Gawd, I hope not…
Have you ever noticed that most of the most popular beauty gurus on YouTube look like they should be models? Like, if they weren’t busy being YouTube stars they would be spokesmodels for a makeup or skincare company? I have.
I am not that pretty.
Don’t get me wrong. I am pretty, but definitely not in a conventional way. No one is falling over themselves to offer me modeling contracts because I’m breath-takingly beautiful. Men don’t give me expensive gifts because they want me to be with them and be their latest accessory.
It seems to me that a lot of popular YouTube beauty gurus ARE that kind of pretty, though. There are a few popular beauty gurus that look like average, normal people. You know, like that friend you meet for lunch every so often to chat and catch up. I do seek them out because I feel like it’s easier to follow along in a tutorial when you feel like the person doing the tutorial has about the same beauty baseline as yourself.
Sometimes, following along with the more beautiful beauty gurus, I’m expecting the results on myself to make me look like a supermodel. Instead, I end up looking like a bad rodeo clown.
I am no spring chicken…
It also doesn’t help that I’m 10-20 years older than most beauty gurus on YouTube. As much as I like watching reviews and tutorials on skincare and makeup, I would like it more if I could find more women like me on there. Skincare and makeup techniques that work when you’re in your 20’s don’t necessarily work when you’re in your 40’s. (Piling on tons of Tarte’s Shape Tape™ under the eyes? Doesn’t really work when you have more wrinkles.)
When I do find older beauty gurus on YouTube, most of them seem to have had some work done. Not all of them, but quite a few. I know, because most of them tell you in their videos, in their description boxes, or on their About Me page. I appreciate them being up front about having work done, but I’d like to find someone around my age doing beauty videos who hasn’t. I want to know her beauty secrets!
Also, what few older beauty gurus I have found tend to be a bit older than me. It’s nice in that I can see what I may have to look forward to in the future if I continue to take care of myself, but it doesn’t really help me with the skincare/makeup issues I’m having now.
I wonder if there are other 40-somethings who are frustrated by this?
Surely, I can’t be the only woman in my 40’s who would love to see more 40-somethings doing makeup and skincare videos on YouTube. Then again, I really don’t know how many people in their 40’s watch as many YouTube videos on the subject as I do. It could be that by making beauty videos and posting them, I could be filling a specific niche that is being ignored. (They say that women become invisible at age 50. We begin that fade into invisibility in our 40’s.) Then again, maybe nobody cares and I will basically just be shouting into the void.
I’m not model-perfect, and I wanna be a YouTube beauty guru.
The beauty of YouTube is that is truly is a meritocracy. Anyone can post videos about almost anything. You just have to do it. If you make videos that people find good/interesting/informative/entertaining, they will spread the word, and more people will watch. The more subscribers you have, the more influence you have in your chosen category. And on YouTube, success is measured by number of subscribers and hours of view time.
I’m sure that looking like a model helps beauty gurus get clicks on their videos. I don’t have that advantage. What I do have is age, experience, a love of makeup, and a vision for a niche that needs to be filled.
Wrinkles & War Paint 