Who are the world’s top 15 YouTube make-up and beauty influencers with millions of subscribers?
YouTube’s beauty community, which is awash with money, views and big personalities, features one of the largest groups of creators using the American video-sharing website.
Social media beauty and make-up creators – along with those in other top categories, such as gaming – are dominating the world’s online influencer space.
American make-up artist and beauty entrepreneur Jeffree Star ranks No 5 on Forbes magazine’s list of the highest-paid YouTube influencers, having earned an estimated US$18 million between June 1, 2017 and June 1 last year
The American make-up artist and beauty entrepreneur Jeffree Star ranks No 5 on Forbes magazine’s list of the highest-paid YouTube influencers, having earned an estimated US$18 million between June 1, 2017 and June 1 last year.
Why this Korean YouTuber’s vegan videos are all the rage
In recent years the quality of videos posted in this category has intensified.
The traditional “get ready with me” make-up look, or “quick how-to” videos (such as Zoella’s hugely popular How To: My Quick and Easy Hairstyle video from 2013, with 12.7 million views) no longer make the cut, as more professionally produced content floods the space.
Some of the earlier top creators in this space, such as Michelle Phan, Bethany Mota (Macbarbie07), and Zoe Sugg (Zoella) – with 8, 10 and 11 million subscribers respectively – rarely upload videos any more.
These beauty gurus have taken a back seat, as new creators such as James Charles (15.9 million subscribers) have risen to the top.
Charles takes an artistic approach to his tutorials and, with a steady hand, the internet star has filmed some intricate looks – a make-up trend now popular among such social media influencers.
Among all these changes, YouTube’s beauty community has attracted some major attention, with publications including The New York Times covering the social media row between YouTube influencer Tati Westbrook and Charles.
BLACKPINK’s Ddu-Du Ddu-Du gets almost a billion hits on YouTube
In May, Westbrook publicly ended her friendship with Charles in a 43-minute YouTube video titled Bye Sister, which has since been deleted.
The feud ended with Westbrook gaining millions of new YouTube subscribers — and Charles losing millions — during that month, according to data from the social media statistics website Social Blade.
Check out these 15 YouTube beauty and make-up influencers boasting the most subscribers. We have ranked the top consistently active make-up and beauty channels, based off their subscriber counts and data provided by Social Blade and YouTube.
Manny MUA – 4.8 million subscribers
Also known as: Manny Gutierrez
Location: United States
Make-up artist Manny Gutierrez was the first male brand ambassador for the cosmetics line Maybelline.
Flavia Pavanelli – 4.9 million subscribers
Location: Brazil
The Brazilian actress and model Flavia Pavanelli also has a large following on Instagram with 14.5 million followers.
dope2111 – 5.8 million subscribers
Aka: Promise Tamang
Location: US
Promise Tamang is related to one of YouTube’s first “breakout” creators, Michelle Phan – who has 8.8 million subscribers on YouTube, but has not posted a YouTube video in more than two years.
Korean YouTube star Boram, 6, buys an US$8 million property
JaclynHill1 – 5.9 million subscribers
Aka: Jaclyn Hill
Location: US
Jaclyn Hill took a break from social media between mid-June and the end of July after she faced an online backlash after the launch of her cosmetics line, Jaclyn Cosmetics.
She deactivated her social media accounts after fans who bought lipstick from her brand claimed that using the product caused swelling and bumps. Hill has since returned to YouTube to address the concerns.
The Beauty Bybel – 6.1 million subscribers
Aka: Carli Bybel
Location: US
Carli Bybel is also known for her fashion blog, “The Beauty Bybel”, where she shares outfit ideas and lookbooks – collections of photographs that show off a style or look.
Anaysa – 6.8 million subscribers
Aka: PrettyPriyaTV
Location: India
Anaysa features Priya Mall and Anantya Anand and the channel was previously called “PrettyPriyaTV”, originally launched by Mall.
Who is Park I-seul, Korea’s first ‘body positive’ influencer?
Kika Nieto – 8.1 million subscribers
Aka: Erika Nieto Marquez
Location: Colombia
Erika Nieto Marquez also has a vlog channel, “By Kika Nieto”, with 1.7 million subscribers.
grav3yardgirl – 8.6 million subscribers
Aka: Bunny Meyer
Location: US
Last year, Bunny Meyer filmed a three-part documentary series with the YouTube star, Shane Dawson, for his channel. In the series, Meyer opened up with Dawson about the secret life she’s been keeping from her online followers and the struggles she’s had with her YouTube channel.
Her response video, Why I've Been Lying About My Life, gained five million views and 300,000 likes on YouTube.
glamlifeguru – 9.8 million subscribers
Aka: Tati Westbrook
Location: US
Westbrook instantly gained about four million subscribers on YouTube in May, after posting her now-deleted 43-minute YouTube video, titled Bye Sister, which saw her end her friendship with influencer Charles, who lost about three million subscribers, according to Social Blade’s data.
BTS’ ‘Boy With Luv’ video hits 100 million YouTube views
SaraBeautyCorner – 10.3 million subscribers
Aka: Sara
Location: Norway
Sara features nail art, DIY tutorials, fashion, and make-up videos on her channel.
NikkiTutorials – 12 million subscribers
Aka: Nikkie de Jager
Location: The Netherlands
Nikkie de Jager became massively popular online after the viral success of her YouTube video, The Power of MAKEUP!, which shows a side-by-side comparison of her face with and without make-up. The video has had 40.6 million views.
How much do these 10 top-ranked YouTubers earn?
Rclbeauty101 – 14 million subscribers
Aka: Rachel Levin
Location: US
Rachel Levin has been posting videos on her YouTube channel, Rclbeauty101, for eight years.
Jeffree Star – 15.5 million subscribers
Aka: Jeffrey Lynn Steininger
Location: US
The 33-year-old millionaire uses his YouTube channel to promote his make-up company, Jeffree Star Cosmetics, which he founded in 2014.
BTS’ new video draws more than 5 million YouTube views in 7 hours
James Charles – 15.8 million
Aka: James Charles Dickinson
Location: US
The 20-year-old became the first male ambassador to the cosmetics brand CoverGirl in 2016.
The influencer, known for his feud with former friend, Westbrook, is worth an estimated US$12 million.
Yuya – 23.8 million subscribers
Aka: Mariand Castrejon Castaneda
Location: Mexico
Yuya is the childhood nickname of the 26-year-old beauty vlogger. Between her YouTube and Instagram followings, she is one of the highest-paid beauty influencers.
Want more stories like this? Sign up here. Follow STYLE on Facebook, Instagram, YouTube and Twitter
- Offering everything from ‘quick how to’ make-up videos to ‘get ready with me’ tutorials, these wealthy creators on YouTube include Yuya, Jeffree Star, Manny Gutierrez and James Charles