The Green Product Junkie’s Kate O’Sullivan Stays Her Straightforward, Sassy Self On Social Media

Like the natural beauty products she reviews, Katie O’Sullivan of The Green Product Junkie doesn’t mess around with unnecessary content. In this interview and on her blog and social media accounts, the native New Yorker keeps it short and to the point. She shares the products she adores (hint, The Eye Achiever from Maya Chia and Mermaid Detox Face Mask from Captain Blankenship are ride or dies) and spares the rest. “Readers should trust you enough to know that, if you don’t like a product, you’re not going to endorse it. I’m honest to a fault,” says O’Sullivan. “If I don’t like a product, I won’t write about it.” Beauty Independent caught up with O’Sullivan to chat about her no-fuss formula for working with brands, her love/hate relationship with selfies and keeping it real as fakes proliferate.

When and why did you start The Green Product Junkie?

I started my blog about seven years ago in the hopes of finding likeminded people who had a passion for green beauty and the environment. No one around me was that interested. I figured, if I started writing about what I loved, I’d attract my people, and I did.

What do you primarily focus on?

I receive emails all of the time from brands asking me to test out their products, so I honestly don’t plan that much. Say something new and exciting that’s makeup-related comes out, and I’ve got skincare lined up to review, I’ll usually jump to the makeup because we really don’t have as many releases in that area in green beauty versus skincare. And, who doesn’t like hearing about new makeup?

What has been the key to the success of your blog?

The key to the success for me is the fact that I’m very much comfortable with being myself. My readers know I don’t put on airs. I talk in a language that they relate to as I consider them friends. Having a sense of humor and telling it like it is helps, too. Oddly enough, I was never concerned about any success with it. It was more about getting out information and helping people discover what worked for them. I love to help others. I guess I realized it was doing well when boyfriends of mine would notice the amount of followers I had and be impressed for some reason.

What’s the strangest thing people tell you?

People will give me their entire life/family story [in] very, very long emails when all I really need to know is what they’re looking for and what’s going on with their skin. I can understand though because, when you’re frustrated and need help, you’re desperate to be heard.

 

What do you wish brands knew about working with influencers?

That this is job, and that it’s a lot of work. Sure, we’re not digging ditches in 111-degree heat, but it’s a process: testing out, paying attention to the effect products are having on your skin, photographing, promoting on social media, writing the review, layout, etc. I’ll test a product for two weeks or more, so it is very time-consuming.

How do you choose which brands to work with?

I’ll go to their website, read about them, check out their ingredients, hope that they don’t have all-plastic packing. I’m more into brands that are considering the environment when they’re creating their brand.

What are some of your favorite brands to work with?

Mahalo, Osmia Organics, Max + Me, Leahlani, Rachel’s Plan Bee, Kahina Giving Beauty. There’s so many, I can’t help, but forget them.

What do you look for in a brand to work with?

I really click with brands whose creators are forthcoming, friendly and respect what I do. It’s like anything else, if you like the person, you’re more apt to want to work with them. When I get a brief, kind email that is honest and understands that what I’m doing is a job, I’m much more responsive.

Is there a product you’ve been excited about lately?

You know, it changes week to week, but this week I’m excited about Pamplemousse from Leahlani. It’s an oil cleanser that removes all makeup and washes off with water, no cloth needed. That’s just one, but I have so many.

Do you think your audience is bothered by sponsored content?

I haven’t had anyone complain to me. My hope is that they would understand that this is work. I’m a firm believer that people deserve to get paid for their time and talent. This job isn’t any different from any other job.

Which of your posts gets the most engagement?

Anything in which I post a selfie, which I am not a fan of posting. People like looking at people. Let’s face it, it’s fun.

What changes do you see in the beauty industry because of the indie beauty movement? 

I see that big companies like Target, Sephora and Pharmaca are now carrying clean beauty. It makes it a little harder for the smaller online retailers that have been doing so from the beginning, but it’s great to see that mainstream consumers will have access to healthier products when they aren’t necessarily looking for it.

Where do you see the influencer community heading in the next few years?

That’s a good question. I hope that something comes out that will be just like Instagram was in the beginning. Sadly, the new algorithm has changed things quite a bit and not positively. I think that people like to hear what actual people think of products in the day-to-day, as opposed to the person who created it, but having someone manage what we see isn’t working.

How do you want to evolve your content going forward?

I’ve been a bit of an introvert since the very beginning of The Green Product Junkie and, although I have a big mouth online, I’ve shied away from events and speaking engagements. I’m trying to work on that and be more available. I’d love to work on helping women with self-esteem issues as I spend a significant amount of my time researching human behavior and esteem, listening to podcasts, etc. So much of beauty is what we truly feel about ourselves and, from what I see, we could all use some work in that department, myself included.