My Favorite You Tubers!

As a beauty junkie, I'm always on the look out for the greatest new products and tips. Though I've been in the business for a long time, I'm a big believer in the idea that a true scholar never stops learning. Because makeup artistry is just that, an art, there are always alternate opinions and points of view share. It's why I write my blog, and it's also why I read so many other beauty blogs.

You can easily see my favorite blogs, I list them in the side bar, and highly suggest you pay each one a visit. These are the people I share with and pull inspiration from. I communicate with many of them, I count them as friends and find them an infinite source of encouragement.

I also am a fan of the YouTube beauty community, and since my favorite blogs are listed here for all to see, I thought I'd share some of my favorite "gurus" with you as well. Here's just a few of my favs:

BlancheBabcock is a true southern belle (except, perhaps, for what's under her dress) She offers a look into alternative lifestyle makeup (drag, folks) and just seems to be a genuinely good person, which makes her a joy to watch.

gossmakeupartist Wayne is a professional makeup artist in the UK. His philosophy is one that I'm very at home with: he says that "a good makeup artist is someone that will not only make you look good but will teach YOU how to look good everyday."

jennac0re (with a zero not the letter "O") is the poster girl for no-nonsense, I feel like she'd be down with my "if you don't like me the way I am, that's your problem, not mine" attitude. She's also pretty talented with a makeup brush, and presents her tutorials in a real, not overly edited manner that makes you feel like you're getting a lesson from a good friend. (She also loves her kitties, like me!)

juderivera covers everything from easy facial contouring to blending your own lip color in her clear, easy to understand tutorials. She's always out looking for the next best thing, so Jude is a great resource for new brands and products.

MakeupByRisa Risa is a freelance makeup artist with a wealth of knowledge and a great understanding of the art. She talks you through her work and is honest when she comes upon a challenge. I also love how she encourages creativity and experimentation through her videos and contests.

MakeupGeekTV another pro, Marlena specializes in colorful but wearable looks, adding in lots of detail. She's careful to explain exactly how she blends, what brushes are best, and even suggests alternative shades and brands along the way. Though she uses a lot of MAC, she also isn't shy about trying and using more accessible, economical brands.

MissChievous Julia's channel is a great place for unique theatrical makeup; she excels at bold, almost architectural, eyes! She also does great haul videos, sharing swatches and mini-reviews as she shows her purchases, making them educational rather than just a brag-fest.

Petrilude is the YouTube diva. Not one to sugar coat things, he challenges his viewers to use what they have and learn the process rather than simply copy the look. Always dramatic and bold, Josh's looks are not for the faint-of-heart. He fills in his channel with great tip and trick videos, and come Halloween, there's no better place to go for amazing yet approachable special effects looks.

QueenofBlendingMUA Lauren is an incredible makeup artist and a great girl that has truly earned her designation as the Queen of blending (I would also add Queen of cut-crease to that moniker!) A true goof-ball at heart, Lauren brings lightheartedness to her videos that's proof that not all makeup artists are snotty know-it-alls.

sayanythingbr00ke (again, zeros, not letter "O"s) Brooke's channel has a little bit of everything- she does tons of reviews, hauls, face and nail tutorials and the odd bit of daily life. Like Jennac0re, the way she presents herself is very genuine, you truly feel like you're in a gab fest with a buddy.

vintageortacky Cora is a self-described makeup goober who's motto is "Be Bright, Bold, Beautiful, Just be yourself." A little retro, a little punk, a little rockabilly, Cora often showcases bold looks with unique color combinations- including her statement hair color and style!

xsparkage is last, but certainly not least. In fact, she was one of the first YouTubers that I found. Leesha's tutorials are always perky and upbeat. She's known for her series inspired looks: she's done superheroes, Twilight, even Alice in Wonderland. Though she often does bright, colorful looks, she mixes in plenty that are soft and wearable, so there's a little something for anyone. She's also an avid reviewer, her approach always seems honest and well-rounded, and very of the moment- if it's hot now, Leesha will be there to share it!

Well, that's it, for now! Hope you guys enjoyed & met a few new people in the process. I should mention, there are tons of other great makeup artists and beauty junkies out there on the web. I easily could have made a list twice this size, but since some people I love are not currently making videos and others are too new to me for a true evaluation, I stuck to these, my tried and true. I'm sure in time you may see another such list. In the mean time, I hope you'll check these people out- they all put tons of hard work in to sharing their own unique perspective on beauty. Thanks guys and gals!