Nineteen-year-old Michaela Davert from Michigan has been quietly changing the beauty community. She has been creating content on her YouTube channel FunSizedStyle for over three years. She also has a Vlog channel called MichaelasMoments. Her main channel currently has over 37K subscribers, and is on track to reach/exceed 40K by the end of 2018. She was recently featured in a Barcroft TV video which has over 1 million views.
I have been following her for quite some time now, and I am hoping to introduce her to as many people as I can. She has such great energy, drive, and confidence that I wish I was equipped with. As of late, her mission is to help change the face of the world of makeup. With every upload, Michaela is making her way towards this goal. Big or small, I think it is important to support journeys like this.
For the longest time I would watch video after video of women doing their makeup, sharing their favorite products and clothing hauls. I would always find enjoyment in them, but there was always something missing. In our current society, not many brands have beauty campaigns that feature women with physical disabilities. It has been a little bit of a challenge to have a sense of belonging in a community that I love so much — that was, until I found Michaela’s channel.
What first drew me to her channel was her love for beauty and fashion, and that she is one of a few YouTubers who looks very similar to me. Michaela and I were born with a connective tissue disorder called Osteogenesis Imperfecta, which comes with brittle bones. The disease has a spectrum of severity; Michaela has type III and I have type II. Both of us also use power wheelchairs as the main form of transportation in our daily lives. Though some might claim that being in a wheelchair has more limits than not, it has proven to have no obstacle in Michaela’s mission to help reshape the beauty community. It has been incredibly influential to see what Michaela has done with her platform as her success mounts.
Although it was great to share a love for makeup and fashion, it was she also refreshing to her share her similar struggles. Some of these areas I relate to on a personal level, such as the difficulty in finding mature clothes that fit our small stature. When I was younger it was extremely hard to find clothes that were “in fashion” or that were the ones my friends and peers were wearing. While they would be wearing Limited Too or Justice, I would often find myself wearing something from GAP Kids.
As time has gone on, it has been a lot easier for me to find clothes that are both age appropriate and stylish. Soon after I found Michaela’s channel, I reached out to her on Twitter, and we have since grown a great bond. I know her taste in fashion and makeup pretty well because it is very similar to mine. Recently, whenever I find a piece I know she would love, I always tweet her right away! She really appreciates it, but obviously, our wallets do not.
Along with her passion for YouTube and makeup, Michaela has recently taken up volunteering at her local animal shelter! Get ready to feel jealous!
Having someone who looks like me, and who is continuing to make a name for herself in the beauty industry has built my own self-confidence. It is so important that we take the time to embrace our differences and share them with the world. Makeup or not, it is up to us to help change the way people see those of us with disabilities. We all are smart, talented, and have the potential to be and do something great.
Images 1 and 3 from Michaela, image 2 by Taylor’d Photography.