A New Year’s Note to My Beauty Twitter Friends

Dear Twitter beauty friends:

It’s been 20 months since I sent my first tweet. And I can honestly say that Twitter has changed my life. I remember sitting with my good friend Heather who I fondly call “The Twitter Tutor” and having to ask again and again to explain how this really works. (I’m not the most technically inclined). I wish I could say that I was an early adopter and embraced the social media platform, but the truth is, I fought it kicking and screaming. I think it took me three months to understand what “Retweet” meant. But the publishing industry was changing and I needed to find a new audience for the digital magazine I edit called BEAUTY the guide. A friend told me that Twitter was the best way to connect with like-minded beauty enthusiasts.

So I started tweeting about beauty launches, Cityline appearances and celebs I was interviewing. I actually didn’t start the luxe beauty contests for several months. I was thrilled that when I clicked “post” that a message went up. Slowly but surely, I started to figure out how this all works.

I remember the exact moment when everything changed for me on Twitter. I was sitting in my kitchen responding to some tweets when I got a message. “Thank you for giving me my wife back.” I gasped. A husband sent me a message about how he had married three years ago and shortly after the wedding his wife was diagnosed with serious illness. He said she slowly gave up on life – spending much of her time in bed. One day she somehow spotted my contests and entered. Soon, she was checking in every day and making the odd comment. Then something wonderful happened: she won. After receiving her prize she launched her own beauty blog and has found a passion for beauty she didn’t know she had.

There have been so many stories like this one. So many incredible women fighting cancer. So many struggling with illnesses. But all sharing a love of beauty. I am so grateful that I met Nina Westbury on Twitter. She’s a pro makeup artist from the UK who relocated to Victoria, BC. She is the Bridget Jones of beauty. She won an early Dior contest and emailed me her wrong address. Then another wrong address. I remember thinking how does this woman get her kids to school in the morning. Turns out, she does rather well. She brings such knowledge and fun to beauty. And her tweets are hilarious.

I’ve made so many friendships on Twitter in the past year. I love that beauty unites people regardless of language or culture. Women around the world get as excited as Nina and I with a new Dior beauty collection or a YSL compact. I’m so grateful to have met each of you.

As the New Year starts, I want to take this opportunity to wish all our beauty friends on Twitter the very best. May 2015 be your best year ever! A big round of applause to the following incredible people:

Nina, Heather, Diane, Ali, Crystal, Tracy, Dana, Meena, Super Kim, Raziah, Monique, Agnese, Jackie, Camilla, Erika, Jessica, Elizabeth, Holly, Cookie, Daniel, Samantha, Liz, Sandra, Gezele, Theresa, Louisa, Jessica, Victoria, Pattie, Christine, Amber, Michelle, Blockhead, Lynette, Barb, Donna, Elaine, Alayne, Andrew, Alex, Alicia, Amanda, Amy, Ana, Lady Sheerie, Alison, Andrea, Angelita, Laurie, Angie, Anna, Anni, Anouska, Ashleigh, Asiaree, Atifa, Jenny, Barbara, Becky, Belinda, Bethany, Billie, Bobbi-lynn, Branka, Cara, Cari, Carol, Carrie, Cathy, Chantal, Charlene, Charley, Cheryl, Chloe, Cindy, CJ, John, Claire, Clarissa, Clemence, Colleen, Corissa, Courtney, David, Dawn, Lori, Daxini, Dayanna, Deb, Debra, Dee, Denise, Diana, Dollie, Eleftheria, Eleni, Elesa, Elizabeth, Ellie, Emily, Emma, Enza, Erika, Erin, Eve, Fiona, Florenza, Gabriela, Gemma, Gillian, Gilly, Gina, Ashley, Hannah, Heather, Helen, Isabelle, Jade, Louann, Roseanne, Marilyn, Jan, Jana, Jane, Janet, Janice, Jason, Jennifer, Jess, Jet, Jill, Jilly, Joanne, Jodi, Joelle, Jordyn, Julia, Julie, Juliana, Kaitlyn, Karen, Karla, Kate, Katherine, Kathleen, Kathy, Katie, Kayleigh, Kelly, Kerri, Kerry, Meenal, Kim, Kinia, Kimberley, Kirsty, Kristina, Lady M, Lara, Laura, Lauren, Laurie, Lauryn, Leah, Leanne, Liana, Linda, Lisa, Lise, Liz, Lori, Louisa, Luchessa, Valerie, Lucie, Lynette, Lynn, Maggie, Manon, Margaret, Maria, Marie, Marietta, Mariola, Marissa, Marlene, Martina, Mary, Matthew, Meaghan, Linda, Meisha, Melissa, Michelle, Miranda, Margarete, Molly, Tania, Monique, Monica, Morgan, Joanne, Vanessa, Muriel, Myrte, Nadine, Nancy, Natalie, Natasha, Nathalie, Nicole, Niina, Niki, Olivia, Pallavi, Pamela, Parisa, Pam, Coleen, Pat, Jordyn, Patricia, Paula, Paulina, Petra, Porcelina, Raphael, Amber, Reema, Renee, Rebekah, Lorraine, Ricky, Roberta, Robyn, Roisin, Roni, Rosa, Rose, Ruby, Ryan, Saachi, Sally, Samantha Sandie, Sandy, Sara, Sarah, Saribel, Sascha, Scott, Shannon, Shelby, Sheila, Shellina, Sheri, Shweta, Simone, Sirine, Smaranda, Soos, Sophia, Sophie, Stacey, Stefy, Stephanie, Susan, Sylwia, Tal, Tammy, Tamara, Tania, Tara, Taryn, Taylor, Telma, Teresa, Terry, Tess, Tina, Tori, Tova, Ruth, Tricia, Trudee, Valerie, Vanessa, Velma, Janine, Verushka, Vicki, Victoria, Vinessa, Gail, Wendy, Estella, Xristina, Yasmine, Zina, Zoe, Wendy, Zohra, Cindy, Chelsea, Kaitlyn, Chandra, Jessica, Amy, Reema, Stephanie, Linda, Aanchal, Brandy, Dajana, Donna, Paula….and many others.

Best wishes

Dave