Aly’s Story: From “Ugly Duckling” to Beauty Blogger

Aly’s classmates in middle school made fun of her because of her body – she was an overly skinny kid.

Rather than keep quiet, Aly shared the problem with her mother, who listened and helped her find clothes suited to her body type.

Over time, Aly realised that she wasn’t an ugly duckling, as the bullies would have her think. She grew up to be a swan. Or rather, she made herself into one.

Now a beauty blogger in Romania, Aly shares her inspirational story in her blog’s title – Make-Up Swan. She spreads the message that every woman can “be the best version of herself.”

Aly’s positivity has helped her get ahead and find new opportunities. She always liked doing her makeup, but, a few years ago, she decided to get better at it and took a professional makeup class. There, she learned about the community of Romanian beauty bloggers.

She had followed British and American influencers, but she wasn’t aware of the local bloggers. When she found out, she thought, “I could do that.” So, in 2015, she started Make-Up Swan.

Aly has been working as a kindergarten teacher for 12 years – no doubt, her confidence helps in her work with children. She also blogs and produces makeup tutorials for Make-Up Swan. And she manages Pick N Dazzle Romania’s Facebook and Instagram pages, where she chats with customers daily.

“I’m a mom, too,” she reminds me. 

On her blog, you can see adorable pictures of her brushing her teeth together with her little boy.

Aly’s positive attitude shines through in all her work. She keeps getting better at what she does. She also took photography classes, and most Pick N Dazzle photos on our Facebook in Romania are now made by her.

On Pick N Dazzle’s pages, Aly engages with many fans and customers. For example, in her initiative “I choose to use” (#alegsafolosesc in Romanian), dozens of people share product tips and recommendations. This week, women are posting pictures of their favorite eyeshadow – 44 have replied so far, and the conversation continues.

Aly responds to questions about Pick N Dazzle and specific products – for instance, which foundation would work best for a given skin type. “I tested a lot of Pick N Dazzle products,” Aly says, and she shares her own opinion.

Each Thursday evening, she also holds a public Q&A session on Pick N Dazzle’s Insta Stories. There, she chats directly with customers and anyone interested in the brand.

Additionally, Aly translates our blog posts into Romanian – even this one about her! She recommends our post with tips for dealing with the lack of sunlight in winter.

Aly likes working on Pick N Dazzle’s blog and social media because “it’s a way to get to know other people and share my love for beauty and for makeup.” She would be happy to talk to you. You can find her on our Facebook and Instagram!

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