Gone are the days when you would get your makeup tips from the latest issue of Cosmopolitan! It’s 2024, and millions of women and men of all ages now get their makeup techniques, trends, and best product recommendations from a far more technologically advanced source: YouTube.
Who’s creating all this content for them to consume? Beauty YouTubers, of course – NikkieTutorials, Jaclyn Hill, Manny Mua, and countless others – who have risen to influencer status thanks to their personal charisma and talent for applying makeup.
Let’s meet 16 of the top beauty YouTubers who have used their expertise in makeup and skincare to become internet celebrities in their own right.
16 Best Beauty YouTubers You Should Add To Your Subscriptions
Whether you’re looking for more beauty content to watch on YouTube or thinking of creating your own beauty-centered videos, these makeup YouTube channels are the cream of the crop.
1. James Charles
James Charles is a male beauty YouTuber from New York. He is best known for his makeup tutorials, which he started uploading to his channel in 2015. In the following year, with his online fame well on the rise, he became the first male brand ambassador for CoverGirl.
His other notable activities include collaborating on a makeup line with the brand Morphe, creating beautiful looks for several different high-profile celebrities, and his online feuds with other beauty creators.
2. NikkieTutorials
Nikkie de Jager is a makeup YouTube creator from the Netherlands. She has been uploading makeup how-tos and try-ons to her channel since 2008. As her career has grown, she has done makeup for celebrities, became the Global Beauty Advisor for Marc Jacobs, and released her own cosmetic brand called Nimya. She is also a popular figure in the transgender community, having come out as trans in 2020.
3. Tati
Tati Westbrook is a US-based makeup artist and beauty YouTuber who uploads makeup try-ons and reviews, as well as “best of” and “worst of” beauty product lists. She is widely regarded as the “mother” of the beauty community on YouTube. Outside the platform, she owns a vitamin supplement company called Halo Beauty.
4. Carli Bybel
Carli Bybel is an American YouTube creator and a prominent online makeup artist. Most of her beauty content consists of tutorials showing her audience how to achieve a certain look with their makeup. But she also posts makeup reviews, her workouts, and life update vlogs, plus she owns her own cosmetic brand called The Beauty Bybel.
5. Jaclyn Hill
Jaclyn Hill is a beauty YouTuber and a professional makeup artist who resides in Florida. She began posting makeup tutorials to her YouTube channel in 2011 and soon rose to popularity, leading her to collaborate with celebrities like Kim Kardashian. Besides tutorials, she also publishes videos documenting her shopping hauls and life events, such as her wedding in 2023.
6. Manny Mua
Manny Mua is a male beauty YouTuber, famous for his makeup product hauls, reviews, and tutorials. He is also known as the world’s second male cosmetics brand ambassador (after James Charles for CoverGirl).
In the past, he collaborated with Jeffree Star, another popular male YouTube beauty personality, as well as founded a cosmetic brand called Lunar Beauty.
7. Hyram
Hyram Yarbo is a skincare YouTuber from Arizona. As a skincare specialist, Hyram tries and recommends products from various brands (and countries) that are purported to help people maintain healthy skin.
He also shares his personal tips for choosing and applying the best products for your unique skin type. Outside YouTube, he is the founder of a skincare brand called Selfless by Hyram.
8. Laura Lee
Laura Lee started her YouTube career in 2013 with makeup tutorials and shopping hauls. After she became famous, she started to collaborate with beauty brands like Too Faced, MAC Cosmetics, and Benefit Cosmetics.
Later, she started two companies, a cosmetic brand called Laura Lee Los Angeles and a clothing line called MinimLA. Her YouTube channel is still a cornerstone of her online presence.
9. KathleenLights
Kathleen Fuentes, AKA KathleenLights, is a beauty YouTube star and a business owner from Miami, FL. Even after becoming famous, she still sticks to classic video formats like makeup tutorials, hauls, and recommendations (to the satisfaction of her loyal fanbase).
She also owns a business called Lights Lacquer, which sells beautiful nail polish and nail care kits.
10. Jackie Aina
Jackie Aina is a black American YouTuber who creates how-to and motivational content in many niches: not just beauty, but also self-care, fashion, and hair styling. First and foremost, though, she is a strong advocate for the representation of people of color in the beauty industry. In 2018, she was the recipient of the NAACP Image Award for YouTuber of the Year.
11. Smitha Deepak
Smitha Deepak is a beauty YouTuber, TikTok star, and social media influencer from the US. She is best known for her short video tutorials on a wide variety of makeup looks and techniques. Her content is perfect for viewers who are new to the beauty niche, as well as experts who are looking for fresh tips and tricks.
She recently collaborated with OFRA Cosmetics on a small line of essential makeup products.
12. Lisa Eldridge
Lisa Eldridge is a professional makeup artist, beauty YouTuber, author, and documentary host. Her YouTube channel is home to her makeup tutorials as well as some of the looks that she has created for the world’s top celebrities.
She is also the author of a bestselling book, Face Paint: The Story of Makeup; was the host of a BBC documentary series called Makeup: A Glamorous History; and is the founder of a cosmetic brand called Lisa Eldridge Beauty.
13. Ali Andreea
Ali Andreea is a glamorous celebrity makeup artist and beauty influencer based in Paris, France. She frequently posts makeup look how-tos, as well as product recommendations, travel vlogs, and Q&As, and tours of the studio where she films to her channel on YouTube.
14. HotandFlashy
United States-born Angie Schmitt is the creator behind the HotandFlashy YouTube channel, a hub for makeup, skincare, and style videos targeted at mature women. With her product reviews and demonstrations, as well as her tutorial videos, Angie has created a space for women over 50 to rediscover the fun of beauty and fashion.
15. Leah Halton
Leah Halton is an Australian makeup artist and model who is popular on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. Her videos show viewers how to achieve stunning, supermodel makeup looks, as well as gives them inside looks at her “glow up” procedures (i.e., Botox fillings), her professional life, and her personal struggles with anxiety.
16. Paintedbyspencer
Spencer is an American makeup artist and social media star. He has become famous on both YouTube and TikTok for transforming himself or his models’ appearance from drab to fab using makeup. On his YouTube channel, PAINTEDBYSPENCER, you’ll commonly find him using high-end beauty products to achieve what he terms “bombshell” or “glam” looks.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the Best Skincare YouTuber?
Out of all the YouTubers on our list, Hyram is the best at skincare. Not only do all his videos focus on this subniche of beauty, but he also has a personal line of skincare products called Selfless by Hyram.
How Do I Start a Beauty Channel on YouTube?
To start a beauty channel on YouTube, decide what kind of content you want to create (i.e., makeup tutorials, product demonstrations, reviews, etc.). Then, film, edit, and schedule your videos to post at least once or twice per week. Remember to optimize your videos for SEO to increase your discoverability on the platform.
Who is the Highest Paid Makeup Artist on YouTube?
According to one source, James Charles was the highest paid makeup artist on YouTube in 2023, raking in an estimated $25.5K per video.
Should I Subscribe to the Beauty YouTubers on this List?
If you’re at all interested in makeup for personal or professional purposes, then you should definitely follow all 16 beauty YouTubers on the above list! They are not only a great source of information on how to become internet influencers and maintain a large following, but also of entertainment.
