Great content inspires us - it’s in our DNA.
To help you plan your 2022 social content calendar, we’ve put together a guide filled with fun occasions, mega sales and public holidays in Singapore.
Simply fill in and submit the form to receive instructions on how to access the guide.
We hope you’ll be inspired and will be looking ahead to 2022 with courage and creativity, just like we are.
#TeamClozette
|
Thank you for Signing Up |
We all know that shopping for makeup online comes with a bit of a risk. With recent developments in technology, some brands now offer online augmented reality beauty tools that let you see how a product looks on you virtually. It takes the guessing out of the shopping - a definite win for us. Here are some you can check out now.
ICYDK, the Google app has its own augmented reality beauty tool. You can virtually try on items from brands like L’Oreal, MAC Cosmetics and Charlotte Tilbury. You can also browse through Google Shopping and receive recommendations for beauty products - as well as clothes and other categories. The shade-matching tool comes in handy with showing how a complexion product looks but don’t expect virtual reality levels of realism.
Our verdict: It’s like a personal shopper you don’ have to verbally interact with. This AR beauty tool takes the peer pressure of having to purchase an items because of a sales assistant’s spiel, but it does have an ad-like feel to the experience.
MAC also has its own virtual try-on feature found on its official websites. As of writing, you can only sample lip colours and eyeshadows. Still, with MAC’s vast array of products, there are a lot of options to check out. To use this AR beauty tool, simply head over to the product page and click “Try It On”. You’ll need to enable the live camera or upload a selfie for a true match, but there are also models to stand in your place. Then, you can scroll through the 800+ options from the brand’s menu of lip and eyeshadow shades. We’re keeping our fingers crossed for foundation shade-matching in the near future.
Our verdict: We prefer using the tool on our phone because the phone camera offers a clearer and more realistic image compared to a laptop camera which tends to wash out your complexion.
Perhaps the most contentious AR beauty tool on this list, Sephora’s Virtual Artist feature has been around since 2016. It mimics Sephora’s in-store makeovers using augmented reality and facial recognition, where you can pick from Sephora’s makeup smorgasbord and see it applied on your face. You’ll need to download the Sephora app, of course, to try this feature. Aside from product try-on, you also get step-by-step tutorials on the trendiest looks of the moment.
Our verdict: Despite its age, Sephora’s Virtual Artist feature still needs some fine-tuning. The eyeshadow looks need to be more ~subtle~ or less stark so we can gauge the true quality of the products used.
Beginning with lipsticks, YouTube’s AR Beauty Try-On ad feature (currently still in testing) allows viewers to “swatch” products while following a beauty video. It started with MAC Cosmetics products in 2019 (watch the video above in the mobile YouTube App so you can personally try it) and has yet to expand its available brands aside from NARS. Also, you’ll need to use your phone for this because the feature is not available on desktop.
Our verdict: Since we use video reviews to gauge the pros and cons of a product, this augmented reality beauty tool is actually very handy! Hopefully, this feature will expand to include other brands to make it more useful to users and not merely for ads.
There are a lot of lipsticks floating online and in stores. A lot. But sometimes, there’s a specific lip shade you can’t find anywhere. Here’s some good news: YSL Beauty is currently testing the Rouge Sur Mesure, a digital app connected to a Bluetooth-operated device that allows you to make personal lip colours. You design the colours in the app and have it “printed out” through the device for your use.
It’s not really “online shopping” per se, but it does use technology to show how the lip colour looks on you through an uploaded picture. It brings you into the creative process while adding that personalised touch. The only drawbacks are the device and colour cartridges go for USD299 and USD100 respectively, and you can’t mix and match the cartridges from other sets. Bummer.
Our verdict: It’s a splurge, for sure. But if you like the idea of being your own makeup developer and not buying a new lipstick ever again, it might just be worth the investment.
Which AR beauty tools are you willing to try?
Believe it or not, there was a time when videos that automatically played on a feed were seen as annoying. So much so that guides on how to disable Facebook’s autoplay feature began popping up when it was announced in 2013. Nevertheless, this move ushered in the era of online video content and advertising. Seven years later an app dedicated to showing an endless stream of videos would be the most downloaded.
TikTok’s meteoric rise in popularity has changed the social media landscape and it’s already influencing other apps. Instagram, for one, has been declared as “no longer a photo-sharing app” by Head of Instagram Adam Mosseri. “Video is driving an immense amount of growth online for all the major platforms right now, and it’s one that I think we need to lean into more,” he said in his post, adding that there’s some “serious competition right now”.
Because of this, Instagram will be rolling out new developments in the coming days to make the app more video-friendly. Keep reading to learn more about Instagram app updates to expect in 2021.
It’s been almost a year since Instagram Reels has been launched and so far it’s still known as an “alternative” for TikTok, not a direct competitor. This could be because the feature is still not available to all countries and many talents from around the world have yet to contribute content. Even so, Instagram’s track record of ventures into video has not been so impressive. IGTV, a video hub once thought to be a potential rival to YouTube, is labelled as a “flop” by some and interpreted Instagram’s removal of the dedicated IGTV button as a sign of “admission” that it is indeed a flop. Despite these setbacks, Instagram is still not done trying to make video happen on the app.
Their latest attempt is experimenting with “recommendations” where posts from accounts you’re not yet following will be shown on your feed. It’s a move towards an interest-based model that the TikTok algorithm has been using to determine which videos you’re more likely to enjoy on the curated “For You” page. It’s different from Instagram which mainly follows an account-centric system that shows you posts only from accounts you follow. Shifting to an “interest-based” feed could help users find more content to enjoy and makes it easier for content creators to reach audiences that haven’t discovered them yet. Overall, we say, it’s an interesting move.
However, let’s not forget that “recommendations” isn’t exactly a new thing. A similar Instagram app update was released back in 2018 which shows posts you may like from accounts you don’t follow after you’ve already seen everything on your feed. We’re curious to know what will be new but we have theories of our own: it could show the recommendations in between posts from accounts you follow or a new page dedicated to interest-based posts will be created.
Photo from: Faizur Rehman via Unsplash
One thing that could work in Instagram’s favour in terms of becoming more video-centric are trending movements towards digital minimalism. If it becomes successful in doing so, people could just gravitate towards Instagram as the replacement for other video apps in the same way Instagram Stories became a substitute for Snapchat. Instead of maintaining various accounts, users could just stick to one. “Should Instagram start offering TikTok-like features, users and content creators (like me) may find the existence of similar platforms redundant and stick to Instagram where there's video-sharing and curated content,” Senior Features Writer Amanda said.
Another factor that could lead to Instagram’s success is the abundance of cross-shared TikToks on the platform by those with a following. This means Instagram users who are not on TikTok are also showing interest in short-format videos.
However, some would say that the inherent differences between Instagram and TikTok are still a barrier to fully transforming the app into a video sharing platform. “My impression of Instagram is that it's still a platform that serves curated, more polished content, like a visual portfolio of sorts while on TikTok there's a certain charm to how ‘unfiltered’ the content and community is. Hence, it might be hard for Instagram to convert TikTok users to their platform instantly,” Fashion Features Writer Sheryl said.
Photo from Mediamodifier via Unsplash
Aside from video-related Instagram app updates, Mosseri also shared that other developments concerning creators, messaging, and shopping are in the pipeline. Although not much was said about these, we have good guesses on what’s to come based on trends and recent moves in its parent company Facebook.
For creators, there’s a possibility of running a creator program for Instagram similar to Facebook’s planned “Audio Creator Fund” for its upcoming podcast feature. TikTok also has an up-and-running funding program where content creators could apply for and, once selected, will be given funds calculated based on several factors like views and engagement.
As for a shopping update, it could be something to do with live shopping — a trend that soared during the onset of the pandemic and continues to be popular today. Since Instagram already has a shop feature, it would be very easy for brands to hold exclusive sales for their followers.
Various Instagram app updates and experiments have appeared on our feed lately. Some exited quietly, others caught on and once in a while something becomes an ultimate success. Instagram as an entertainment platform leaning towards video? The verdict is still out, but we’re not discounting its potential.
A girl sits in front of the camera. Low, natural lighting provides enough brightness to show her face. One-by-one, step by step, she walks you through her daily makeup routine. A drugstore brand foundation applied with a brush, a blush to add a nice flush to her cheeks, and a swipe of lipstick. What usually takes a whole 15 to 20 minutes becomes condensed into 10. Sound familiar? This was one of the first templates of beauty-related content on YouTube, as we know it today.
Established in 2005, YouTube now boasts of more than two billion users - almost a third of the entire internet population. People spend over one billion hours watching YouTube videos daily. It’s no wonder that digital livelihoods, such as content creators, were made possible in this day and age. The terms “vlogger” and “influencer” were nonexistent two decades ago. Now, they’re part of the daily lexicon.
Of the various niches present on the platform, the beauty community is one of the largest and most active. According to Statista, beauty-related content garnered 169 billion views on the platform in 2018.
The very first beauty video on YouTube was uploaded by Adrienne Nelson on 30 March 2006. Since then, the video has garnered more than 3.5 million views in thirteen years. While small in comparison to the number of views beauty content creators now generate, this was the beginning of the online beauty community.
With such a wide audience, beauty content creators have a lot of influence held within their hands. From uploading personal reviews and recommendations to building their own beauty brands, beauty vloggers have changed the way viewers behave as consumers. At first, product reviews appear to be simple cosmetics recommendations of a friend. In reality, these product reviews hold such potential to make or break a product - or even an entire company.
Research shows that beauty tutorials are vastly more popular than branded content made by cosmetics companies themselves. The hard-sell ad becomes annoying when it pops up before a YouTube video plays. People want to see the product in action before they decide to purchase it. This is why a review video can garner millions of views within days. Convenience, entertainment, and information are contained in one 15-minute video.
In an interview with Clozette, Yi Wei Lau, a Senior Marketing Executive of Cason Group, Beautyblender’s distributor in Malaysia, shares “Consumers today refer to [or] rely a lot on the content creators’ user experience before they proceed to make their own purchase.” For Lau, the direct one-to-one relationship between the content creator and viewer is invaluable as they act as a “medium to reach out to our potential customers directly [since] the direct communication [has a] significant influence on customers’ buying will.” Similar to a friend recommending something for you to try, the relationship between a content creator and viewer is genuine and built on the trust established through time.
Beautyblender is just one of the many beauty brands that gained popularity and following after it became a staple in beauty vloggers’ makeup video. But with raving reviews, it soon became a must-have and deemed “revolutionary” in one’s daily makeup routine.
It’s undeniable that beauty content creators have the world at their fingertips. Whether they continue to upload beauty videos while running their own beauty brands, or choose to leave YouTube behind and pursue a different path (like Michelle Phan), these successful beauty content creators will always have a big impact on the community they’ve built around their content. There’s always makeup to be reviewed, skincare to be tested, and new tools to try. Beauty vloggers are here to stay - hopefully, for the better.
Want to know how to start a podcast for free? You’re not alone. Podcasts have become increasingly popular over the years, even going toe to toe with visual content on YouTube and Instagram. Globally, the Philippines ranks as the top sixth fastest-growing podcast audience population by country int the world.
With people owning smartphones, podcasts have become customisable radio stations where listeners can freely pick and choose the kind of informative content they consume. It’s pretty convenient too. Compared to visual content platforms, you can listen to a 30-to-40 minute podcast and still be able to easily multitask, like doing household chores, run errands, or commute to work.
(Photo from: LOGAN WEAVER via Unsplash)
So if you want to jump on this trend and try your hand at producing your own podcast, heed these useful tips form real podcasters.
The first thing you need to know about starting a podcast is you need to have a general theme of topics you want to cover. There are finance-related, tech-talk, lifestyle commentaries, and more. To help you narrow it down, ask yourself: why do you want to start a podcast anyway?
Your chosen topics will usually resonate with a general audience, but it always helps to have a clear picture of who you’re talking to. It can also help you plan for future episodes or gather ideas for future topics.
Having a co-host or guest also keeps the conversation interesting for listeners. Pamelia of The Singapore Noodles shares that she usually go on to potential guests’ social media accounts or read interviews that they have previously done to find out more about their perspectives, to see if there are any insights that they have that are worthy of exploration on the podcast before contacting them.
Once you’ve finalised the topic and guests, if any, it’s time to sit down and create an outline of the episode. It can be as general as having main talking points or as in-depth as a script. If you invite guests to your podcasts, it is also good practice to share your questions in advance.
Photo from: Vika Strawberrika via Unsplash
Before you start thinking about shelling out a few bucks for a fancy microphone and headset, perhaps you can consider the equipment you already have. For example, Pamelia relies on her Macbook’s built-in microphone and Zoom to record her interviews since she’s currently based in Australia and her guests are usually from Singapore.
Aside from Garageband, there is a lot of free software you can use online. Pamelia uses Audacity, an editing software you can freely download. You can also use video editing softwares such as iMovie (Mac) or Filmora (Windows) and simply export the audio from the finished product
Photo from: Freguesia de Estrela via Unsplash
Now that you’re ready to share your podcast with the world, it’s time to figure out which platform to use to stream it. Spotify, Apple and Google all have the means of streaming your podcast. Pamelia uses Red Circle, because it’s “pretty straightforward” and allows her to produce her podcast on her own.
If you have an active following on any social media site, you can always invite your followers to listen to your podcast too. Link it in your bio, create a dedicated post or story giving a little sneak peek to the podcast, or post a behind-the-scenes video to generate more buzz and drive traffic to your podcast.
Once you have your first episode up, it’s a matter of being consistent with your upload schedule. The most common is doing weekly uploads. It’s up to you to decide how you’ll plan your content calendar and how to fit it into your schedule.
Once you’ve garnered a consistent following, you may also start including ads in your podcast! This will involve mentioning the product or service in the beginning or middle of your podcast. Your sponsors should be relevant and meaningful to your audience and the message you’re trying to share with your podcast.
At the end of the day, it’s all about making meaningful content that will make someone’s life richer. Whether that’s through some chill, sit-down solo chats or through informative interviews, your podcast can be someone’s go-to for entertaining and enriching content. Will you be discovering your podcast online soon?