So, people ask me how I ended up working with beauty brands as an ambassador. It wasn’t like I woke up one day and boom, it happened. It took time, quite a bit of effort, really.
First off, I genuinely just liked makeup and skincare. A lot. I was always buying stuff, trying new things out. My friends would ask me what I thought, you know, is this foundation any good, does that serum actually work? So, I figured, why not share this more widely? I started small, just posting my honest thoughts on my own little blog page and my social media. Nothing fancy.
Getting Started – The Real Grind
This is where the real work started. I didn’t just slap up a photo and say “it’s nice”.
- I took decent photos. Not professional at first, just clear, well-lit pictures of the product, swatches, maybe me wearing it. Used my phone, sunlight is your best friend here.
- I wrote detailed reviews. What I liked, what I didn’t. Who I thought it would be good for. Kept it real, you know? If something was bad, I said it was bad. People appreciate honesty.
- Consistency was key. I tried to post regularly. Maybe a couple of times a week. Built up a small collection of reviews and looks.
- I started following brands I actually used and liked. Not just big names, smaller ones too. I’d comment on their posts, genuinely engage, not just spamming “pick me!”.
Building Connections
After a while of doing this, maybe six months to a year, things started to shift slightly. A few things happened:
I noticed some brands, especially smaller indie ones, would sometimes like or comment on my posts when I tagged them. That felt good, like someone was noticing.
I also started talking to other people doing the same thing. Sharing tips, commenting on their looks. Building a little community helps, makes it less lonely and you learn stuff.
Then came the reaching out part. This felt weird at first. I looked for brands that seemed to work with smaller creators, brands whose stuff I already bought and loved. I didn’t just cold email everyone. I picked maybe 3-4 brands.
My approach was simple. I sent an email or a DM. Introduced myself briefly. Said I loved their products (mentioned specific ones I’d reviewed or used). Included links to my reviews or social profiles. I asked if they had any kind of ambassador program or if they ever collaborated with creators like me. Kept it short and polite. Didn’t demand free stuff.
The First “Yes” and What Followed
Got a few “no thanks” or just silence. That’s normal, didn’t let it get me down. But then, one smaller brand replied! They liked my style, saw I was a genuine customer. They didn’t have a huge budget, but offered to send me some new products to try and review before they launched.
This was the foot in the door. I treated it seriously. Took great photos. Wrote an honest, detailed review, just like I always did. Shared it on launch day. They loved it.
After doing that a couple of times, they formally asked if I wanted to be a brand ambassador. This usually involved:
- Getting products regularly (sometimes before release).
- A unique discount code to share with my followers (I’d get a tiny commission if people used it).
- An agreement to post a certain number of times per month featuring their products.
We signed a simple agreement. No crazy legal stuff for this smaller brand, just clear expectations on both sides. What I had to do, what they would provide.
Being an Ambassador – The Day-to-Day
So now, that’s part of my routine. It involves planning content around the products they send. Still trying to keep it authentic, integrating it naturally into my regular posts. Sometimes they have specific campaigns or messages they want promoted. I always make sure it’s disclosed, you know, using #ad or #brandambassador. Transparency is super important.
It’s ongoing work. You gotta keep creating content, keep engaging. But it started from just genuinely liking the products and sharing that passion. It wasn’t overnight, involved lots of small steps, plenty of posting into the void initially, but eventually, putting in that consistent effort paid off. That’s pretty much how I got here.
