Wednesday, January 18, 2017

The Beauty of Life Turns 10! Happy Blogiversary to Me!

The Beauty of Life, birthday, anniversary, blogiversary, Illume Violet Rose Candle, Social Circle business cards, nail polish stash and storage, nail polish bottles, nail polish racks, Deborah Lippmann, New York Fashion Week, Jamie Allison Sanders, Amika Bombshell Curling Wand
10 years ago, the landscape of my life was quite different. I lived in an apartment in New York. I was a copywriter for Ralph Lauren. I was only 26 (about to turn 27, one of the best years of my life). And I had just started The Beauty of Life.

And you know what? If I knew then what I know now, I wouldn't change a thing. This blog has been the constant in my life through any other ups and downs, any big life shifts, anything else that came my way. A little retrospective...

1) The Beauty of Life saw me through multiple jobs (two of which ended in me being let go and fired, because such is life as a creative person sometimes).

2) The Beauty of Life was there when I moved from New York to Pittsburgh, and from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles. Each city has offered different challenges, different struggles, different successes -- all of which have, in some way, been measured by the continuance of this blog.

3) The Beauty of Life kept me sane during the broken ankle saga of 2016. While I couldn't walk, while this situation seemed like it might only be fraught with trauma, I found a way to turn a negative into a positive and find new ways of incorporating products into the struggle.

4) The Beauty of Life afforded me the opportunity to attend New York Fashion Week multiple times -- and, not only that, but to meet some of my fashion and beauty heroes. The people whose work I'd seen in magazines for years, the ones I never thought I'd get to meet. But meet them I did -- James Kaliardos, Tom Pecheux, Nonie Creme and Deborah Lippmann (seen above) among them.

5) The Beauty of Life has validated my love of beauty products (especially nail polish and skincare) more than I ever thought possible. And, yes, maybe some people would find it crazy that I own over 500 nail polishes (documented in the picture of the racks on my wall, above) or that my medicine cabinet is overrun with moisturizers or that my shower is filled with over 20 body washes. But I wouldn't have it any other way.

I really can't imagine my life before this blog. I'm so glad I looked around my bedroom on that fateful day in January 2007 and my eyes fell upon my Illume Violet Rose Candle (depicted above), which quite literally sparked my desire to write about beauty in my own voice and with my own control. I couldn't have known then that 10 years would pass in what seemed like a flash, and that I'd still be here, writing about my favorite products and loving beauty even more than I did then.

Whether you've read The Beauty of Life from the beginning (AKA my mom, brother and best friend -- my first three loyal readers), have only tuned in from time to time or have just discovered it in recent months, thank you from the bottom of my heart. I truly appreciate you being there, reading my words and trusting me to bring you my opinion of the products you need in your arsenal. It means more than I can say.

Here's to the next 10 years. May they continue to be beautiful for all of us.

25 comments:

  1. Wow, happy 10 years! My blog is about to celebrate 5 years, and I hope to see myself still blogging at the 10 year point!

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    1. Thank you, Jen! 5 years is a milestone as well!

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  2. Happy Blogiversary, Jamie! 10 years is quite the milestone– especially for a beauty blog! Congratulations!!!!!!!

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    1. Thank you so much, Helen! I'm so glad it's afforded me the opportunity to e-meet you -- here's to finally meeting in person in 2017!

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  3. What a great milestone! There is no way you're 36, you look no older than 22!

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    1. Thank you so much, Julie! And ha I appreciate that, I swear I'm about to turn 37!

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  4. This is an anniversary to trumpet with fanfare! Congratulations on 10 years of dedication!

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    1. Thank you to my biggest fan and biggest inspiration! I love you, Mom!

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  5. 10 years is amazing. I love how you expressed what your blog has done for you. And I don't believe you are over 25. You are so young and vivacious.

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    1. Thank you so much, Marcia. You are always so sweet and supportive! And I swear I'm almost 37. I just got great genes from my family!

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  6. Happy Anniversary to you and your blog! That's great that it's been a constant in your life. Cheers to at least 10 more!

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  7. Happy anniversary....here's to more years of beauty, cheers!

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  8. What a beautiful milestone! Congrats lady! Here's to many more!

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  9. Happy Blogiversary and cheers! to many more, to come.

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  10. Congrats on 10 years! That's amazing!

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  11. Congrats. Great to hear it.and Happy Anniversary

    http://www.polyvalentmode.com/skin-tone-never-fades-fashion/

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  12. Happy blogiversary.
    http://tipsoye.com/

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  13. Wow 10 years is a massive achievement, congrats! x

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