Seeing the light

I bought myself a “live beauty light” when I was at Woolies yesterday.

Well, Woolies doesn’t sell them, but they were in the window of the shop next door and I went “oooooooooh!”

Live beauty lights are ring lights with a holder for your mobile phone in the middle of them. I got one to help with my launch into the world of Tik Tok.

The youngest is horrified for two reasons:

1. She doesn’t think I should be buying unnecessary crap when I am only semi-employed.
2. She doesn’t think I should be on Tik Tok.

I may not end up being on Tik Tok, but I’m determined to give it a go. At the very least I will become better versed in video making.

According to a website called Racked “the biggest YouTube beauty secret has nothing to do with makeup”.

Yep, you guessed it – it has everything to do with beauty lights.

I am behind the curve on this one, because way back in 2016, Benefit flew around 90 beauty influencers to Las Vegas for an eyebrow product launch event and sat them down in front of illuminated circular lights to test the new product.

The writer was a newbie to using the lights, and marvelled: “Those tiny, tired lines around my eyes? Obliterated. The big zit on my chin? Nowhere to be seen. What was this magical light?”

A store owner explained to her: “Since it’s a ring of light, you have this beautiful neutral zone in the middle and a ring of light around the face, so it gives a soft glow along the edges. It’s not a single source hitting your face, so it really helps wash out any blemishes. You don’t need to worry about light placement. You just put it right in front of you and it illuminates you appropriately. It’s really easy.”

I hope she’s right.

Oddly enough, I found out about ring lights from DD. He uses one for his Zoom business meetings. His son gave it to him for his birthday and it makes him look very pretty in the Zoom drinks I’ve shared with him.

My current obsession with video is because I’ve been wondering whether I should be better utilising my ability to talk underwater. If I’m a prolific digital journalist, what’s to stop me being a prolific v-blogger … or whatever they’re called? I’d been contemplating doing a podcast, but Tik Tok seems to require less time and expertise.

Will advise if I nail it. I’ve written the script, now I just need to get cracking on the filming.

Wish me luck! The youngest reckons I’ll need it because it’s impossible to get views on Tik Tok as a young thing, let alone an old one.

If I was doing funny pet videos I’d have it made.

Song of the day: Madonna “Ray of light”