For this post, I want to share with you all some people who educate, inspire, and generally bring me joy throughout the week. If you’re wondering how I became knowledgeable enough about makeup and beauty to the point that I feel comfortable sharing my opinions with others, YouTube is a huge part of the answer! I feel so fortunate to live in a time when information about any subject is so easy to come by online. I’ve been enjoying YouTube for years, but it’s been on my mind of late why there are scores of problematic creators with massive followings when there are so many others who I feel deserve wider acclaim. So I thought I’d put together a list of a few of my favorite underrated* beauty gurus for my small readership to enjoy. Here they are, in no particular order.

Samantha Ravndahl

In a YouTube beauty space that is currently up in flames over racism, undisclosed sponsorships and more (oh my), Samantha Ravndahl is the hero we deserve. She’s huge on Instagram, but her reach on YouTube doesn’t match and for the life of me I don’t understand why. This Canadian is one of the realest, most transparent beauty gurus I’ve ever watched. She started sounding off on topics like undisclosed sponsorships eons ago, and always speaks out about issues like non-inclusive shade-ranges, even from brands that have worked with her in the past. I feel that’s especially rare from white beauty gurus, who aren’t directly impacted by and so often remain quiet on these issues. I also experience laughter when I watch her videos, which is always a plus. Before moving into the influencer lane Samantha started out as a professional makeup artist, and it shows in her videos, as she is a fantastic teacher. She’s all about artistry, and the depth of her knowledge always shines through, even when she creates more natural looks. I love that she often speaks at length about the sometimes tiny changes that make a big difference in how beautiful your makeup can look. She also has a cool name. Basically, I love her and want to be her friend, but since I can’t I settle for watching her videos, and you should too.

Aja Dang

I’ve been watching Aja Dang for several years now, and it’s been a pleasure to watch this mixed-race Hawaiian-born L.A.-transplant evolve. She dabbles in pretty much all of the beauty/lifestyle arenas: makeup, skincare, fashion, food, etc. And while I love and originally subscribed for that content, of late my favorite videos of hers are those documenting her journey to conquer her debt. She gets real about her budget strategies, how much money she’s making, and the highs and lows of attempting to triumph over the evils of student loans, a topic likely relevant to many of my fellow young people reading this post. Check out this gorgeous woman below.

youkeyy

If you’re here for the artistry, if you’re here for the humor, if you’re here for the culture, Youkeyy is the creator for you. She is a fantastically creative and skilled makeup artist, and her welcome back song for her subscribers warms my heart every time I hear it (she’s a pretty good singer too…some people get all the talent). If you’re looking to learn a thing or two about makeup from a dark-skinned African goddess, and laugh a little along the way, check out YouKeyy’s videos below.

TotalMakeupJunkie101

Not enough Indian beauty gurus have made it big in the YouTube sphere, but here’s hoping that Eshani aka TotalMakeupJunkie101 is next on the queue. Her reviews are ultra-thorough and polished, and I often find myself going back to her channel before I make a major makeup buy. She also recently started her own cosmetics company with a beautiful line of lipsticks called Rani Cosmetics. Check out Eshani below.

amy lee

I look to Amy Lee (previously known as Vagabond Youth RIP) when I’m looking for fashion inspiration. Fashion fatigue sets in quickly for me when I see the same athleisure looks over and over online, so Amy Lee doing her own thing is a breath of fresh air by comparison. Her video editing skills are a sight to behold as well, and she has a way of setting the tone of her videos with her edits. Amy is also uniquely self-aware and introspective, and makes a lot of videos on topics like self-help, self-care, and manifesting the type of life you want. The video below is just a taste of the kind of content you’ll find on her channel.

thatgirlshaexo

ThatGirlShaexo aka Shae is so bubbly and creates colorful and gorgeous looks on the eyes that always blow me away. She has fantastic product reviews on her channel and does “live swatches” of every shade in a collection on her eyes, lips, and face (shoutout to you, elf) for a lot of my favorite brands’ releases, like Colourpop. It’s a great way to get a true sense of how a product will perform before you buy, and almost no one else is doing it on YouTube, but even her normal review videos are on point. Here’s one of my favorite looks of hers below.

Sophia Chang

Sophia Chang wins the award for my all-around beauty/lifestyle favorite. I really look forward to her vlogs, and I love her life and her entire aesthetic, from makeup to fashion to music to home. Her videos inspire me and somehow also soothe me every time I watch. She started off as a MAC makeup artist, so you know her makeup skills are legit. She oozes authenticity, and I want to be her friend!!! Get a feel for her videos below so we can pine for her friendship together.

Drop a comment down below or tweet me @lightweightlux with your favorite underrated beauty guru! Hope you enjoyed this post!

*Underrated for the purposes of this post is a YouTuber with under One Million Subscribers. Some of them are getting close and some of them are pretty far off! But I really wanted to share these particular people with you all <3