Alondra Martinez

UWP 1
Sophia Barrett
March 11, 2018

People on youtube that create beauty videos are part of a community called the

beauty community. They usually do other types of videos such as blogs, fashion, and

updates to legitimize their authenticity. As Rapp mentions a beauty guru called

Bubzbeauty she stated, “She uploads to her channel Bubzbeauty tutorials on

makeup,skincare, hairstyle, and nail art together with more personal blogs sharing her

everyday life in Hong Kong with her husband and two dogs”(Rapp 123). This creates a

legitimacy into the person because they are showing that they are genuine. In the case

of these beauty gurus they create videos but the videos that they create do not support

them enough to provide them with financial support. Therefore, they partner up with

companies to review products. As Rapp states, “These influential personalities do not

only make a living from Youtube through monetizing their videos through the platform’s

Partner Program but also achieve commercial success by endorsing cosmetic brands

and reviewing products”(Rapp 121). Basically, beauty gurus create videos that involve

beauty but brands also pay them to talk about the brands products to their viewers. This

is important to note because many people who are watching these videos have to try to

figure out the legitimacy of the person’s opinions on a product and to judge it based on

the person who they are watching only through their computer screen. It is how a

person decided to present themselves through their screen that they are seen as

legitimate. The way that beauty influencers legitimize their opinions is through
disclaimers. Rapp states, “ Moreover, to avoid being seen as dishonest, it is essential to

disclose if one is being paid for a review and when posting affiliate links below one’s

video”(Rapp 125). Basically, the beauty gurus let their viewers know if they are getting

paid. This cases their viewers to consider them authentic because they are being

honest with them. Hence, gaining there credibility and this is essential in being a

watched beauty youtuber. The companies giving the products to these beauty

influencers to make money and get people to buy their products but the beauty gurus

make these videos for fun and to share products that they really like.

The youtube beauty community has existed since youtube started. Many people

who wanted to share their opinions and share their skills used youtube as a primary

resource of doing just that. As Rapp and Cuberes mentions on how people can gain

money from gaining viewers and earning money through it. They state, “Thanks to it,

more than one million creators from various countries capitalize their videos and

thousands earn six figures in a year”. So, basically, beauty creators and people making

videos on youtube are gaining popularity through their viewers and earning money for

the amount of viewers they get. I think this raises the questions as to if people are doing

it for the money or the passion.

There are two groups that have a significant roles in this community and its

existence. That would be the people who create these videos and the viewers. The

people who do these videos and called beauty gurus. This name is put on them from

the idea that they aren’t professional makeup artist but rather they do it for fun and they

are mostly women. As Rapp and Cuberes mention, “ Beauty gurus are typically young
women who regularly upload videos advising on makeup, hairstyling techniques, and

cosmetics”. In other words, they are typically women but it is not always the case as I

have seen men in this community as well. More men are starting to create beauty

videos such as patrick star, manny mua, bretmanrock, and others. On the other hand

the viewers come from all over the world. As Georgia mentions, “ Youtube provides a

forum for people to connect, inform, and inspire others across the globe and acts as a

distribution platform for original content creators and advertisers large and

small”(Georgia 21). To explain, people all over the world an access these videos and it

is open to the public. This means that it is a perfect place for companies to use the

content creators to advertise their products. It allows them to pay the beauty influencers

while getting people to purchase the companies products. These influencers have a

significant role in the changing of ideas of others. Another common group that is looking

at these videos are young teens. They are looking for other’s advice in fashion and

makeup. Georgia states, “Nowadays, teenagers or adults are no longer asking their

mothers for tips in order to learn what is best for them or how to apply makeup, they

have Youtube and YTBCs (Youtube Beauty Creators), who have created videos for

every need of person”(25-26). This is saying that both youth and the older are watching

these videos for advice in beauty. This con contribute the trends that happen because

many people watch these videos. I think it is important to know because many people

who are watching the videos are lured into the products that the beauty gurus are

talking about and recommending to their viewers. The contributes to the success of

products being sold.

 In order to find out why people decided to watch youtube videos I interviewed a girl who
watches the youtube beauty videos
Why did you begin to watch these youtube
beauty videos?
Did makeup turn to something else than just
using makeup?
How did you decide who’s videos to watch?
Do you think you got something else from
these videos aside from beauty?
Did any of them help you gain confidence
personally?
Did you feel a special connection to the
person’s videos you watched? Such as a
friend?
Did you trust their opinions on products?
“ I had insecurities about my face so I
watched makeup videos to learn how to apply
make-up.
“I was amazed as to what makeup could do”
“I wanted to watch someone who was honest
and who I could relate to”. “I like watching i
luv sarahii because she was a latina and
because of her skin tone and skin type was
similar to mine and I wanted to get accurate
information on products that would work on
me”.
I just wanted to watch people who I could
relate to and funny so I could feel like I was
there with them”. “Videos are a place that
help me distress and forget about my
problems so someone funny is great to do
that”.
“Goal setting”. “ I saw how their channel did
not grow until years later. “Don't expect you
will get everything right away”. “Most of them
started with nothing but an iphone but they
continued their passion”.
“No not a single person but everyone who I
watched contributed to something and
eventually I learned to put it all together and
my confidence grew”.
“I felt most connected to i luv sarahii because
she showed her real life in vlogs”. “She was
real and showed both her personal and
beauty life”. “Desi perkins I felt connect to as
well because she showed her own family in
her videos basically she did not forget her
roots and where she came from and that is
something that I want to do”.
“Some yes and others no”. “When they say
 that a product is bad and I agree then I feel
like I could trust them”. “It all depends on how
genuine they are with their subscribers”.

This particular viewer was able to enjoy watching the videos and she was specifically

intrigued in watching particular youtuber’s videos. It is evident that the reason for why she was

captured by watching “I love Sarahii”s” and “Desi Perkins” videos was because of the

relatableness and the extra vlogs into their life. The vlogs created a sense of the youtuber being

a typical person and this is an important quality that viewers consciously and unconsciously look

for. For example, as Rapp states, “This implies following certain norms of behavior, but the

notion that underlies them all as being genuine, true to yourself (spontaneous) and not in search

of fame or money ( premeditated)”(124). This is saying that people look for authenticity through

watching other people who share more person videos because it shows a sense of

genuineness. This is important for people watching the videos because it provides them with the

idea that these videos are legit and this means that they will be honest with their reviews. Also,

this makes the video seem more personal because of the sense of connection to their personal

life. The youtube videos provide a sense of friendship with the beauty influences that makes the

videos gain viewers. As rapp states, “ The active processes of celebrification at play within

youtube beauty community necessarily combine the social side of sharing personal information,

footage of daily activities and building affective connection with commercial aspects: namely self

branding, achieving high status and maintaining good reputations as professionals, responsible

and influential personalities”. (121). This basically means that people are watching these videos

because the vloging part provides a sense of closeness to the beauty influencer since they are

sharing their personal lives with their viewers. It also makes them seem as they have the values
that viewers look for which is just a regular person that aims to do makeup for fun and not for

person benefits. The problem here is that beauty influencers can do these videos and not and

the viewers can be deceived into believing that they are doing it for the passiona and not the

money. Of course, many people might do it for fun but as mentioned before, many people do

get paid for reviewing the videos so it is up to the viewer to decide whether they can trust them

or not. Also, people watch these videos because they trust the opinions of other

non-professional people. It makes sense because many people are paid in commercials to talk

about their products. On the contrary the viewers feel a sense of connection to the beauty

gurus. The subscribers form this relationship with their viewers by putting their personal social

media in the description box. As Giorgia Riboni states, that people are watching these videos for

those exact reasons. She states, “As they are perceived as “virtual friends”, whom, differently

from corporations, the audience can trust, brands have increasingly co-opted makeup tutorial

makers to promote their products: even though this is not always official, some of the most

popular ones are often either paid to mention this kind of cosmetics online or sent them for free,

so that they can give excellent reviews and influence their audience to purchase them”( Riboni

190).

Finally, the reason for why these videos are popular is because of the form of communication.

The makeup tutorials are like how to videos but they are incorporate some vlogging. The sense

of a conversational and laid back feeling gets the person watching these videos to feel a sense

of engagement with the certain videos. As Riboni stated that the these videos give the

impressions of “interpersonal face to face communication”( 190).

The results from my primary research shows that these videos are more than just

showing others how to apply makeup. My roommate mentioned how she went to these videos
to take her mind off things. Therefore, she found people who she thought were funny and latina.

She also mentioned how she could relate to them.

Additionally, these videos are more of a place where people can feel like they have someone to

give them advice in makeup and help them boost their confidence in actually learning how to

apply it correctly.

How one chooses to watch a particular person's youtube video depends on if someone

can relate to the person and if they are someone who is funny. People who watch these videos

come not only to apply makeup but it serves as a distraction to get away for a couple of

minutes. Think of it as a form of distressment. Also, relating to the person makes a big

difference. My roommate tended to watch others that had the same “skin tone” and “skin type”

as her. She wanted to get the most accurate results in the products that they talked about. In

make-up their are many products but something that these beauty influences always mention in

their videos is if this foundation is for “dry skin, oily skin, or both”. I think that in a sense they are

like role models because many people who watch these videos tend to listen to the advice given

to them and follow at least some of their techniques.

Youtube beauty videos gives access to other people to learn how to apply and what

products are good for who but the viewers watch them to get away from life for a while. The

videos are a place where people can go to forget about their problems for a while. Which makes

sense that if one watched a beauty video they bg tend to have a good positive attitude.

Overall the finding shows that people are lured in to watching the videos of youtuber’s

because of their view of legitimacy. If the people feel a sense of authenticness than it is more

probable for them to stay watching the videos. The way that the viewers define authenticity is

through them uploading personal vlogs and being funny. These two characteristics show that

they are telling the truth when reviewing the products. This is usually the case but it might also
be hard to define the legitimacy of the videos because they don’t really know them personally.

They could only judge by what they decide to post for their viewers.

My argument here is that these videos involve both a community of beauty gurus and the

people who watch these videos. I found through my research that people watch these videos to

“get away”. It gives them a place where they could just sit down and laugh while learning

different techniques in how to apply makeup. I think this means that it is a hobby for the viewers

and the people creating this videos. It is a form of communicating about products BG

recommend and the subscribers commenting on the video in the comment sections. These

comment sections allow for people to comment on what they thought about the video or the

person. I think the ultimate goal of the BG is to keep their viewers entertained and give them the

best possible advice as they can.

Works Cited page

Georgia, Ralli Androulaki. “The leading role of influencers in the Youtube Beauty Community.”

Rapp, Garcia Florencia, and Carles Roca- Cuberes. “Being an online Celebrity: Norms and

expectations of Youtube’s beauty community.”​ Journal on the internet​, vol. 22, no. 7, 3 July

2017

Rapp Garcia, Florencia. “ ‘ Come join and let’s BOND’: authenticity and legitimacy building on

Youtube’s beauty community.” ​Journal of Media Practice, ​Vol.18, no. 2-3, September 2017, pp.

120-137