Beauty in the Digital Age

Upon walking into Kristi McCann’s bedroom, it’s easy to tell what some of her passions are. English literature is scattered across the floor, while the walls are covered in pictures and awards from various horse shows. But one passion hides behind the rest. In the far corner of the room sits a small white vanity, lined with tubes, bottles, brushes and mirrors. This is where McCann keeps some of her most prized possessions — her makeup.

McCann often sits at her vanity perfecting the latest trend, whether it be contouring, baking, or any other number of terms that are easily misunderstood by those outside the makeup community. The inspiration for almost all of these looks comes from YouTube, where McCann follows a host of beauty bloggers.

The rise of online makeup tutorials is much credited to Michelle Phan, a.k.a. the original beauty ‘vlogger’ (video logger). Phan began uploading YouTube videos in 2007 and has since grown her empire to include multiple awards and a business worth over $500 million. Since then, makeup tutorials have carved a niche in the digital world, gaining a fan base with stronger dedication than 24-hour foundation.

Hayley Baldzicki, another makeup and YouTube enthusiast, has the videos to thank for teaching her the basics. “I had to learn really quickly that gray eye shadow isn’t an everyday look; I think I was watching too much Jersey Shore,” said Baldzicki. “My makeup skills have sky rocketed, and I’m the person so many of my friends go to for simple makeup advice.”

The body positivity movement has gained traction over the last few years with campaigns like Aerie Real and Dove Real Beauty encouraging women to feel comfortable in their own skin. Makeup is no longer seen as a way to cover up flaws, but rather to express yourself and build confidence.

“I used to be insecure about wearing makeup to cover my imperfections, but I’ve learned to embrace it because makeup is used to enhance natural beauty, not hide it.” — Hayley Baldzicki.

The encouraging tone and friendly disposition of most vloggers is part of what attracts fans. One YouTuber in particular resonated with McCann. “One day while I was scrolling through social media, I saw a makeup artist named Jaclyn Hill, and I researched her videos,” McCann said.

“After I was involved in a bad car accident and injured my back, I found so much comfort in watching Jaclyn’s videos. Her attitude always made me feel better, and her makeup techniques gave me something to look forward to.” — Kristi McCann

YouTubers publicize their videos for the whole world to see, but that doesn’t mean they’re looking to become rich and famous. Stephanie Vanderwaag, who currently has 427 subscribers, chose to start filming because she has a passion for makeup and loves the freedom of being your own boss. “I binge watched videos, mostly Jaclyn’s channel. I was inspired to start my own channel, not do the norm and have a 9–5 job,” she said. Vanderwaag became a licensed esthetician and now posts videos three times a week.

Vanderwaag admits she doesn’t make a lot of money through her videos, but that’s okay with her. “I have the chance to do something I love, and hope that I can at least help one person or make that one person happy in just a small way,” she said.

Ciara Sebecke is an amateur YouTuber that began uploading tutorials just a few months ago. Her most popular video, “Color Correction Makeup Tutorial,” currently has 786 views. Sebecke says working up the courage to post her first video was the hardest step, but she is so glad she did it. She also recognizes that it’s okay, and may even be beneficial, for YouTubers to be quirky. “I think the people who show the most personality and allow themselves to be more relaxed have the biggest following,” Sebecke said.

In addition to building confidence and educating audiences, makeup tutorials are also challenging stereotypes. Two of the most popular beauty vloggers happen to be male. Patrick Simondac and Manny Gutierrez, who go by the usernames PatrickStarrr and MannyMUA, both boast over a million subscribers.

Simondac, 26, and Gutierrez, 25, may be young, but have both independently partnered with major cosmetic brands to launch their own products. Gutierrez released an eye shadow palette with Makeup Geek Cosmetics in February of this year. It gained so much attention that Makeup Geek’s servers crashed within minutes of the palette going live and has consistently sold out upon each restocking since the launch. Simondac partnered with Formula X to create a trio of nail polishes, also making their debut in February.

Simondac and Gutierrez face their fair share of online hate, but never allow it to stop them from succeeding. In an interview with Refinery29, Gutierrez said, “I get hate every single day, saying I’m gay [and] going to hell. Now that I have this platform, it makes me want to fight even harder.” This is reflected in Gutierrez’s sassy catchphrase he utters at the beginning of each video — “If you guys don’t like this video, if you guys don’t like me, please don’t f*cking watch it.”

Hannah Anderson, who subscribes to both Simondac and Gutierrez, fully supports their mission. “In a world where we are so quick to judge people, it’s awesome to see [male] YouTubers fighting that,” she said.

“You never know what people are going through, and YouTubers like Manny and Patrick could be a hero to someone.” — Hannah Anderson

Finally, makeup tutorials are affecting how shoppers make decisions. Many vloggers upload product reviews and videos providing opinions on all products, from drugstore finds to high-end purchases. A simple search on YouTube results in videos with titles like “Makeup Revolution | Hot or Not?”, “Liquid Foundation Reviews,” and “Drugstore Makeup Haul & Review.”

Many fans of tutorials will often reference their favorite videos before making a purchase. “I’ll watch videos online and when I like the video I’ll do a little research on the products,” said Rosie Haren, who has made purchases based off of multiple YouTubers’ videos, including Gutierrez. This method typically works for her when searching for new makeup. “I’ll try and buy the same products they use in the video and I’m usually pretty pleased with the turnout,” she said.

Sebecke, who is an advertising major, has seen the statistics to back this up. “Viewers see their favorite YouTubers as friends, so they are willing to trust their opinions. People on YouTube are normal people and are extremely authentic. Consumers trust this authenticity,” she said.

“Seeing Jaclyn and other YouTubers consistently use the same products makes me feel a need to buy them,” said McCann. For her, it’s much different to see her favorite YouTuber recommend a product rather than the typical ads that bombard audiences today. “YouTube is much different than TV, and it brings such a personal aspect that I find myself wanting to buy stuff more often.”

People have been wearing makeup for years. Whether it’s a young girl getting ready for her first school dance with a swipe of lip-gloss or a millennial hastily applying mascara in the rearview mirror on her drive to work, makeup is an everyday part of most women’s (and some men’s) lives. While online tutorials have revolutionized the techniques we use to learn about trends and shop for products, makeup remains a platform to have fun and experiment with. So go ahead — click ‘play.’