Watching makeup or skincare tutorials is a relaxing way to escape daily life and get helpful tips and tricks. It’s safe to say that I frequently get lost in the never–ending hole of YouTube. Some people binge–watch TV shows or movies, but I binge YouTube.
I remember discovering the world of beauty gurus and makeup tutorials years ago, before I really started wearing makeup. I would spend hours watching women apply everything from natural concealer and mascara to wild costume makeup and face paint. I quickly became the makeup guru of my friend group, even though I hardly wore any myself, and I began to play around with different products.
YouTube beauty channels have become a safe space for me over the years, and they’ve offered me a way to be creative and express myself. Check out the talented YouTubers that took my makeup routine from clear lip gloss to a full glam.
NikkieTutorials
NikkieTutorials is a Dutch beauty YouTuber with almost 14 million subscribers, and she’s probably my favorite person to watch because of her genuine talent and inspiring personality. She posts lots of tutorials and entertaining collabs with celebrities like Iggy Azalea, Kim Kardashian, Megan Thee Stallion, Jessie J, Meghan Trainor, and many others.
NikkieTutorials also posts a lot of transformation videos. She views makeup as a fun, artistic choice, while also being confident in her natural beauty and encouraging others to do the same. I discovered her videos years ago when she posted a viral video called “The Power of Makeup,” in which she put makeup on half of her face while leaving the other half bare. This video inspired many others to follow the trend and promoted the idea that makeup is a creative form of self–expression rather than a cover–up for insecurities.
PatrickStarrr
Patrick Simondac, better known as Patrick Starrr on TikTok and YouTube, is a professional makeup artist. I actually discovered him from his famous TikTok videos, which led me to his impressive makeup tutorials, collabs, and product reviews on YouTube. Not only is he an extremely talented makeup artist, but he also promotes the idea that makeup is for anyone and we should all feel comfortable experimenting with this art form.
Simondac even founded his own makeup line called One/Size Beauty, which further promotes this idea. His hilarious personality makes his videos entertaining, and he’s worked with many celebrities you probably know and love. PatrickStarrr is such a ray of light in the YouTube community and you definitely won’t regret checking out his channel.
Desi Perkins
Desi Perkins is another famous makeup artist, Instagram influencer, and beauty vlogger, who shares tips, tutorials, product reviews, how–to’s, and routines. She started her own skincare brand called Dezi Skin, which highlights diversity in cosmetics and her Latinx heritage. Perkins also posts a lot about her personal life, specifically her recent pregnancy and her family — which I love keeping up with.
Nyma Tang
I discovered Nyma Tang’s channel recently and, unsurprisingly, due to TikTok. She’s well–known for her YouTube series, The Darkest Shade, where she tests out the darkest available concealers and foundations from different beauty brands and rates them based on what looks best on her skin.
Tang is one of the best WOC beauty vloggers out there, as her makeup advice and reviews are completely genuine and she encourages others to embrace their natural beauty. She also created a limited red matte lipstick with MAC that was designed for women of color. I highly recommend checking out her channel.
Michelle Phan
Michelle Phan is a makeup artist and beauty vlogger with a focus on skincare, and she has almost 9 million subscribers on YouTube. She’s the founder of EM Cosmetics, which has great products that emphasize natural beauty. While she hasn’t posted too frequently since the start of COVID–19, I love her older videos.
Now, Phan has started posting more videos with tips and tricks for makeup and life in general. She started a series called “Mastering the Art of,” where she has longer discussions about specific topics in skincare and makeup; I’ve definitely gained some valuable knowledge from the series. She has a calming presence on camera and her website and Instagram are definitely worth following for a similar vibe.
Huda Beauty
Huda Kattan is the founder and CEO of Huda Beauty, where I shopped before I even discovered her online presence. She posts tutorials, beauty tips, and DIY’s, all of which give helpful advice and are entertaining to watch. She’s such a talented woman, and there’s really nothing she could say that I wouldn’t trust — that’s true dedication.
Kattan also frequently creates content with other talented makeup artists and celebrities, such as Liza Koshy, Charlotte Tilbury, Nikkie Tutorials, and Bella Hadid, among many others.
This is only a short list of some of the amazing talent out there, so I recommend starting with one of these creators. I can guarantee you’ll get lost in YouTube’s makeup world, and you’ll discover inspiring individuals. I have picked up so many tips and tricks that have completely transformed my makeup and skincare routines over the years.
All of these makeup gurus promote the idea that makeup is meant to be a creative form of expression and offer advice that makes you feel like your best self, so go check them out!