I am very happy to introduce you to Crystal Whitlock, who is not only our Supreme Sponsor for September and October but also Agent Dreamer's very first sponsor! Crystal runs her eBay store Beauty by Crystal in which she sells makeup, jewellery, bags and apparel at amazingly cheap prices. I visited her blog and discovered a really sensitive and beautiful diary where she writes about women and their perception of how they look and promotes positive self-image. Apart from being a kick-ass entrepreneur, Crystal is also a fantastic mother who will inspire you and a really intelligent interviewee as well!
I am a mother of two beautiful children and we are working on making a third (Shhhhh it's a secret!). I worked in banking for six years, and then I had my amazing son and decided to leave the corporate world to be a full time mom. Let me tell you, being a mom is a full time job and I have huge respect for the women who do it and work away from home. I have a huge passion for beauty and fashion and making women feel great about themselves. I grew up with an incredibly low self-esteem and it is my goal to make young women aware of how wonderful they really are despite what anyone else says.
How did Beauty by Crystal start? What are your future plans?
My store got its start back in August of 2010. I had two VERY young children and my family was going through some financial struggles. With how much I LOVE to shop it was killing me not to be able to buy things that were not “necessities”. After talking to a friend who had an online store selling dog cloths, I thought "hmmm I could sell stuff online". Then I ran into the problem of not being crafty in anyway. So after A TON of research I decided to sell cosmetics on eBay. Over the past 2 years my store has really expanded and has taken on a life of its own. I'm busier then ever and I'm absolutely loving it. I chose to sell cosmetics and mainly nail polish because that is what I have a passion for and I chose eBay as my venue because well, let’s face it they bring in customers. My future plans for the store are to expand into selling jewelry and other accessories. I would also like to open my own store separate of eBay someday. I'm also super excited about my new blog and I'm having so much fun promoting my store through social media. Look out World Wide Web Beauty by Crystal's going viral ;)
What in your opinion is the most effective way of bringing positive self-image in young women?
I believe that a positive self-image comes from within; it’s more about who you are as a person. Young women today need to realize that outer beauty is not what shapes them as a person; it’s about their inner beauty. Our media bombards women with such a negative image of what a woman is. They celebrate women who are mean and caddy and care only about looks. I believe a woman who cares more for others and strives to be in service of others will have a stronger love for herself. I feel that service and kindness are the keys to happiness. When we engage ourselves in kind works we are so filled with joy that it spills out of us. When we feel good about who we are then the way we look becomes less important. I love fashion and all things beauty related because I love it as an art form not because it defines who I am. My skills as a mother, wife, neighbor and friend define who I am and how I feel about myself.
What is the most important make-up item that you cannot do without?
My most important make-up item is definitely mascara. Mascara is something I ALWAYS have on even if I’m wearing no other make-up. I also could not live without nail polish. Mascara is more of a necessity but nail polish is more for fun!
Here are my top 5 best buys:
Maybelline Express Finish Nail Polish- {Grand In Green 638} This is an absolutely beautiful color for fall. It’s from Maybelline's 2011 Fall limited Edition Collection and can no longer be found in stores.
Wet n Wild Mega Brilliance Lip Gloss- {SHIMMY SHIMMER 599} I absolutely LOVE this lip gloss! It's a clear gloss with tons of iridescent glitter. If you love glitter as much as I do you will love it! It's also discontinued so you can't find it in stores anymore.
Silver Toned Square Mesh Beaded Drop 3” Dangle Earrings These earrings are a great deal only $3.74 and free shipping. They are absolutely beautiful and will dress up any outfit. I also carry them in gold tone.
Wet N Wild Wild Shine Nail Color Polish {BLACK CREME 424A} This is my absolute favorite go to black polish. Let’s face it we all need a black polish in our collection.
CoverGirl Eyeshadow Magnetic Pot Refill {PINK CHIFFON} This is the perfect pale pink eyeshadow. I love this color when I want a nice day time look with a little shimmer. It was originally sold as a refill for the CoverGirl Customizable compact but the packaging still makes it perfect to use on its own.
What are your other favourite online shops that sell affordable items?
Here are a few of my favorite shops: First I have to give a shout out to one of my fellow eBay sellers.
Austin Hunter: http://stores.ebay.com/austinhunterstore I LOVE his store; he sells such cute clothes at amazing prices. I have purchased a few times from his store and he is an amazing seller to work with. I am also crazy addicted to Hautelook.com. I love going there every day and checking out what they have for sell that day. If you don't know what Hautelook is, I highly recommend you check it out. Every day they post different deals on all kinds of items from clothes, shoes, beauty products, house wears, and kid’s items all in amazing brands. I also love to shop at Bornprettystore.com. They sell all kinds of nail art products and other accessories. Since I have a huge addiction to nail polish I love getting fun nail art supplies and tools from them at amazing prices. I also just got my very own coupon code from them *sequel*! Now me and everyone I know can shop there using my coupon code CR5X61 and get 5% off anything in the store!
What are your other interests and talents? What do you see yourself doing in the coming years?
I already motioned I love fashion but did you know... I love to read, and I don't read girly books at all. When it comes to reading the fashion/beauty loving Crystal goes out the window. I love all things fantasy and sci-fi when it comes to books. "I love Harry Potter so much I sometimes wish I was a wizard"... I'm a nerd at heart. I don't have many obvious talents... that’s why I sell products other people make. But I do LOVE working with my children and helping them learn. It's an amazing feeling knowing I'm the reason my son can read at the age of 4. I also love working with people and I pride myself on my customer service skills. Over the next year I plan on growing my brand through social media. Once I have a good following I would like to eventually expand and open my own online store. I love eBay but it would be nice to have a store that is all my own.
Thank you so much, Crystal for choosing Agent Dreamer to sponsor. I wish you good luck for all your endeavors!
