do you keep motivated to post?
I don’t really need much motivation. I love writing, and all things beauty, and blogging about it is something I could do all day long, for free. It’s also great when a reader tells you how a review or a tip you shared helped them. It makes all your hard work worthwhile.
Anything else you’d like to add?
Thank you for having me! :)
