Blog Reflection

This semester I have done research and found lots of useful information for my Genius Hour Project. I've also even been able to purchase and test out some products that I wish to use in my tutorials. I haven't gotten as far as I've wished because I underestimated how busy my schedule would be this year, and unfortunately, Genius Hour does not have top priority. After winter break I plan to be more productive with my Genius Hour, and hopefully start my tutorials. 

For my Genius Hour, I am still wondering how much time this project will take up, so that I will be able to set aside times just to work on this project. I also wonder how far I'll be able to get by the end of the year, and how much I will have accomplished. I still have a passion for this project, so I want to be productive and create something great during my time working on Genius Hour. 

My very first inquiry question was: How can I provide a great makeup look without using expensive products and tools?

I then changed it to be: How can I provide a unique makeup look for others using non-expensive, but effective, tools and products?

My recently revised inquiry question is: How can I provide a unique makeup look using inexpensive products that will perform the same as high-end products?

My goals are essentially the same. I still want to do makeup tutorials using cheaper products to help people save money. I have a real passion for this project because I feel that wearing makeup is something that helps people feel beautiful and feel their best, and I don't think that people should have to spend tons of money on the thing that can bring them happiness and confidence.

Next semester, I see myself having all the products and tools I need to begin to create my tutorials. I will hopefully be able to post my tutorials and create several of them. I am going to set times to work specifically on my Genius Hour project to insure that productive work is done, and that my project will be a success. From my research, I have learned enough to begin tutorials, but I will continue to research throughout the year to build my knowledge on my topic.

I was considering doing a YouTube account, but I realized that I would have to invest in a decent camera to record, and then I would have to edit all the videos, and I don't believe that I have enough time to accomplish all that, so I will be setting up a separate blog soon to post my tutorials. Once I do, I will share the link to it on this blog and hopefully you guys will check it out! 

I believe that the new year will bring great things for my Genius Hour project, and hopefully all of yours too! :)

Blog Post #3 - Progress and Updates

I got a lot of helpful comments on my blog such as, ideas for tutorials, and different things to think about while creating my tutorials. It helped me a lot to start planning exactly what I want to do, and how to work around different problems that I hadn't thought of before. I now have some specific tutorials I have in mind to work on. 

I changed my inquiry question to be: How can I provide a unique makeup look for others using non-expensive, but effective, tools and products? I think this inquiry question better represents my products.

Since my last post, I purchased a couple products that I found last Friday during Genius Hour. I've only tried out one of them, but I think it will probably be included in one of my tutorials. I hope that I will have time over the weekend to try out the rest, and decide if I want to use them.

My timeline has changed slightly. I was hoping to begin my tutorials by early December but I think it will be better to start in mid-January. There are some products and brushes that I hope to receive for Christmas that I could definitely include in my tutorials to make them the best that they can be. 

I've already started experimenting with the tools and products I already own and I've started planning exactly what I want my tutorial to look like and be. 

Youtube is a great place to learn more about how to do your own makeup. Being a visual learner myself, I learned many of my skills from YouTube videos, and there are so many out there that you can learn from. Here are a few that will help you, and have helped me, that you could learn a lot from 

Eye Makeup Tutorial
Contour and Highlighting
Lips
Foundation and Concealer
Eyebrows

Blog Post 2 - Updated Progress

When I did my Genius Hour project pitch, I got some good feedback. My classmates told me that they liked my idea, and that it was cool to try and help people save money, especially when makeup is usually so expensive. At the time of my pitch I was not sure how I would be sharing my tutorials, so they told me that I should be thinking about that as well. I was deciding between pictures with instructions on a blog, or making YouTube channel, and it helped me make the decision that I will be doing the blog instead of the YouTube channel.

I haven't made a lot of progress on my project, but I have begun making lists of what exactly my tutorials will be teaching, and I have researched and found products I wish to purchase.

My goal for today is to find products that are cheaper, but still good quality. I want to find the right products; ones that are inexpensive, but are still of good quality that will work nicely, especially when compared to higher end products.

Today, I accomplished a list of products and tools that I wish to purchase and use in my tutorials. I will hopefully purchase them soon, and begin to use them in my tutorials. I'm actually really excited to try them out and begin my process. :)

By next week I hope to have a completed list of what exactly will be in my tutorials, and what I want to teach people. I hope to have a list of products I will use in each tutorial. Hopefully by next week I will have some good progress to share!

Blog Post 1 - Introduction

Hi, my name is Grace, and the purpose of this blog is to update my progress on my Genius Hour Project. For my project, I am going to be sharing makeup tutorials using cheaper, drug-store products. I want to provide an effective way for people to do their makeup without having to spend hundreds and hundreds of dollars. 

When I was first coming up with my Genius Hour idea, I asked myself, How can I provide a great makeup look without using expensive products and tools? This was what started my idea, and drove me toward this project idea. 

I will be trying out different products and providing makeup looks that I think are the best, at an affordable price. I already have a lot of great products that I want to use, and I'm excited to get started. Hopefully I will not only be teaching others, but I will learn a lot myself. 

My inspiration for doing this project, is that I've always had an interest for makeup and cosmetology, and I want to be a cosmetologist when I grow up. I really want to learn more myself on this topic, while sharing my knowledge with others.

Click here to learn more about alternatives to expensive products, and how to save money when purchasing your makeup.


The steps I will need to take to begin my project include:

• Getting products and trying them out to determine what the best ones are
• Research and learn as much as I can about how to properly apply the makeup look I am trying to teach
• Determining looks that I want to teach others
• Set up a blog/website to post my tutorials on
• Begin creating tutorials 

I hope to have my first tutorial ready by December or January, and then post 2-3 times a month.