🧴Brittney Saunders' Go To Beauty Products🧴

Hey beauties, It's Jamie Joe and Jesse Massoon and welcome to Skinfluence, a podcast dedicated to beauty, fashion and self.

Love, turning your weakness into your uniqueness.

Before we get started, we'd like to acknowledge the custodians of the land on which we record, the Gadgil people of the Eornat.

In today's episode, we're speaking to one of the OG's, a social media influencing and a powerhouse in the beauty and fashion industry.

She launched her very own fashion label, Faith, which is now worth eight figures and has multiple stores across Australia.

This year, she launched her podcast Big Business, dedicated to passing on her knowledge, lessons learn in business or just sharing the tea with other aspiring entrepreneurs.

Please welcome the one and only Britney Saunders Diskinfluence.

Wooo yay, Hey Britt, We're so excited to have you on our episode of Influence today.

I'm so glad to be here. Thanks for having me. Britt.

You were one of the original Ouzzy influencers and you've had such a big impact on the issue Stralian scene.

How did your journey begin?

Yeah, my journey began in high school when I discovered this website called YouTube that was the only social media thing to exist outside of MySpace and Facebook. Yeah my face, of course I was, but like influencers, So like YouTube was the first place that we saw like influencers, I guess.

But this was before the word influencer even existed.

It was before you snapchat, your Instagram, TikTok any of that.

I discovered this website called YouTube.

There was a couple of people on there making videos at the time, and they were called YouTubers.

Yeah, and that's where it all began for me. Yeah.

I would just make videos at home and videos with my friends. We would literally just record it on my laptop, like on the webcam' so cuyeah.

And then we were just it was mainly like dancing or music video to kesher, just something like that.

What was then app that you used to use video star video star that kind of funny.

Yeah, So that's where it all started for me, is just this website that I thought I'm going to give that a go.

How did it snowball to more?

I just kept doing those YouTube videos in high school and then I dropped out of.

High school in year eleven.

I dropped out in year ten and proud, Yeah I was so successful.

Now maybe have to keep comment don't do any studies nothing, just drop out, don't listen to us, don't take this as advice. And then yeah, I just worked lots of different jobs, which is trying to find what I wanted to do. And then that's when we saw Instagram come out. So then I built a little following on YouTube and it was like, go and follow me on Instagram, like you really plugged that through there, and it was yeah, from the ages I guess of like fifteen up.

Until I was twenty one.

That's when I had eighty thousand YouTube subscribers, which was huge back then.

Now people like eighty thousand.

Micro Actually if like if you grew up in like a small community, that's a lot.

Yeah back then, like y is, ten years ago, I had eighty thousand subscribers and that's when I I quit my full time job and said I'm going to make this my job.

That's so.

And then it was around then that we then saw you know the rise of the first influencers in Australia.

Yeah, like they.

Came to life and brands discovered that they could start paying us as YouTubers. That's where the brand deals started. It wasn't on Instagram, it wasn't small businesses. There wasn't really the small businesses that we have now. It was My first paid deal was with Colgate Wow, and then Coca Cola. Like it was these huge brands and they were like very corporate were then coming in and getting us to do these sponsored videos.

Were you like mainly focused on beauty or was it lifestyle?

Now?

It was a bit of everything.

And again this was so long ago, I actually remember because we had like ya Choe Morello's Your Lost they.

Were all really beauty.

Yeah, and then I always felt like I didn't quite belong in that.

Like I did a bit of make up here and there, but then people would say you just did the same look overn over game, so brown eye shadow, Like I'm not here to do cut crazy and I swear on here and then I would do flogs and taste testing videos. I was doing all of it challenging. Yeah, like I did it all and I would swear.

But this was when everyone on social media was very in a niche like you were a beauty guru or you were in a blogger, and then I did it all and people would say, stop trying to do all these things, blah blah blah. Now, look at the way the internet is, like everyone's doing everything now, a niche doesn't even exist. Nah, you can do whatever now. But back then people would say, like, stop trying to do everything and stop swearing. Like it was just such a

That's really cool, Yeah, good on you.

And then obviously, like naturally, people just follow along from that because when you love something, they can see it. So it's good that you didn't try and stick yourself into one thing.

No, I definitely felt like I needed to, especially when we saw that like whole beauty Guru era, Like I felt like I needed to be more into makeup and all that, and I definitely did bits and bobs of it, but I always just did whatever, yeah with my content.

Well in that sense, how do you feel like the beauty industry has really changed from when you were growing up?

I feel like it's become a lot less wholesome, really like it, especially back then, like the videos were so innocent, it was so let's get ready with me and do a whole face and it was like a half an hour video and you would talk about your life and you know, talk about this and that and the other, and just it was genuinely like recommending the products that you love. And I don't know, it was just so

Country, and like you'd send it to the past.

Was like it just felt, especially in those YouTube days, like it felt a lot more wholesome. It felt there was definitely trends, like there's always been trends, but I don't know, it just felt more innocent, Like the internet wasn't as wild as it as it is today and now like you post something and twenty people want to

The wholesomeness of those YouTube days.

Okay, that's fair.

To uploading your video and being like video everyone go and live like you know.

I was, so I was obsessed with beauty gurus on YouTube.

Obsessed, Like I would just sit and watch.

Them through everything my makeup. It's like it was like having a best friend. So it's definitely different now.

I feel like people's retention is not as long.

No, now for two seconds and like you've got eyebrow blindness by onto.

The next video.

You know, Like it's not the same, you can't you know, I just missed like uploading a one hour video and everyone watching and loving every minute of it.

But did you like enjoy the process more back then as well?

Definitely, Yeah, when it was in those early days and it wasn't all about every single sponsorship, Like just the wholesomeness of creating those videos is nothing.

Like what we do today.

Is there anything that you thinks improved for the better in the beauty community.

Yeah, Like I'm not saying it's worse now, No, of course, I definitely think there's a lot more inclusively, like not only just in beauty, but in fashion and on social media.

In general, which you play a big part of.

Yeah, So I think that's definitely come a long way, still got a long way to go, but I would say, yeah, that is I guess one positive thing that's like changed over the years.

Do you ever feel like you fell sort of into the trap of like having to post for like specific reasons or for the money.

Or for Yeah.

Yeah, I did sponsored posts for ten years, and I fully understand that that's like how people make a living,

YEA, oh yeah, I completely can understand that.

Sometimes it feels like it feels like, no, I genuinely love this, and you know you're gonna get how many.

Times can I say I love this cleanser? But how many times?

Like especially, I had skincare brands that I'd worked with for years, and it was like one post a month every month, you know, and I love the products, but I'm like, I feel like I'm repeating myself every month.

So, now that you've kind of stepped away from a sponsored posts, do you feel like beauty is more fun for you, more natural?

Do you feel like you still share product recommendation? I definitely do.

Like, obviously, I stopped making YouTube videos years ago now because I started my business and that eventually took over.

So much work.

YouTube is a lot.

It's a full time job in itself.

Yeah, and YouTube, obviously, I don't think it's as popular anymore compared to talk and Insta.

I guess I just organically.

Post my Instagram stories most days of my life now. Yeah, And it has been really good to kind of step away from doing anything sponsored and now anytime I'm talking about something or my stories. If I'm like trying a new moisturizer or whatever, I'm just organically sharing it or like being like I found this, like it's great. So it's definitely good and it's a privilege for me to be able to still have a platform but have a business that pays me, you know, a weekly wage, get

Yeah.

I think if anything, I probably don't promote things organically as much as I could.

That's okay, but you just get busy. I can't have time to be recommending everything to everyone.

You're running a business.

Yeah fine, but a little Bertie told us that you once owned a makeup and tanning business. Yes, so obviously maybe you didn't just have one business that work.

From the get go. No, what's so, what's your story.

With your businesses and how did you move and find the right one?

Yeah? Great question. My thing was I was always trying to figure out what it was that I wanted to do. I had no idea what it was, but I wanted to do it. So I did like Macas, Subway, Baskin Robbins.

Then I went into waitressing, so and then I worked in various different restaurants and bars, got my RSA, worked in bars.

Then I did retail.

I worked at Mayer, I worked in a men's suit store. Then I did sales. Then I ended up in good Camp instructing sports kids.

That's really true.

Yeah, and then I went into the nine to five life, and I was like, yes, maybe this is what I want, you know, like nine to five.

I've made it, you know, five hundred bucks a week, take home, go back.

And then I worked various like office roles, PA, all that kind of stuff. Meanwhile I was making those videos for fun. And then I didn't realize it at the time, but I was also trying businesses.

But I didn't realize because I just hobbies.

So then I started the so I would have been seventeen. I called it Beauty and Tans by Brittany. Yeah again, but this is when Facebook was really like the only thing. So I started a Facebook page called Beauty and Tents by Brittany and I had maybe like three hundred friends on Facebook at the time. In Newcastle was like perfect, that's three hundred people. I can advertise too, So I made up some really bad graphics in like Microsoft paint YEP.

I love that.

Afore Camevra paint.

With lack a Fiji stock image and it was like fifteen dollars spray tans Beauty and Tans by Britney. I've still got the screenshots somewhere I can show you, and then you know, posting that to my Facebook. Hey everyone, I'm doing fifteen dollar spray tns. Like I was absolutely ripping myself off. Yeah, really we value but this is, you know, well over ten years ago. And so I set up a little room. I was living in a rental at the time, and I had like a little

For really forty and lashes included. WHOA, let me tell you this makeup art is going around.

I love that.

Don't even make a problem.

Having fun. All right, let's head into the rapid.

I excited.

I'm excited to hear what you do like to still use in terms of beauty.

Okay, yeah, because I think this is fun.

Just at the top of your head, the first thing that comes to your mind, and if you could only pick one product from each category for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Okay, Foundation?

Oh Okay.

I feel like I'm the worst person to ask these questions too, because I feel there's just so many great products out there. Yeah, there's so many great products out there. They all kind of do a similar job. But I'll go based.

Off what are using at the moment, Like, yeah, so at the moment for Foundation, and I'm probably not going to know the actual names, but the Maybeling skin tints, yeah, yeah, just a little.

Yeah, that's what I'm using at the moment. I just picked it up when I was in chemist warehouse one.

I was like, oh, what's that? Love it.

It's so we're obsessed with that product as well. Okay, Kincialer.

I'm not really much of a concealer Gurley, Okay, cool.

See that's different to us because you know, we've got the underwriter situation going on.

Yeah, I mean concealers that I have at the moment, Like I've got the tart shape tape, but it was probably like two years expired.

It's also just really thick.

Yeah.

Yeah, but again, like there's great maybe lene ones or there's great Like I.

Feel like all concealas are quite good. So I don't really have a favorite. Sorry, so fair Okay.

Blush blush?

Hmm, you're bush girly, have you?

No?

I haven't.

I've been seeing that whole like blindness, drendog. Oh No, what am I blind about?

Blushes? I quite like the rare beauty liquid ones, you know.

The ones that you just need like one little dot and it goes forever.

Yeah, so i'd probably say, yeah, the cream, rare beauty ones.

Yeah, they're really pretty. Muscar this is a staple.

Oh okay, So I feel like, again i'm the worst person to answer this because you probably can't see my eyelashes because they're that short.

I always say, you can't have everything in life. I can't be funny, talented, smart and have long eyelashes.

And you know what, I like, so fine to go, because I have fallen shore with the eyelash, but I make up for it because I've got everything else going for me.

But I'm just using it the moment maybe Lene sky high.

Yeah, I think that's a perfect Yeah, sky highlight.

I've got the waterproof and the normal.

But my lashes are stubs, and if I have no mescar on, they are transparent, yeah see through.

Yeah, I can actually see them from here, so the scar.

Yeah, it does them justice, I will say, Lane. Okay.

Lipstick like, okay, I love the Mecha Max lip liners.

I don't know how much they are twenty dollars.

I think they're a little bit less.

Yeah, just I've got like five different colors of those, and I just love them. Like, I don't really do a full lipstick these days. I feel like back in the day we all did have.

Like a full solid exactly our Matt, Yeah, a full solid color. But now I just like to go around my lips a little bit and then just a little bit of gloss.

A little bit.

Which gloss do you use? Lips? What have you found?

Like, Yeah, I've got like Lano lips ones, a random m CO one.

I've just got random ones laying around, so whatever's available. Yeah, that's great.

I love that you kind of just use what you use.

I like the fenty ones, like everyone loves those glasses. But again, just whatever's nearby. Match out find one Yeah.

Yeah. So would you say your beauty kit's like pretty small?

So small?

Did you used to have like the IK drawers? Oh yeah yeah, stacks of makeup.

I hoarded makeup and obviously coming from an influence of background, was on every PR list and would be getting six.

Parcels a day.

It's excessive. It's excessive. I've been like we asked to be taken off prsh Yeah.

I sass and you're like, where's all the ways coming from?

Yeah, I'm influence so quick.

Or they send a box this big, and then it's like, yeah, I.

Just I went through it every time.

To be honest, my mom's like, are you serious, Like is that all you got from this box?

Yeah?

Just stump in the bin together. I used to have a huge makeup collection, you know.

We would do makeup collection tour.

Videos back in the day on YouTube and show the sixteen thirty two lipsticks and there's just no need. So again, like years ago, when I was kind of feeling like I was at my end of my influencer days, yeah, I took myself off every PR list. Now I don't accept anything for free, and like if a business reaches out to me and says, we want to give you this. I'm like, no, I will buy it because I would rather support your business and I know how much it

That's great.

Question.

Are you wearing a foundation? Your skin is flawless?

Yeah, I've got the Maybeline one on.

Yeah, it looks colors so perfect.

It's the lightest one. Do you feel like you.

Ever struggled with colors for makeup?

Not personally, No.

I used to be addicted to fake tan, like severely. I would always do my face, but I feel like, again I didn't get good lashes, but I have been blessed with good skin, so I always could put it on my face and it never affect So yeah, I was again addicted to fake tan for over ten years, every Thursday night, scrubbing that shit off, redoing it, getting my partner to do my bag, and it never looked good like looking back, but I thought it looked good. I had fake tan, and then still I think it

I loved it.

Now I have no fake hand and I've just really embraced the pace. It just it suits you that, yeah, so well.

And then you know, if I've got, you know, a wedding or something, I might just do one of the tans. It's like the light version, just so a little glow. Whereas back then I'm like, yep, give me the ultra bronze, three layers and I have orange hands. Like it was, I had fake tan blindness, but I gave that ship up and I've saved so much time.

I love money. I'm sure, Oh yeah, I get a little bit of the ick guy.

Sorry, but when you've got the fake tan in the fingers and then the other side is like.

White as that's me like crusty orange hands.

Seeps into all the wrinkles eyes. The orange I thought that looks better than being pale.

No, this too was a sad not too as well.

I feel like it's just one of those events that like a lot of young girls go through.

The canon event canon events.

Let her go through that.

And now I look back because even like I do like eco modeling for our website every now and then sometimes I'm like on the old pages of our website, like, uh, like no, don't.

Do you feel comfortable in your skin like as you are now? In terms of beauty and procedures and everything, like do you feel that?

I'm just all about the natural vibe, little light tan if I want to, but I'm never going back to the orange.

Yeah, that's great, just enhancing what you got.

Yeah, I love that. This has been so fun.

Thank you so much for everything, Like you haven't much knowledge to share consider all day?

Yeah, literally, what do you want to talk about next? Yeah, let's just keep it do our episode. Well, if you.

Could sum up kind of like your experience with coming to terms with loving your own skin, what would it be?

I takeaway this is more less is more.

Yeah, especially because we grew up in that twenty seven beauty Guru era of like thick blocked out brows and full coverage and carving out your cheeks and everything. For a long time there I felt like I had to have a full face of makeup and be fully glam

That's a great take home.

Less is more guys, Britweb, can we find you on socials and your business and everything?

Just search my name Britney Saunders or Fate fay T the label amazing And.

Britt actually has her own podcast with Nova as well.

You Big Business.

Yes, and she's also got one with High Scrollers Strollers Yeah, I love it. Yeah.

So if you want to hear me being rogue, join High Scrollers. If you want to hear me being a bit more serious but still fun, listen to Big Business.

But still fun of course, because you're funny, right, Yes, it takes you ey lashes, but you're funny.

Yeah, exactly.

Amazing. Well, thank you guys so much for joining us today on Skin Foward.

If you're interested in anything mentioned in today's episode, there will be links available in the episode description on your podcast app.

And if you love what you hear, leave us a reading and a review.

And if you have a.

Question you want us to cover on the pod, reach out by our socials. Mine is at Jessimasud, Mine's at Jamie Joe.

Alsoend us an email, ATSK influence at no over podcast dot com.

Dunna you bye guys, Bye, Thanks Britt,