Emily Aiken ’20, Editor in Chief
In a world consumed almost entirely with social media, it is easier than ever for people to become influencers. Everyone has an opinion, and everyone wants to share it. Now, they are getting paid to do so. Social media influencers, in particular YouTubers, make videos, and companies pay them to mention their brand. And for every sponsored video, YouTubers are getting paid tens of thousands of dollars just to share their opinion. On top of that, many of them create companies of their own.
Beauty ‘gurus’ have created makeup lines that have completely revolutionized the billion dollar beauty industry, and many of them are men. Makeup artists on social media are helping to redefine this industry as one that is open to everyone, not just one gender. By utilizing their major following, they are extremely influential. 33-year-old Jeffree Star has created a brand for himself with over 11 million subscribers and 1.2 billion views as of 2018. He created Jeffree Star Cosmetics, and he now has a net worth of over 50 million dollars. He continues to make YouTube videos, where he reviews other brands using his extensive knowledge of cosmetics. He is always honest and is not afraid to shade other companies.
Another YouTuber, James Charles has had major success in the beauty industry. By utilizing his 14 million subscribers, he created an eyeshadow palette in partner with Morphe, which took the makeup industry by storm and sold out in less than 10 minutes when it first launched in November.
What both of these men have in common is how they are taking over the beauty industry due to their major following, and they are not the only ones. There are tons of male social media influencers who are taking over the beauty world—Patrick Starrr, Manny Gutierrez, Bretman Rock, and so many more. Transgender woman are also making an impact on the beauty community. Many gurus like Gigi Gorgeous and Nikita Dragun have documented their transitions while making beauty videos online. And while not all of them have their own makeup line, they are extremely influential to their millions and millions of followers through their tutorials and reviews of products. Their voice has a huge impact on what products their audience buys. They continue to inspire their audience and dominate the beauty industry.
Photo courtesy of Morphe Brushes
Lyon Life 