If you’re new to the world of blogging, or don’t know the difference between a self-hosted and a hosted website (and what self-hosted even means) I talk all about it in my recent post here!

To recap, a self-hosted blog or website is like owning a space on the internet. Hosting – or free-hosting – (such as using a site like WordPress.com or Blogger, for example) is sort of like renting a space on the internet. It’s faster and easier to get started and usually cheaper in the beginning, but can be really limiting.

Free-Hosting:

For free-hosting, you can create your own website within minutes on WordPress.com or Blogger, completely free of charge. You then have options to upgrade your plan, so you can purchase your domain (for example, the free version would have a site domain something along the lines of www.raincoatesbeauty.wordpress.com instead of www.raincoatesbeauty.com) and customize your site. While this can seem like a great option for people new to blogging who want to get started, it can actually be one of the biggest mistakes bloggers make.

Ultimately, nothing is truly free. The free versions are so limiting that you will end up having to pay for features you need to grow your blog and run it effectively – any abilities to monetize your blog, customize it, and grow it into a business will be very limited.

Why Hosted Blogs Hinder Your Business

  • Free hosting usually offers little ability in customizing your site (changing your fonts, colours, layouts, and more)
  • You likely won’t be able to customize or add custom code/HTML without upgrading to a premium version (which usually ends up costing you more than self-hosting!)
  • While the hosting platform may offer you seemingly inexpensive options to buy your own domain URL, this tends to be less cost-effective than simply paying for a self-hosted site in the first place.
  • If you’re wanting to start making money from your blog, Google Adsense is one of the easiest ways to do that. However, Google Adsense typically doesn’t approve websites that aren’t self-hosted. In fact, you will have major difficulty adding any sort of ad service to your site at all.
  • Plugins – these are one of the greatest features of WordPress! These are amazing tools that can greatly improve your site and make your job much easier. Plugins that show you how to improve your SEO (Search Engine Optimization,) offer pop-up subscriptions, show your site statistics, backing up your site data, and more. Plugins are not available on most free-hosted platforms. On WordPress.com for example, you can only get plugins if you upgrade to the Business plan which costs over a whopping $300 a year!
  • Technically, your site could be taken down at any moment. The company or platform that hosts your site could be shut down, find themselves in trouble, find problems with your site, and shut down your site.
  • Say your site ends up being a huge success, and a company offers to buy it from you for a very generous price – well, because you don’t technically own the site, you won’t be allowed to sell or transfer it to someone else.

Sadly, I learned this all the hard way. I started with the free version of WordPress.com – and while it was the easiest way for me to get started, I grew instantly frustrated with how limiting it was. Despite having my blog for a few years now, I haven’t been able to build it into a career yet due to these limitations.

So You Want to Switch to A Self-Hosted Site?

If you’ve already got a blog or website and you’re wanting to switch over to self-hosting, this can seem seriously daunting and downright scary. I’m no computer technician, I don’t know how to code, and am always scared of messing something up and breaking my site. I read countless posts on how to switch over to a self-hosted site, but honestly, it went completely over my head.

Then, as if my prayers were answered, I stumbled across the company Blogger2WP!

They’re a team of professionals/technicians that will completely move everything over to a self-hosted site for you. SERIOUSLY. THEY DO EVERYTHING.

The only other companies I’ve seen who offer this sort of service charge an obscene amount of money! Blogger2WP literally does everything for you. You just give them the details, tell them what you want, then sit back and wait for them to finish their magic!

Best of all, they only charge $79 for this! Or if you’ve got a new blog/site, then they only charge $29!! That’s a one-time fee that will completely change the way you blog.

You can get this service for free with the purchase of your hosting from Siteground!! Click here for the details on that!

They work with SiteGround, which is one of the leading web-hosting providers -they’re fast, secure, and offer great support.

There are 2 main expenses with self-hosting: Purchasing your domain (You can purchase your domain for as little as $8.99 a year with iDotz.Net for example!) and your web-hosting. You can host on Siteground for as low as $3.95 a month!) So you can run your site with freedom for as low as $15 a year!

I honestly cannot recommend them enough. They made the entire process so easy and painless. I’m now in control of my blog and slowly starting to turn it into my career!

If you want to switch over yourself, they also offer free step-by-step guides!

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Another month, another Morphe Me brush set! July’s Morphe Me Brush Set is nautical themed and features 4 brushes.

I actually opted out of this month’s Morphe package, as it contains brushes with real animal hair. I am now trying to avoid animal hair and stick to synthetic for ethical, cruelty-free reasons. I don’t know if Morphe didn’t get the memo, as they sent this package to me anyway – despite me opting out and not being charged for it. Oh well! Guess that means another review for you guys! I will be giving away the brushes with animal hair to friends or family who need them.

Brush Breakdown:

  • M492 – Duo Foundation (synthetic and sable bristles) – this flat brush has duo fibre bristles and a rounded edge. It’s fluffy enough that it works great for blending liquid products while still allowing you to be precise. A brush like this works great with foundation if you’re wanting to apply a thin or light layer. I love using a brush like this for foundation because it allows you to apply a small amount in a light layer without looking heavy or cakey. This is similar in shape to the G19 that came in January’s brush package. 

 

  • M166 ‑ Oval Shadow (sable bristles)–  this brush is similar in shape to the Mac 217, or other very popular eyeshadow brushes. The M166 however, is flat rather than fluffy. A brush like this is ideal for packing colour onto the lids, as its flat surface picks up eyeshadow and deposits it onto the skin. The Mac 217 in comparison, is fluffier and designed for blending product rather than depositing it. I wouldn’t recommend trying to blend eyeshadow with the M166 – it’s simply too flat to be effective for blending! 

  • M579 ‑ Pro Flat Contour (goat bristles) – this brush has a wide, straight-edge tip and is ideal for using with powder products. Natural hair bristles absorb liquid and cream products, which is why it’s much better to use with powder. A shape like this is a must-have for any contour lovers, as it allows you to easily sculpt out and define your cheekbones. However, I feel like Morphe has included quite a few brushes like this in previous months and I definitely don’t need another. It’s similarin shape to the Y12 from June’s package, and nearly identical to the R8 brush. 

Morphe M57 (left) and R8 (right)

  • M536 Under Eye Bullet (synthetic bristles)– this is a rounded, tapered blending brush that is perfect for under the eye. It can be used for liquid, cream, or powder products, but I personally think it’s perfect for setting your under eye concealer with powder. This has become my new favourite! I dip this brush into some loose powder (like this one, or this one!) 

July’s package has some great brushes, but it wasn’t my personal favourite – mostly because 3 of them are made of animal hair. If you like some but not others, Morphe now gives you the option to swap certain brushes before you receive them!

If you’re wanting to expand your brush collection, you get a free brush (or points you can redeem for other fun products) if you join through my link here!

 

Check out my previous posts:

June 2018 On Instagram

Must-Have Blogging Courses

Easy Glam Tutorial

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Hello, July!

Can you believe that we’re already over halfway through 2018?!

My June was full of creative energy, working on creating new wallpapers, and planning new projects.

Here’s a recap of my month on Instagram: 

 

You can find me here, or as @raincoatesbeauty on the app!

 

 

Did you miss any of my June posts? 

Don’t forget to download this month’s free wallpaper for phone, tablet or computer!

You can get them with or without the calendar:

Click here to check them out! 

 

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I got to do my best friend’s makeup for her University graduation, and she let me film it! We did a trial run to test out the look she wanted. It’s a SUPER easy  glam look, with a matte eye, some winged liner, and a berry coloured lip.

As an easy glam look, it’s simple enough that anyone can do it! It’s great for beginners and can be customized in a million different ways. For example, adding a shimmery or sparkly eyeshadow instead of the matte will instantly make it more glamorous. Deepening the crease colour of the eyeshadow will make it more dramatic or smokey, and pairing it with a nude or red lip will change up the look!

Join us to see how we created this look, and for embarrassing stories of my adolescence!

 

 

Products used:

 

Check out my previous posts:

Free Downloadable July Wallpapers

Self-Hosting Vs. Free Hosting – Which Is Better For You?

Makeup Declutter – Eye Makeup I’m Throwing Out

 

 

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Thank you so much to everyone who downloaded my June wallpapers! Taking on a new creative project is always a bit scary, and I really didn’t know what to expect. I figured it would maybe get a few downloads, but it got over 200 downloads! It truly fills me with joy to see you enjoying my wallpapers!

I recently purchased a graphic art tablet, so that means plenty more wallpapers and designs to come!

As promised, I’m going to be creating and sharing FREE downloadable wallpapers every month.

July’s wallpaper theme is a simple, pretty and somewhat tropical (I’m all about the tropical theme lately, in case you couldn’t tell.) I was inspired by pastel colours and the pineapple/succulent trend that is so popular at the moment.

Don’t forget to check out my Etsy shop for more wallpapers!

 

 

Once again I included options for with a calendar or without. I personally like being able to easily see the month at a glance from my lock screen or home screen.

You can download them for free by clicking on the links below!

These are .jpeg images that you can save right to your phone or computer! You can then set these as your background images for your desktop, screensaver, home screen, or lock screen as you would with any other image! 

For Phone/Tablet:

With Calendar:  July-Phone-Calendar-Wallpaper.jpg

Without Calendar:  July-Phone-Wallpaper-Rain-Coates-Beauty.jpg

For Computer:

With Calendar:  July-Desktop-Calendar-Wallpaper.jpg

Without Calendar:  July-Desktop-Wallpaper.jpg

 

 

I hope you enjoy this month’s designs! The images can also be sized into different dimensions if required. Feel free to contact me if the dimensions don’t fit your device! Let me know what designs you’d like to see next!

 

Check out my previous posts: 

Self-Hosting Vs. Free Hosting Your Blog

Makeup Declutter – Eye Makeup I’m Throwing Out!

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