Balancing Adult Work and Mainstream Success with Annalee Belle

SWCEO Interviews Annalee Belle

Blog Post Written By: MelRose Michaels

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What happens when your porn past shows up on HGTV’s Facebook page? When the fan trying to unlock your content, is also buying his wife a makeover shoot? When you're growing two completely different brands and trying not to burn out?

In a recent Twitter Space conversation, MelRose Michaels sits down with Annalee Belle, a celebrity makeup artist turned OnlyFans creator, to talk about navigating mainstream visibility while building a sex work brand that’s thriving. From boundaries to burnout, sexting strategy to stigma survival, this one’s packed with the kind of insights most creators only learn the hard way.

MelRose Michaels: Welcome back to On the Whorizon. I’m your host, MelRose Michaels, here to share what’s worked in building my adult creator business, and to make yours just a little bit easier.

Today’s guest is a badass at balancing multiple brands. You may know her as a celebrity makeup artist on shows like Property Brothers or E! News, but she’s also been a performer, cam model, and creator on OnlyFans and SextPanther.

Annalee Belle has been walking the line between mainstream visibility and sex work since 2013, and doing it with clarity, confidence, and a really smart business mindset. Annalee, thank you for being here!

Annalee Belle: Thank you! That intro was amazing.

MelRose Michaels: We’ve had so many behind-the-scenes convos over the years, so I’m excited to finally get this one out into the world. For those who don’t know your story, how did you end up blending mainstream makeup artistry and sex work?

Annalee: I started in adult in 2013, mostly because I didn’t want a normal job. I was doing a lot of creative work, modeling, painting, blogging, and didn’t want to give up time to work at Starbucks. So I started camming, and it exploded pretty fast.

Then, when I got back into makeup, I ended up working with the Property Brothers and other TV shows. Suddenly, people I worked with in makeup were seeing my content on PornHub or my Reddit nudes on HGTV’s Facebook page.

MelRose Michaels: That’s wild. Did you always intend to build both brands?

Annalee: No, not at first. But I realized early on that both could co-exist, as long as I set clear boundaries and stayed consistent in how I presented myself. I never hid my sex work. I always made it clear I was doing both.

MelRose Michaels: A lot of creators struggle with that, thinking they have to pick one brand or the other. But you’ve built a long-term career in both. How do you keep from burning out?

Annalee: I’ve definitely burned out before. In 2019, I tried to walk away from sex work completely. But even when I deleted my PornHub account, someone would come up to me saying, “Hey, I saw your video!” And I realized, I’ll never fully outrun it, and I don’t want to.

What helped was shifting how I approached my work. I stopped trying to do what everyone else was doing. I stopped chasing algorithms. I got strategic with the things that actually made me money.

MelRose Michaels: Let’s talk about that. You’ve said before that you’re not viral, you don’t post daily, but you’re still making money. How?

Annalee: By treating fans like humans, not wallets. I use what I call “drip sexting.” It’s a slow, intentional conversation that builds tension and trust. I don’t go straight to the sales pitch. I talk to them, ask about their day, and use that to shape what I offer.

That alone doubled my income on SextPanther and OnlyFans. I don’t chase every trend; I just focus on quality interactions.

MelRose Michaels: Yes! You told me something that stuck: “If I wouldn’t say it in person, I won’t say it online.” That level of self-awareness in sexting is rare.

Annalee: Exactly. It needs to feel like you’re talking to them, not performing a script. I ask myself, “Would I actually say this if he were sitting here?” If not, I rephrase.

MelRose Michaels: What’s your boundary around time and energy? How do you keep from being always-on?

Annalee: I block time. If I’m on SextPanther, I might take 2-3 days off a week and just be completely offline. I also don't promise custom content unless I know I have capacity. I’d rather offer something I already filmed than stretch myself too thin.

MelRose Michaels: That’s so smart. And the fans who value you will wait or pay for it regardless.

Annalee: Yes. I also use automation for follow-ups. Not in a robotic way, but in a structured way. Like if someone buys a clip, they get a thank-you message. That frees up my energy for the fans I’m actually talking to in real-time.

MelRose Michaels: You mentioned being shadowbanned and having your content suppressed even when it’s not explicit. Has that changed how you use social media?

Annalee: Absolutely. I stopped letting social media define my worth or business. I use it as a traffic tool, not a measure of success. Just because I have low reach doesn’t mean I’m not making money.

MelRose Michaels: We’ve had convos about creators chasing virality and then wondering why fans aren’t converting. What do you say to someone who’s trying to grow by posting more but burning out?

Annalee: You don’t need more content, you need better systems. Focus on fan retention. Build routines. Know your offer. And ask fans what they actually want.

Sometimes I’ll post a poll asking, “Do you like girl-girl, solo, JOI?” Then I use that to guide my content for the week. Saves me time and earns more.

MelRose Michaels: So good. One thing I’ve always admired is how you’re not afraid to evolve. You’ve shifted platforms, taken breaks, and pivoted formats. How do you navigate those changes without losing momentum?

Annalee: I remind myself that fans follow the person, not the platform. If you’ve built a connection, they’ll follow you wherever you go. And if they don’t, that’s okay.

I also give myself permission to change. Sometimes I’m not in a sexual headspace. Sometimes I want to make funny TikToks. I’ve learned to embrace that.

MelRose Michaels: You’ve also said you treat your career like a toolbox, you don’t throw it all away, you just grab the tools you need. I love that analogy.

Annalee: Yes! I might pause porn work but keep doing makeup. Or shift to TikTok when SextPanther feels heavy. I don’t burn the whole thing down, I just pivot to what works right now.

MelRose Michaels: For creators reading this who are either brand new or feeling stuck, what’s one piece of advice you want them to take away?

Annalee: You get to define your success. Not the algorithm. Not what other creators are doing. You.

Start with one thing you enjoy. Do it well. Don’t worry about being everywhere. Focus on building real relationships and finding your own flow.

MelRose Michaels: So powerful. Where can people find you if they want to connect?

Annalee: I’m @annaleebelle everywhere, Twitter, Instagram, TikTok. My links are in my bio, and that’s the best way to find my current content.

MelRose Michaels: Thank you so much for being here. This was packed with so much wisdom. You’re a reminder that you can blend strategy with softness and build a career that actually fits your life.

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Some parts of the above interview have been condensed or edited for clarity. For the full interview, listen to the entire podcast episode here

P.S. Want to stop scrambling to sext fans in real time, and still make every conversation feel personal? Watch our YouTube video “How to Use Sexting Sets to Save Time & Make More Money as an Adult Creator”. You’ll learn how to build and organize reusable sexting sets step by step, so you can scale your messages across platforms without burning out.

Disclaimer: The views and opinions expressed in the interview are those of the guest speaker and do not necessarily reflect the official policy or position of SexWorkCEO or MelRose Michaels. Anything said or written is of their opinion and is not intended to malign any religion, ethnic group, club, organization, company, individual, or anyone else.