Thursday, July 17, 2014

Star Crushed Minerals?

For those of you who have been linked here from my Facebook fan page; MollyPopsOfColor, then you are probably already aware that in the past I have worked with an indie makeup company known as Star Crushed Minerals for about half a year.  Believe it or not, I once had a high amount of respect for this company.  Unfortunately once I decided to leave, things got ugly, rumors were spread and I found out about more and more problems this company has caused.  It's childish, incredibly ridiculous, unethical, and immature.  I feel the need to freely speak my opinion and tell you guys the truth about SCM.  Whether what I have to say is believed or not, it's something that needs to be said and put out in the open.

As one of the companies past promoters, I have witnessed first hand how the owner and some of the other promoters of hers handle certain situations, and it's not in a discreet professional matter like it should be.  Issues are put out in the open, out in public to "inform others about the situation at hand" even if the situation may not be true or have proved evidence of even occurring.  This is done out of what the owner thinks is best for her business.  While I was a promoter I was expected a few simple tasks. I did promotional looks for the company, as well as shared company sales and the release of new products. I directed my own followers to the company's shop, and social media. I also participated in collaborations with the companies other promoters, those in which I once considered my friends. By doing these tasks, I received products free of charge from Star Crushed Minerals to use for promotional looks for the company.

Before promoting Star Crushed Minerals I promoted another indie makeup company known as BeautyBarBaby Mineral Makeup. For a short period of time I did promotional looks for both companies simultaneously.  I ended up having to leave BeautyBarBaby Mineral Makeup because of a fallout between the two companies which resulted in me having to chose who to stick with.  Clearly I chose the wrong side.  Nicole, the owner of BeautyBarBaby and I continued to stay friends.  I was told if I ever decided to leave Star Crushed Minerals, I would happily be accepted back into promoting for BeautyBarBaby. 
I've heard rumors about Star Crushed Minerals acting out and causing drama between various companies and makeup artists, but I chose to ignore it.  I never wanted to get involved with the drama. Things were going fine, and I was doing my tasks and busting out look after look for Star Crushed Minerals. I never had any issues with the owner or any of the other companies promoters until I decided to leave the "team".

I ended up leaving because I felt constricted as to who I could work with. There were limitations along side working with Star Crushed Minerals and I didn't like that. I wanted to be able to pursue any opportunity that came my way.  I didn't want to be working with only one company.  I also decided to leave because the drama the company was involved with became to much for me.  I didn't want to be apart of it.  When I left, I was told there were no hard feelings and it was on good terms.  I had no issues with the owner or company, and I still respected them.  Unfortunately things came about and that is no longer the case.  Few people know the truth as to why I left.  I was not "let go" from SCM, I quit SCM on my own.

Once I decided to leave Star Crushed Minerals, I contacted Nicole (owner of BeautyBarBaby)  I didn't become a promoter of hers or agreed to her terms until *after* I left Star Crushed Minerals.  Discussion about promotional information wasn't even brought up until I was completely done with SCM.  Some how the owner and a few of the admins from the Star Crushed Minerals promoter group found to believe that I betrayed them.  ...Pardon my french, but that is complete and utter bullshit.  While being a promoter for SCM I never, not even once, went behind the owner/companies/promoters backs. 

I'm being accused of multiple ordeals.  Such as,

- Leaving SCM for BBB.
- Joing BBB before leaving SCM.
- Being sent product from BBB before leaving SCM.
- Betraying SCM's trust.

As stated above, you all now know the reason as to why I chose to leave SCM.  I had my own obligations, and I was just basically done with the company.  I had/have no interest in continuing in promoting for them.

I was told by an admin of the SCM promoter group that I was being accused of joining BeautyBarBaby Mineral Makeup before I even left Star Crushed Minerals.  This is because I used products from BeautyBarBaby that I received way back from when I worked with BBB before, back in 2013, before I even worked with Star Crushed Minerals.  The owner of SCM knew I worked with BBB before, so she obviously knew I already had some BBB products.  But no, instead assumptions were made and rumors were spread that I sealed the deal with BBB before leaving SCM.

Oh, what's that?  You want proof that I didn't have or used new products from BBB?
No problem. Check out products and placement list in both photo descriptions.

This photo, as you can see from the post's date, is all the way back from October of 2013.





The photos below are two of the first looks I've done for BeautyBarBaby since I began working with them again (as of June 14th, 2014)


I put a box around the BBB products used in both looks.  Notice, there are some of the same products used in these two looks as there are in the look back from 2013.  That's because I didn't have anything new from BBB once these were posted.  I didn't receive any new products from BBB until later on.  I simply wanted to get started right away and decided to use what I already owned from BBB to do new looks with.  I didn't think anything of it at the time.  I figured BBB would appreciate it, not that SCM would go and accuse me of all these things.

Once I confronted the owner of Star Crushed Minerals, she blocked me without any explanation.  I had to find everything out from one of the admins of Star Crushed Minerals promoters group, this was after she had unfriended me from Facebook of course.  Since then, most of the Star Crushed Minerals promoters, whom I once considered friends, unfriended me as well.  I'm sure this was because they were told not to associate with me.  It's sad to me that many of these promoters were lead to believe everything they hear without confirmation or evidence of the situation.  Perhaps I was all to caught up in making friendships with those I worked with. Oops.

...The funny thing about all of this is that Star Crushed Minerals still has me posted on their page as one of her "super novas".  You would think after all the crap she has tried to pull over on  betraying her, etc., she would have removed me from her page by now.
** Update, I was finally removed!  I'm assuming she read the blog post. Lol)

(Please excuse this hideous photo.. Lol)

Now you know my story.  It's really not that bad, just very childish and ignorant.  It's definitely not as bad as others.  If you're interested in reading up on more information about what Star Crushed Minerals has done, I suggest you take a look at this blog post by MUA/Beauty Blogger Mrs.Amanda Ryans aka. Bold Creations.

Here's the link to her post. -
http://boldcreationsmua.blogspot.com/2014/07/the-truth.html

Thank you all for your time, and continuous support.  I know this is messy and I'm sorry to have gotten involved.  I wish it weren't the case but I have been unwillingly brought into the situation and I refuse to be brought down by SCM.
I also want to say that I'm deeply sorry for anyone who has been lead to purchase any of Star Crushed Minerals makeup products because of links and looks I've posted in the past directing to them.  I'm sorry to have involved you with the company and I hope none of you are affected by any of this.  Again, I appreciate all of your support, comments, likes, shares, and everything else you all do!  Thank you all so so much!


What are you thoughts?
Tell me in the comments!

Friday, June 20, 2014

Near Death Experience?

So... How many of you have ever had a near death experience?
Maybe most of you have.  Maybe only a few?

Today I had one.  It's not my first either!
(I'll save that for another day.)
I wasn't scared, but more curious as to what was going to happen next. 
Does that make me weird?
(If so then GOOD!  Because I am! Haha)

Let me back track a bit here..
Growing up, I've never really been afraid of dying. 
I have always been very content with it.  I have a strong believe in what happens in the "after life".  I won't get all religious on you guys, but I think it's quite peaceful, and to be honest, a hell of a lot better than what we have here on this so called planet "Earth".

Anyway, back to this near death experience...
My mom and I were on the highway.  Mom was driving and we were coming back from the hospital. (The hospital I go to is a half hour away via highway because of insurance. Blah, blah, blah... I'm not sick or anything, I just had to sign papers.)

You see, people around here tend to drive a tad bit over the speed limit.  Don't know what it's like where you guys are at, but here 20+ over the speed limit is normal.  Cops won't pull you over for it.  That being said, we were going like 80mph, something like that. 

We were on the far left lane, otherwise known as the "fast lane" and there was a wall next to us.  There was no shoulder lane, just this wall that was about 3 feet high maybe.  Now in my opinion, mom's a really good driver.  She gets road rage like many of us, but other than that she's pretty good at it!
She doesn't like driving next to this wall though because she thinks it's dangerous and can easily cause an accident.  I don't know why she was even in this lane to begin with because again, she doesn't like that wall!  Whenever she's driving next to it she always makes sure she has two hands on the wheel.  Just like we all learned in driving school.  (Way to go, mom!)

The road was a little bumpy due to a shit ton of construction going.  Nothing new, it's been being worked on for the past four years...  Mom had two hands on the wheel, I was singing along to Timber by Pitbull ft. Ke$ha when all a sudden this white van with plates I don't recognize CUTS US OFF!  Mind you, we were going 80mph.  This lovely elderly couple was not.  They were going maybe 55mph.  This wasn't no petty cutoff either, this was a legit asshole move - cutoff situation.  He was maybe five feet in front of us when he decided to switch lanes.  Mom then slammed on the breaks. 

At this point the road seemed to have gotten ridiculously bumpier.  Kind of like we were driving over a bunch of pot holes.  The car was shaking from breaking so suddenly, and  I remember the seat belt holding me back from slamming into the dashboard.  I grabbed onto that handle on the ceiling of the car (ya know, the one slightly above the door?), and was just staring at the back of this van waiting for our car to smash into it.  Luckily, mom was able to slow down enough for our car to be not even a few inches from the van's bumper.  Once we were slowed down and safe, mom started yelling.  She was scared, I could see it in her eyes.  She was also mad.  Mad at the driver for being stupid and not looking before he switched lanes.  Mad at the driver for putting mine and her life in danger. 

The whole duration of what seemed to have lasted 10 minutes (probably not even10 seconds) I wasn't thinking anything except "What's impact going to feel like?  Is this it?  Are we gonna hit?  Is today the day?  I think we're gonna hit!"  I didn't think about my loved ones, or what would have happend to my dogs if we died.  I didn't think about who would miss me. 
All I could think about is if this was how I was going to die.

Today could have panned out to be so much more different if mom didn't break in time.  If that person driving the van decided to switch lanes while being four feet in front of us instead of five, a 10 car pileup could have easily occurred.  Instead of just mom's life and my own being taken, multiple lives could have been.  Luckily there wasn't a car directly behind us, so that also saved our asses.

I'm not the dramatic type.  If this were a situation that happened in town I wouldn't even think twice about it.  I'd probably just yell out the window, maybe call the person an idiot.   But because this happened on the highway and we were going so fast, I thought I'd mention it. 
Guys, being a reckless driver isn't okay!  Check your blind spot please, don't kill anyone!

...Perhaps my first post shouldn't have been so long.  I probably should have introduced myself or told you all what this blog is even going to be about. 
Oh well!  We'll save that for later!  In the meantime, have any of you ever had a near death experience?  Do you remember exactly what happened?  Tell me about it in the comments!
(If you don't mind talking about it, that is!

Until next time, be safe!