I have noticed that there is a trend these days to upload videos and be a vlogger or video blogger as opposed to, or in addition to writing in a blog. (Does that make me a wlogger (writing blogger) or maybe a tlogger (text blogger)? 😛 ) I suppose I can see the appeal. For some, they prefer talking to writing.
For the most part, from the point of view of doing a makeup tutorial, a video makes sense. Its easy to watch and see how people do things and when you watch experts, it can help you change the way you apply your makeup, and often, for the better.
Its such a major phenomenon these days, that there are billions (oh ok, thousands!) of videos dedicated to beauty, makeup tutorials and beauty reviews. Don’t even get me started on haul videos. Erm, ok. But I’m curious. Do you watch these Youtube Beauty Channels or Videos? Is it a channel you prefer following over a tlogger? 😛
Me, I don’t.
The primary reason I never got into watching these videos was a practical one. I used to have really crappy internet connection and the best way to enjoy watching videos is to have a stable and fast connection so you don’t have to sit there for a hour while the video buffers and loads in stops and starts.
When I eventually upgraded my internet connection, I had gotten so used to not watching, that I never got into the phenomenon. I don’t know any vloggers and I don’t subscribe to any Youtube channels.
However, I have to say that when I do watch (rarely) I tend to watch videos from the pros. The professional make up artists who know what they’re on about and who have gone around the block and have good tips and tricks to share. I don’t watch product reviews because I prefer reading them. When I do watch, I watch for application techniques. I’m also not a very imaginative person so fantasy makeup or dramatic makeup doesn’t do much for my interest either.
I sometimes look on Youtube too for reviews or features of a certain bag I may be eyeing. I find Youtube useful in this regard, because you can actually see how the bag looks and performs live, as opposed to a static photo. In this sense, fashion is helpful in the form of a video because you can see how the material moves and drapes. Makeup is a little more static in nature and so, for me photographs are sufficient.
There are some terribly talented people out there showcasing their amazing work on Youtube and I take my hat off to them because Youtube is an even scarier place than a blog. Some of the trolls that leave comments are such horrors!
So no, I don’t watch Youtube beauty videos or follow beauty channels at all. I do sometimes come upon one or two videos that intrigue me, but for the most part, its not a medium I particularly enjoy nor keep up with.
Do you watch Youtube beauty channels/videos? Do you have a favourite vlogger?
I don’t generally watch, but when I do watch, I enjoy watching the 3 I’ve shown above – Lisa Eldridge, Pixiwoo and GossMakeupArtist. I find them entertaining and informative. You?
Paris B
I am huge fan of YouTube Beauty Videos. I think it is because I prefer the artistic, anything-but-neutral type of makeup, and really, only YouTube has them.
I prefer watching the pros too. Love Lisa Eldridge to bits. The other two are so-so. There are a lot of more awesome people out there, Paris. :))
Hey Jyoan, there are loads of really talented people out there on Youtube, I’d agree! Some of their creations really blow my socks away – who else do you like watching? I’d love to be able to expand my Youtube horizons 😀
I mainly read beauty blogs in office as I do not have time to read them during the weekends at home. As such, I rarely watch Youtube beauty channels because Youtube is blocked in my office. Before it was blocked, I did watch some videos of bloggers on application techniques for certain makeup and tools that was used. For a makeup novice like me, the videos did help me tremendously and if I had the time, I would definitely love to watch more of such videos. But I have to agree with you that some of the trolls that leave comments are down ride rude and horrible. These trolls should learn to be more tactful when leaving comments or if the videos offend them so much, they should just stop watching.
Haha you know what, Victoria? I can watch Youtube at the office, but I don’t have speakers for my computer so if I do watch, I tend to watch those that have subtitles or just something that I can follow without having to hear any sound. I think application techniques are invaluable to see in person and that’s where the video element comes in nicely. Some of the ramblings really put me off and I’ve stopped reading the comments in Youtube. Very often, they are just sickening 🙁
Can’t you plug an earphone? <- I mean no disrespect here, just suggesting.
My office PC don't have speakers too.
No disrespect taken 🙂 I could use headphones but its just not something I do. I don’t quite believe in using headphones simply because of the proximity of loud sounds to the ears. Just a personal quirk 🙂
I read faster than I watch (a show) if that makes any sense, so I usually follow blogs instead of videos. For me it’s mostly a matter of time.
Makes perfect sense to me Shusheshe 😀 I too read much more quickly than I could follow a video. Half the time when I watch, I’m skipping ahead to get through it more quickly 😛
I watch Lisa Eldridge! I used to look for makeup videos for certain things (like Naked palette), From Head to Toe and Michelle Phan, but after I found Lisa Eldridge, I never looked at any other channel 😛
She’s absolutely wonderful with her tips. I don’t watch her reviews per se but I do enjoy watching when she teaches a trick or two because she makes it look so effortless and easy! Its like everyone can look as pretty and fresh faced as she is 😀
My friend introduced me to Lisa Eldridge and I watch her videos all the time now. She’s amazing, hard to believe she’s over 40!!
Wow is she?! That might explain her maturity in handling herself on video and in her presentation! Absolute joy watching her videos 🙂
I LOVE Lisa Eldridge. She does wearable looks and hardly powders (unlike the overpowdered Bubzbeauty and Michelle Phan (their faces are usually a bit too bright compared to their necks, and who can stand to wear so many layers of makeup in our humidity?!). I love that she takes a minimalist approach to foundation, plus her British accent is so posh and soothing.
You said it, Firn. Wearable looks and British accent LOL Its why I prefer watching her videos because she looks natural on camera not like she fell face first into colour! I actually have never watched either Bubzbeauty or Michelle Phan, believe it or not! I’d not even heard of Bubzbeauty till today LOL!
Hi there, Paris!!
I always love your blog, but my faves have both videos and blogs: sometimes one is better than the other depending on the product, technique involved, time/energy of your subscriber- oh there are so many variable factors I could go on and on … the greatest ones are Beauty Look Book, Cafe Makeup, the Chapman girls (Samantha and Nicola), Lisa Eldridge (she needs to do more but she’s so busy), Isabella Muse, and. of course, present hostess!! Paris B. You’re doing a wonderful job, you should be proud. Thank you for it all, too. xoxo Beth in Pgh 😉
Hello there Beth! Thank you again for always being so sweet and lavish with your praise – it truly humbles me to be named alongside the blogging/vlogging elite you have just named! I am of course, secretly thrilled to bits 😀 Thank you again for reading and for supporting my blog – would never have gotten anywhere without readers like you xx I hope the weather’s warming up where you are? Its been abominably baking here! You’d think I’d be used to it by now LOL!
Lisa Eldridge all the way. She explains very well, and the best thing is, she doesn’t talk too fast or ramble too much.
I’ve been seeing some transition too, bloggers to YouTubers and hats off to them. YT is a very cruel place, and the trolls are ridiculous. It takes a lot of courage to venture into YT land. I’ve read too much about the haters there. Also, imagine the whole filming and editing process. I sweat just thinking about it.
That said, I used to watch Michelle Phan and Jen from FromHeadToToe. While their onscreen personality is pleasant, I think I grew out of it. I watch Lisa’s videos only and that’s enough for me.
Ah Lisa Eldridge is the best. When I grow up I want to be just like her hehe… I think for some, its actually faster to upload a video than to write a few blog posts. Talking also gets the message across more quickly for some things and I can see the attraction. Its never tempted me though. Trolls aside, I could never understand the mechanics behind making a video, and I suck being in front of a camera, much less a video camera >.<
Lisa Eldridge! Of Cos! 🙂
Love her so much!
I also do watch Charlotte Tilbury too… 🙂
Ooh thanks for the rec, Prem!
I do watch beauty videos…. haha…. i enjoy watching bubzbeauty and her other comedy channel and vlog channel…. i like her bubbly character, sometimes gives me a laugh on bad day…. one peeve i have about videos are those shaky blurry videos…. i cant watch on for more than half a minute…. >.<
Another reference to Bubzbeauty! I’d never heard of her till today so that means I have to check her out I guess? 😀 Unless its a horror film, I don’t think there’s a place for shaky or blurry videos on a beauty channel. Same with blurry photos on a blog. What’s the point eh? 😛
To answer the question: No.
I tend to watch other stuff on YouTube – @Google Talks (when famous people go to different Google offices to speak/promote whatever they’ve got at the time), TV shows, talk shows, food shows (catching up on Jamie’s 15 Minute Meals, haha), but beauty ones? Not so much. That’s just me.
I have to say, I hardly watch anything on Youtube LOL! Stems from my poor net connection days so I don’t stream anything but download them and then watch them on a proper TV. Old school that way 😉
I love watching YouTube beauty gurus. It’s the first thing that I do when I wake up and it’s the last thing I do before I go to sleep. I think it’s nice and more on the artistic side of things to watch YouTube videos and see how these people use make-up in their daily lives. It’s also interesting to see what they think of a certain product. When I hear they rave about something, I am more convinced to run to a store and get it. Also, I think you can say more and do more when you’re filming compared to writing. Plus, I can do more when watching videos. I can watch these videos whilst getting dressed or putting on make-up or even when I wash the dishes or something.
However, when it comes to reviews, I do prefer reading than watching.
Haha I can tell we have a fan here, Hani! 😀 Who are your fave Youtube channels to watch? I find that half the time when I’m watching, I’m just skipping ahead unless its a very riveting video 😛
Hi Paris. I’m a fan of a ton of YouTube gurus in the age range of 16-30. My favourites are of course, Michelle Phan. This Vietnamese girl is a Youtube millionaire and she has a beauty company set up, she has a lot of really cool make-up and beauty tips and tricks. There’s also Tanya Burr, a British make-up artist. She really knows her way around make-up and around MAC counters. She knows exactly what eye shadow shade will suit you and she replicates celebrity make-up looks quite flawlessly. Dulce Candy (DulceCandy87) is 27, married and she has a child and this woman helps you around drugstore make-up. She doesn’t do much as a beauty guru but she really is an inspiring person as she was in the US army in Iraq. Some other favourites of mine are Jen (frmheadtotoe), Ingrid (missglamorazzi) and Theodore Leaf. Theodore Leaf is a hair expert and he works behind the stage of NY fashion weeks.
Thanks for sharing your faves, Hani! 🙂 I should go and check them out and watch a few videos! 😀
I am a huge fan of wayne and lisa elridge! I watch youtube videos everyday (lol!) i guess it has its bad points,i am much more tempted to buy makeup every week but im not complaining becausr it helped me discover my holy grail products! The biggest con in watching these youtube videos is how “pretentious” some makeup “gurus” are! And i always thought about how much makeup they put on,my makeup barely shows on camera whereas theirs looked too tanned,too pale,too thick,especially the amount of bronzer they use for contouring! I mean how much is too much when it comes to applying makeup?
These 2 are the more interesting that I’ve come across for sure. I like how brutally honest Wayne Goss can be. So funny – did you see his video on the Sigma washing glove? Had me in stitches 😛 You are actually right about the amount of makeup they have to put on for it to be visible. I face the same problem when taking photos but with a bit of trial and error and some decent lighting, I’ve worked out that I don’t really need to put on that much for it to be visible. Perhaps they’ve worked it out too? But I don’t think so LOL! 😉
I love watching youtube especially for hair tutorial. For makeups it depends. I like Lisa Eldridge too. And one of my favorite for makeup is Jen from Head to Toe just because she has my skintone and the typical asian eyes which I could learn some technique from. I used to watch Michelle Phan but stopped ever since her video become to be ‘commercialize’. I prefer a more direct and personal vlogger where they portrays their own personality. I agree with you whrer Youtube has the worst troll ever.
Hi Cynthia, hair tutorials! Now there’s one that will make sense for video! I haven’t come across Jen but I’ll look her up – a couple of people have mentioned her today and I’m curious 😀 I watched Michelle Phan once or twice but I couldn’t get into it. Then again, she’s done good for herself! 😀
I love watching Youtube videos I am subscribed to a few channels and I watch their videos daily. My favorite are Lisa Eldridge and Michelle Phan because I have learned applying makeup through their videos but I prefer Michells phan’s old videos I also like Gossmakeupartist because he gives really good tips.I am not a huge fan of vlogs I absolutely don’t understand the idea of showing your personal daily life to the whole world.
As far as which one I prefer for reviews blogs or Youtube then I would say blogs because they give you in depth review of a product with clear swatches and also because I prefer reading over watching videos 🙂 but I do like and trust emilynoel83 review videos.So in short for learning makeup techniques I prefer Youtube and for reviews and other stuff I like blogs 🙂
Hi Sataa, thank you for sharing your fave people to watch on Youtube. I didn’t realise until I read everyone’s comments, that there is considered to be a difference between a vlog and a beauty video! LOL! Tells you how much I know eh? 😉 I have to agree that Youtube or videos make great teaching material. Its so easy to show someone how and where to apply something, rather than just to tell them right?
Haha I think you would know by now from my foundation email that I absolutely love Lisa Eldridge 😀 I stumbled upon her Audrey Hepburn video and after watching that, I looked at her other videos and absolutely fell in love with her No-Makeup makeup look. I do wish that she could work with more models, especially with features I can relate to, like eyes. She did have a Korean model once, I think. Another makeup artist is Jung Saem Mool, I think she’s super famous in Korea. Although she did put up subtitles in Korean and later on in English, she doesn’t speak and explain as she demonstrates (the precision of her applications, whoa), so it’s inevitable that there’s a barrier, but I’m grateful that I can learn makeup at home coz I have no one to ask 🙂
LOL! Lisa Eldridge has been very inspirational, I will agree. She makes a good teacher and she is succinct and isn’t excitable which has a lot to do with maturity and how she carries herself. I think that’s so important when building credibility! I suppose there’s no excuse for me now not to watch Youtube videos eh? 😉
I watch YT gurus on a daily basis! ^.^ I found out that there never was a revolutionary way of applying makeup, what makes a look “different” is merely just what the colors are used and where those colors are placed, perhaps.
My favorites are MakeupGeek, Michelle Phan (despite her tribe of haters) and of course, the three you highlighted. ^.^
Haha I have read as much about Michelle Phan’s haters as I have her fans! Its incredible how much hate there is for someone you only know from an online video!
Lisa Eldridge has given me many pleasurable hours – that soothing voice and her expert hands really help me drift off to sleep. (Don’t get me wrong – I watch her because she applies makeup so beautifully!) And Promise Phan….now that girl can really do characters well and I usually share the Ipad screen with my 2 daughters when watching her!
Hahaha your description, Jackie! 😀 I went to see this Promise Phan because a few people mentioned her and gosh! Is she talented or what? I suppose I’d watch her to be gobsmacked 🙂
I used to watch YT beauty channels but not anymore. I liked From Head To Toe and Promise Phan (she always made my jaws dropped!).
I went to check out Promise Phan based on everyone’s rec and boy! She’s amazing!
Hi Paris. I love reading a good blog, like My woman Stuff, that I follow almost on daily basis. Honestly I really enjoy it. Also the way that you reply our comments and “talk” a lot with us, makes me feel despite the distance, we are all on the same boat. Having said that, I love also watching youtube videos. Travelling to Australia from Europe happenned to me to spare a day in South Korea, and I was impressed about the beauty and care women put on their appereance. So back home I became to investigate about it, and that is how YT became really usefull. I spents hour watching women from Korea and Asia and I learnt a lot, not only about products from Asia but also their moods and feminity and culture.
I follow the gurus mentioned here, but the one I really enjoy watching is my dear Uppiesbeads59. She is passionated about skincare and antiaging, she is so pretty, charming an a good friend of their peeps. If I had to choose just one YT chanel I would follow her just as if I had to choose a blog that would be yours. Thank you so much for engaing women around the world to look prettier and nicer! 😉
Hi Pipa, thank you for your lovely comments about my little space here on the web and it humbles me that you would pick to follow my blog out of the millions out there! 😀 I’m happy to have a place where like-minded people can come together and “hang out” for want of a better word 😀 Thank you too for sharing your thoughts on videos and how helpful they can be. I am going to check out Uppiesbeads59 because for you to single her out of the thousands of youtubers out there, she has to be pretty amazing 😀