YouTube Beauty Gurus Reveal How They Make Their Money

Being a beauty guru on YouTube involves a lot more than the ability to put on a face of makeup on camera. YouTube’s biggest beauty vloggers are no longer just posting videos on their channels and cashing in AdSense checks, they’re expanding their brands and making business partnerships outside of the video-sharing site.

YouTube’s most successful entrepreneurs in the beauty community, Aspyn Ovard Ferris, Kandee Johnson and Diana Saldana, gave an inside look at the business of beauty blogging at the 8th annual Vidcon last month. They discussed what it takes to prosper in the unique market.

Age Is Just A Number

Aspyn didn’t lose out on any success by starting on the site while still a child. With her mother’s blessing, Aspyn began posting videos at age 14 (YouTube’s U.S. user guidelines state a channel owner needs to be at least 13) and seven years later, hasn’t looked back.

“I thought it was the most awesome thing ever,” she said. After graduating from high school, Aspyn said she knew it would be her career. “As it’s just grown, we’ve just taken it and run with it.”

READ: The Truth About Family Vloggers On YouTube

Standing Out From The Crowd

All three beauty vloggers said that successful content comes from staying true to yourself — which can be harder than it sounds.

“Whether you’re in beauty, or any kind of career, or even in your daily life, I think it’s important that you’re really true to who you are and do something that stands out and is different and is you,” Kandee advised. “Whatever you do it should be unique to you: to what you want to do, to what you like, not trying to fit in.”

One way to show who you are, said Kandee, who has been with YouTube since 2009, is to connect with an audience by talking to the camera as if it was your best friend. “Don’t try to be cool,” she said. “Just try to be nice.”

Aspyn said that it’s easy to tell when a vlogger is making a video about a topic they authentically enjoy versus something they feel pushed to make. “It’s definitely hard to make sure you’re being original, especially when there’s so many people doing the same things,” she said. “You really just had to try your hardest... and do stuff that you want to do and not feel that pressure to be like everybody else.”

Video Inspiration

Being the face of a YouTube channel and the sole person responsible for its content can have its challenges. After years behind the camera, Kandee says she sometimes researches makeup looks from the past for inspiration.

“I look to art, or art magazines, or I’ll look like old makeup artists of the 40s or their techniques, styles they did, something that will be timeless... I want something that is going to be beautiful all the time.”

Diana, on the other hand, heads to Instagram in search of fresh ideas. “I just put my own spin on it and then make it so that anyone can wear it,” she said.

Making A Paycheck

While a channel should always reflect your interests, the gurus warned that everything you put onto the site will not be loved. And everything you put out might not be something you’re in love with.

“The two videos that I did not like and wasn’t going to upload are my two top videos and I can’t stand them,” Kandee admitted. Coincidentally, videos that Kandee is most proud of did not get what she called “gangbuster” views, but she found they had impact with her audience.

Aspyn also finds it hard to create a perfect balance with her videos as her beloved travel diaries aren’t always popular with viewers. “I haven’t built my channel based off of that content so those people looking for that stuff are not the same people that are subscribed to me. Sometimes that can be hard because the things you put the most effort into and are passionate about, they don’t do as well,” she said.

“YouTube is not just about he money but when you’re putting in so much time and effort and you’re not making enough money to make that be worth it, that’s such a hard thing and I feel like a lot of people don’t think people understand that. Whenever YouTubers talk about money people get really angry but the reality is that we do this as our jobs and we couldn’t do it if we couldn’t get paid.” - Aspyn Ovard

Partnering With Brands

Some YouTubers can make six figures just posting videos, but crafting brand deals is another way that experienced vloggers bump up paychecks and build business partnerships. Diana, who was recently named a U.S. ambassador for Real Technique brushes, says branding doesn’t just up her cash flow, it also inspires creativity for her channel.

“Branching out and doing multiple things keeps you motivated to go back to YouTube and create new content,” Diana said. “I'm always telling my followers I’m so grateful for YouTube and for them because obviously it’s taken me places that I’ve never been in my life.”

“All of us love YouTube or we wouldn’t do it, but sometimes it’s like, ‘Let’s do something else. Let’s try something else. What else can I do?’” Aspyn, who runs her own e-commerce site, added. “It kind of gives you a little bit of a break from YouTube and you get charged up again to make your next video.”

Working With Brands

A large following is what tends to attract brands, and while a brand deal is an exciting prospect, seasoned gurus known to take them on cautiously. Aspyn advised against accepting deals that are not in line with the message of your videos. “Saying no to a brand, it’s OK to say no,” Diana said.

Even when and if a product does align, problems can still arise. “As creators, we’re always just trying to make sure that what we’re doing is organic,” Aspyn said. “Brands are learning more and more that we know our audiences better than they do, so they need to listen.”

Kandee reminded aspiring vloggers to keep in mind that a brand is paying you to help promote them, and likely will want your ideas. “Your ideas are so valuable,” Kandee said.

“Make sure its you. People will bully you and push you like, ‘Oh this is what we want you to do.’ I'm always like the annoying little voice that’s like, ‘But I don’t know if I like that. How about we try this idea?’ I feel like that really shows that you’re putting your spin on it. They’re paying for you to do a brand deal that is you and you need to represent you and not change who you are for anybody.” - Kandee Johnson

Beyond The Deals

Ultimately, it isn’t just about getting that lucrative brand deal. Money can also be made with the help of a little YouTube fame and a pure business sense. Aspyn and her and co-vlogger husband Parker Ferris kicked off their e-commerce store Luca + Grae in mid-2016. Much to their surprise, they sold out of all items just one hour after launching. Business has not slowed down since.

Today, Aspyn credits Parker and her mother for helping her run the business — which she calls a “bigger and better” success than they ever anticipated.

“We kind of worked backwards, in a way. We started this business and then we’re like, let’s start learning about it. It has definitely been a learning process.” While other companies and product owners have reached out to them about being a part of the store, Aspyn says they’ve done the brunt of the work themselves.

READ: Tana Mongeau Suffers Another YouTube Scandal

Network Respectively

Collaborating with other beauty YouTubers is a surefire way to grow your audience, but it should always be done with a certain tact. Kandee advised starting a business relationship with a fellow YouTuber by complimenting their work before suggesting a shared project. “I never push a collab thing unless it’s a reciprocal situation,” Kandee said. She went on to compliment Aspyn’s look and propose a makeup video with her onstage, which Aspyn happily agreed to.

What are you thoughts on the YouTube beauty community? Sound off in the comments section below or tweet me @RebeckaSchumann.