BLOGGER HE QUEENS

At €30,000 a pop, those simple make-up tips are now booming business for Pippa & Co

THEY started as celebrity musings and general tips from Pippa & Co, the recognised experts in make-up... but suddenly it has turned into something of a beauty roadshow.

One of the most profitable enterprises to emerge from personality blogging is the proliferation of the make-up masterclasses that have seen women throng into hotels for fashion, advice and, let’s be honest, just a girlie day out.

Now the Irish Mail on Sunday can reveal that the glamorous soirees are netting huge profits and bloggers can earn more than €30,000 for one weekend’s work. And it seems Pippa O’Connor is queen of the bloggers, which is only fair as she is seen as the trendsetter, establishing her first Pippa’s Fashion Factory in 2014. Offering advice on how to create a stylish look, the factories take place at plush hotels around the country.

Just last month Pippa saw over 1,000 women pitch up for advice. Now the likes of Suzanne Jackson, Joanne Larby, Marissa Carter and smaller bloggers such as Lisa Jordan, from Cork, are in on the act.

The more expensive events would see 300 attend at €100 each, or €30,000 a day. After 23% VAT you have €23,100. Room hire is about €7,500 a day, ticketting €1,200, models €250 each or €1,000 for four, advisers €500 and goody bags about €120 a day.

If we allow €1,000 for sundry costs, the expenses would come to about €1,120, leaving just over €11,000 of the €23,100 as profits per day... or €33,000 for the three-day weekend.