About me with Indonesian Beauty Blogger, the Staffs, Blogging and Beauty Blogger Match Maker

Hellooo ^__^

I've been wanting to write this post for so long, so today, finally, I'm having the mood to do so. Why? First of all to stated clearly I'm no longer a staff of Indonesian Beauty Blogger or IBB since last year, yes, last year, so please do address your email, concerns, and other things directly to IBB ya. The reason I'm leaving IBB wasn't announced but for those who are close to me know, I've been sick last year, 2 surgeries really woke me up, I've been too busy with my personal life, personal blog, and being a staff at IBB. The staffs are all very nice and understanding, they said I can have a leave and then come back when things are better, but I thought that, I wont be much help if I'm not 100%, so that's why I decided to leave IBB as a staff (NOT AS A MEMBER). So I'm still a member of IBB.

I love being in IBB, it's a community that was made for sharing, from the first time it was built, it was made and always will be for Indonesian beauty bloggers who want to share their love for their beauty blog, hence all the things not related to beauty are deleted or removed. I think that was basic.

There are also some of the reasons why I decided to un-staff my self, as many of the beauty bloggers know there are a lot of rumors going on about the staff, now as I'm not the staff anymore I can make it clear since there's no conflict of interest anymore. First of all, none of the staff are paid to do what they are doing, it's all based on sincerity and generosity of the beauty bloggers as staffs. What?! Sincerity and generosity? Yes! Who else in their right mind want to sacrifice their time, effort, energy for a bunch of people that they don't even know and sometime bitching about them?!

Rumors has it that:
The staffs are taking advantages of their position............. my responses are, how on earth is it possible? So organizing thousands of applicants and sort them out to make it on the list daily means taking advantages? Contacting companies to sponsoring Make Up Challenge (MUC), getting rejected, sending multiple proposals, calling, texting, meetings *with our own personal money* are taking advantages? Sharing the event where it is meant for the individual and sharing it as a staff to the members are taking advantages? Which one is it?

I've been a beauty blogger since 2009 and has been having great relationship with almost all of the beauty brands out there, networking and collaborating, been sponsored and provided since 2009, how is it possible, I'm taking advantages as a staff of IBB which is built years and years later? Isn't it the other way around? Who's helping who?

I've been to Korea sponsored by Korea Tourism Board, the flight for two persons, hotels and even budget money are provided. In 2010 L'Oreal Paris sponsored two flight tickets for me to Japan, and then in 2011 I was chosen by Contiki tours to be a representative from Asia to join a 12 days tour all around Europe. In 2012, I went to Japan again with Maybelline, not to forget my experience with Malaysia Tourism Board and Singapore Tourism Board. So the products I've received for reviewing is beyond money, even my iPhone also sponsored. With every trips, sponsored 'quests', products are always involved and it all revolved on networks, effort, dedication, and perseverance.
Am I the only one? No, most (not all) of the staffs do the same, we share our hard working accredited network to IBB, not the other way around. Stop saying IBB staffs are taking luxury brands to our own account and only shares the common brands. Helloooo, these companies contacted us as individual, and they asked a series of criteria needed to be fulfilled, then we (staffs) share it to the community as our own kind heart gesture. They set the mark, we only providing and helping both parties, well at least most of us do. I can't speak for all the staffs or ex-staffs. Are there any black sheep among us? I think you can answer that for yourself, but beside of that one particular reason for sure most of us has different department, some taking care of data, some focusing on the website, some about rules, future collaboration, MUC, and many more so not all of the staffs are handling invitations.

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Most of the staffs who already become ex staffs does leave on a good term, you can still see and witness how we still comment in each other posts, we still meet each other and have wonderful relationship, which means, yes, those who leaves not in a good term usually has some issues. The thing is, don't easily trust on rumors and gossips, a person who usually bad mouthing about others will do the same to you. And the problem will most likely on her side not on others. It is possible for 1-2 people to be bad, but if she complains about everyone else but herself, a question mark need to be raised. Of course after that person read this post, she will try to bad mouthing 1-2 persons only haha.

I put some of the images here to show there's no differences for those who leaves on good terms, we are still collaborating in so many ways, those images are put for everyone to see. That even thou most of us has no longer been a staff at IBB due to personal reasons, we are still getting along just fine. Why are we supposed to get along just fine? Because we never take advantages from IBB, hence we do have a clear conscience.

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I withdrawn myself at almost the same time as Carryn and Nisa. All three of us wants to focus on our health and family (Nisa also a newlywed at that time). There are a few questions asked by the members, how come all three of us are 'leaving' at the same time, it is pure coincidence ya heehee, there's no agenda. Stephanie also leaves IBB months before, she also become very busy with her work. Hence, we added more staffs to fill in the spots. Some adjust very well almost immediately, while some need more time, it is completely okay as we do need adjustment. All the staffs who sadly has to leave also still help around a bit until the new staffs are settling, we still answer their questions regarding many things and still shares our networks.

The one thing that felt by the newcomers are the overwhelming things to do and sometime no one to ask for. It is true. All of the staffs that really help IBB know that it takes our own creativity, efforts and ideas. Each of us sometime has to work alone to make a collaboration or program to came true, and it is never an easy task. Personally, I think the staffs at IBB are lack of the sense of self gratitude heehee, I meant they should be thank for, but the reality is, bitching is all they got sometime. Hereby, I thank all the staffs for keeping IBB 'alive' and well.

Complains are the things we need to avoid, like rules are made for the best interest of the major members, if you don't like the rules, please don't get angry, make your own community please. IBB still rejected some requests from online shops, gamers, non beauty bloggers and so on to keep the timeline clean and the companies who want to know beauty bloggers can easily find one there, and the beauty bloggers who wants to read other beauty bloggers post can easily find it as well. Imagine if there's no staffs who keep deleting, there will be so much ads and everyone will have difficulty finding beauty bloggers and their posts.

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Now, why do I made Beauty Blogger Match Maker? Yes, money is one of the issue. Since I left IBB, I do have spare time to focus on my own life, blog and these companies that still asking me for help. They have money they want to spend on the right accounts, they want beauty bloggers who loves to endorse, come to the event on time, really made an effort in writing a post, well in general, a more dedicated bloggers who really spend time, money (camera IS expensive), and ideas to make a brilliant post (which took days...-true story-). So I made this BBMM as a simple management for the companies and bloggers. Why IBB can't make one? Hello, IBB is a community and for free sharing purpose, IBB is still as noble as it is (as like when I'm still a staff), so they don't want the bloggers, especially the new ones to focus on money, free products, goodies, etc. I started beauty blogging with my own products, why? I love beauty products and that's it. I never care whether it is free or from my own personal account, I will make a post based on what I have. Endorsed, advertised, sponsored, provided or not, the review will stay the same. There are always good and not so good side of a product, none of them are perfect yet they all made for a reasons and it is reviewers duty to find that reasons.

But nevertheless, It's all up to the person on how he/she wants to make the blog, it is a personal freedom after all. Making review, money or just about anything. Take note that for everything there's always consequences, like in the community, if your are kind to others, the response should be the same, in here I would like to thank everyone who has been so nice as well and supporting the community of IBB to be better and better, we can still (as a member) contribute in making IBB a better place, submitting ideas, help to organized the data needed by admitting it correctly, when there's event, we can come on time and let the staffs know when we suddenly can't come, remember that the staffs are putting their own reputation and good relationship with the company on the lines, so after rsvp please honor yourself by actually coming to the event.

We can also help by alerting staffs when there are misleading post, bloggers who break the general rule (such as copy pasting from someone else's review, selling stuffs which claimed to be holy grail or used daily for months yet sold with 90% left in the 50ml bottle, promoting their own work for personal monetary benefits and taking advantages from other bloggers and so on).

As a community of beauty bloggers and in general there are many issues like buying followers, I think it's all back to the individual, my advice is to stay true to yourself and when you look back, it is not a decision that you'll regret. Building oneself on bubbles is never a good idea.

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Beauty bloggers should be pretty inside and outside, yes makeup (and editing images) can make us looks gorgeous outside but it can never cover your heart. For me being beauty bloggers means getting more friends who share the same passion, the passion for beauty products!!! I just can't stop talking about them and meeting friends all over the world, Indonesia (via internet), err mostly Jakarta  for 'live event' whose madly about beauty products feels like we are talking in our own language. It's the atmosphere that usually felt during an event that a community like IBB want to re-live.

I guess it's not just me who found many new friends thanks to blogging, and IBB as well. Let's just appreciate each other and stay friendly too.

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So there it goes, after rambling here and there, I hope everyone here (who read this post) get the clear ideas on:
1. I'm not a staff IBB anymore and I do leave on good terms
2. Please do appreciate IBB more, I know for sure the staffs are working really hard without being paid to make IBB a better place, poke and hugs Tia and Nita.
3. Instead of bitching, how about creating and giving ideas or perhaps focus on self development =^___^= when one feels good about oneself they usually become a nicer person, I know Tia is very grumpy when she is super hungry, so when she is 'full' she will become a happier person, so please do provide yourself and fill those emptiness by stop complaining and bitching by start improving heeeheeeeee peace yo. This goes to everyone, including myself.
4. BBMM or Beauty Blogger Match Maker is made for beauty bloggers only, please for those who know for sure you are not a beauty bloggers, stop sending request to join, what are you going to do there?
And
BBMM is still looking for projects, please be patient as me being pregnant and Tia is busy with her work, we put some on hold. If you are a company, please do contact us for collaborating ya ^__^ (ads)
5. Everyone has their own personal life, respect each other privacy, we may all beauty bloggers, but we are also a daughter (or son), or wife, mom, or other obligations like our professions.
6. Don't start a rumor that is not true, get a reality check before spreading the rumors too, treat others like how you want to be treated and be nice in general.
7. For IBB Staffs only:

*learn to say 'no' when there's too many on your plate

*learn to share your burden
*thankfully there are still members who genuinely care and appreciate the staffs so just focus on them and not the nasty rumors.

Thank you and maju beauty bloggers Indonesia!!!!