Blogger Spotlight: Sascha Taylor-Curtis, Beauty Geek UK

Sascha Taylor-Curtis writes the top 10 beauty blog, Beauty Geek UK. Reviewing all the latest products, Beauty Geek UK has an expert focus on skincare. We caught up with Sascha to talk about the rise of Korean beauty, building relationships with PR pros and all of her favourite beauty blogs.

How would you describe your blog?
A six-year-old beauty and lifestyle blog with a special interest in problem skin that features passionate reviews on skincare and makeup, interspersed with features on lifestyle, health, life and being a mum.

Why did you start your blog?
I was trying so many different treatments and products to try and clear up my acne, with varying degrees of success. I wanted to share my experiences so that other people with similar issues would be able to make more informed decisions. That’s the main reason, but I also needed to find a way to justify spending horrendously large amounts on lipstick!

What’s the current beauty trend we should be aware of?
I think Korean beauty has been slowly gaining credit in the UK beauty market over the last few years, but it’s finally becoming a lot more mainstream, which is great news as it’ll hopefully take UK beauty in an exciting new direction. I also think colourful hair is now a lot more accessible thanks to more modern application techniques, so it isn’t just for the brave and the bold anymore; anyone can add a touch of peekaboo lilac or pink under the top layer of their hair.

How does video fit in with your blog?
Every few months I decide to start vlogging, as it’s something I think that works so well alongside blogging, but it’s also something that I think you need to be very good at to make a success of, and I’m definitely much more comfortable with writing. Never say never, though!

What makes your blog successful?
I would like to think it’s because I provide detailed and honest features on what I perceive to be important and informative beauty news and reviews. I also think the fact that I talk honestly about my continuing battle with acne (at the age of 33) is useful for those struggling with similar concerns.

How do you like to work with PRs?
I really like to develop mutually beneficial relationships with PRs and I now count many of them as friends. I find the easiest way to work together is to be honest about what we want from each other and how we can deliver it. I also like to have regular catch-ups with PRs to find out what’s new as I find this a lot easier than events or e-mails.

What one thing should PRs know about you?
It might be obvious ,but I don’t always need product to feature a new release – if something is very exciting, I’ll want to share it with my readers as quickly as possible and will happily do that with press releases and imagery for reference.

What campaigns have you enjoyed working on?
I loved featuring Makeup Revolution when it first launched as it was so fresh and innovative. I also love to work with the guys at Deciem as they produce such inspiring products at an impressive rate, so there’s always something to get excited about and I love to feature their news. For me, though, the most exciting features are QVC ‘s TSVs [Today’s Special Values]; you can always feel the excitement surrounding them, especially as they’re often really amazing brands such as Elemis, Decleor, tarte and NIOD, and I always feel like sharing them with my readers develops a real buzz.

What other blogs do you read?
So, so many! I check my Bloglovin’ app at least ten times a day. Jane at British Beauty Blogger is great for breaking beauty stories (I especially love her beauty news updates), Ree at Really Ree is brilliant for product swatches, Laura at Laurzrah.com creates amazing imagery, as does Michelle at Thou Shalt Not Covet, and of course Temptalia is my beauty bible for whenever I want to start building a shopping list. Vicki at Let’s Talk Beauty gets the balance of beautiful pictures and detailed reviews just right, and finally, Laura at Laura Lou Makeup is a great ‘real’ makeup artist, by which I mean, she shows you exactly how to achieve certain looks and techniques which she demonstrates so that it appears entirely achievable, even if you’re like me and lack the skill and talent!

Sascha and Beauty Geek UK are just two entries on the Vuelio Influencer Database, which is the UK’s leading influencer database available to the PR and communications industries.