Rachel-Lee Anderson on average weeks and motivations

Covering all grounds on the lifestyle front – with forays into fashion, food, organisation and beauty on her YouTube platform and Instagram account @rachelleea – Rachel-Lee Anderson has moved on from her once strictly makeup-centric dialogue. Beginning her days behind the lens on Youtube as a beauty vlogger, she’s since expanded her expertise to encompass other arenas of everyday life. And we’re in awe of her chameleon-like adaptability.

Rachel-Lee’s Youtube channel and social media platforms are testament to the tides of change, and highlight the misnomer of the ‘box’ – that is, the notion that you can only prescribe yourself one area of interest to excel in or adhere to online. And it’s working – with Rachel-Lee edging on a half million subscribers on YouTube.

In between a jam-packed agenda of glamorous events, editing and conjuring up inventive post ideas, we decided to take a pause with the go-getter who refuses to sit still…

You’ve been in the influencer biz for a while now – before the term ‘influencer’ had even been coined. How has your style changed over time?
I’ve changed from focusing on makeup tutorials into a more broader variety of lifestyle content. I’ve also changed from bright colourful makeup looks into more a neutral and natural style – not only in my makeup, but in my fashion and home too.

We love your focus on all things organisation. What are your top 5 tips for leading an organised life as a content creator?

Write everything down – to-do lists are a must
Constantly declutter and get rid of unnecessary things
Ensure everything in your home has a place
Clean every day
Reward yourself for achieving goals

How have you kept motivated at times when you felt deflated or uninspired by the vlogging scene?
Give myself a break. I won’t upload for a couple of days and give myself a chance to revive and become inspired again.

How do you decide what companies and what brands you collaborate with?
I have to enjoy what the company is offering (product/service) and genuinely use it and love it.

What’s your advice on achieving a killer ‘face of the day’ selfie for the makeup lovers out there?
Good lighting. I stand in front of a window… it makes your makeup look amazing!

As many influencers are a ‘one-man operation’, how do you manage the multifaceted job of being a model, photographer, videographer and administration expert?
I use google to learn as many skills as possible relating to each role and I have good time management to be able to stay on top of it all.

Do you think it’s important to work with fellow content creators? Who are your current favourite sources of inspiration that we should check out?
I think it’s very important to collaborate, as it gives you a chance to learn something new and shows a different perspective from others. I gain most of my inspiration from Pinterest. I also gain inspiration from YouTubers who are not in my genre at all, e.g. Philip Defranco, who inspire me to keep creating content and be consistent.

How do you edit your Instagram photos to make them so vibrant and bright? Do you have a favourite filter?
I used Photoshop & Lightroom. I use a Sawyer Hartman Lightroom filter called ‘Instant Banger’ on all my photos.

What does an average working week look like for you? Is there even such a thing?
I try to keep my work Monday to Friday so I can enjoy my weekend with my friends, however, that doesn’t always work out. I work whenever is needed which does include late nights and weekends. My day usually starts at 7 am and I’m mostly caught up on all my admin and emails by 9am, which is usually the only routine to each day. After that I start to get ready and every day is different from there.