Will I do Product Reviews?
When I joined the beauty industry in 2009 as a freelance makeup artist, Youtube was really starting to blow-up. My friends had told me I should start a youtube channel, but I’ve always pictured myself working behind the scenes instead of in front, and so I shied away from it. I also always thought of myself as a service provider, and not necessarily doing any retail, and so I didn’t see myself in the business of reviewing products. In addition, I always harbored some guilt working in the makeup/hair industry and all of the product and packaging waste I’m accumulating as a result of my work even though using up products is part of the tools of the trade, a necessary evil if you will.
Fast-forward to 2019, I started to feel more passionate about sharing products that I love that matched my vision for environmentalism, while still having fantastic performance, and I wanted to be a corner of promoting less is more, to promoting buying better performing products that you would actually use and finish from beginning to end. In 2021, I have to say there has never been a more exciting time for this niche, because of the minimalist movement, and Marie Kondo-ing, and all the documentaries about the detrimental effect of fast fashion and fast beauty that support this movement. In the past 5 years, there has been technological, product and packaging advancements to support this too.
So, I revised my work Bio about 13 years ago, and in there I had a line “beauty is important, but not at the price of our environment!” because I really want my clients to know that while I love products and what they can do for us, I am not going to be that person that has a mini-sephora in my studio. That’s why I picked Aveda Institute as my esthetics school because the founder of Aveda had an environmentalist vision, from using certified organic ingredients, to using post-consumer recycled packaging. They were really pioneers in this area, before it was ‘trending.’ It’s a good trend though ;) Anyway...It wasn’t until the past 2 years that I really feel like I’m at a better place with living up to my own standards if that makes sense! I’m not perfect, far from perfect, but I’m making improvements towards reducing my carbon footprint every day, and to me, that is what matters!
I’m that person that gets pretty anxious when I see the professional youtube creators declutter their product closet or drawers - it’s the same anxiety I feel when I am decluttering my own studio, and forget I had certain products stored in the back that expired and I completely forgot to use it, and alllll that product waste and environmental impact! Ohhhh the guilt! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoy watching those videos because I love seeing how I can better organize my kit and my studio and appreciate them for sharing. I hope you know that I’m not coming from a place of judgment, but rather a shared, collective guilt if you will, that I’m part of the problem, but I’m here because I want to work towards a solution. And this is what gave me the courage to try to do product reviews on instagram or youtube! Humanity has been using beauty products for thousands of years, because seeking beauty, desiring beauty, is part of human nature.
There is no replacement when my client looks in the mirror after I’ve completed his or her makeup and hair, and their face lights up because they feel beautiful and confident. Beauty serves an important function in our lives, and it is not just skin deep but felt at a visceral level. Here at Athena’s Garden, I want to explore ways in which we can find the best products for our skin while reducing beauty waste in landfills.
If I do pursue product reviews, want to tell you about my skin and hair type - I have sensitive, oily-acneic skin, I have allergies, and am prone to hives and eczema. My scalp is oily hair is medium thickness, and has a natural wavy, a bit curly texture, and I have highlights. What I review would be based on personal testing, and also, my 14 years expertise using products on clients with diverse skin and hair types and concerns. I’m also an aveda-trained California licensed esthetician; I’ve had my license for 13 years, and while I don’t practice in a spa anymore, I try to keep up on technological and product advancements and in that field. My main tagline is there is no one size fit all product, there is no holy grail. It’s whether the product works for your skin & hair type and needs, and whether the brand’s ethos aligns with your personal ones. OR it doesn’t have to be that complicated - you like that brand because you like the brand - you grew up using it, you like the scent, you like the performance, you like the packaging! You like what you like - that’s cool too. Like I mentioned, we all share a collective guilt of creating landfill, and so for me, it’s not about being judgmental or correctional, but MINDFUL on how to move forward everyday!
The answer is Yes! I’ll be doing a few here and there! Especially if it aligns with my ethos and goals here at Athena’s Garden TV :)
Check out a 2 product review Reels I’ve made on my makeup/hair artist Instagram :)
I would love to hear from you! What helps you decide on the products you purchase, and what’s most important to you when deciding what products to invest in? Let me know in the comments below :)
I’ll see you in the Garden!
