Learn how brands have taken advantage of the surge in makeup and beauty-related videos on YouTube for promotional use, as told by the IC PRSSA blog team.

By: Madeline Strauch

If you’re a makeup and fashion lover, chances are you have surrendered some of your pay checks in the last year or two to the endless collaborations with your favorite YouTubers and makeup/clothing brands. It’s no secret that social media has become the most powerful platforms of the twenty-first century. Today, entire brands are born from social media use, something unprecedented. The brands that have been around since prior to the social media takeover are wise enough to collaborate with big social media accounts.

YouTube, founded in 2006, has become one of the most used social media platforms, and it doesn’t show signs of slowing down. It’s also no secret that if you’re looking for makeup tips or tutorials, look no further than YouTube. Thousands of “beauty gurus” exist on YouTube to show the latest beauty products and teach the latest beauty trends. Makeup YouTubers become so well-known that cosmetic companies recruit them to collaborate with.

Similar in the fashion world, fashionistas and in some cases, fashion lovers who begin as beauty gurus such as Carli Bybel, collaborate with popular clothing brands to produce their own clothing collections. Collaboration opportunities are offered when these YouTubers go from someone viewers watch online to someone viewers look up to and desire to emulate. These beauty and fashion collaborations benefit both parties because makeup/fashion companies get big business and an even bigger following while the YouTubers get something a makeup/fashion lover only dreams of-their very own makeup or clothes that they get to creatively direct. 

Here are some examples:

Jaclyn Hill x Becca Cosmetics
Jaclyn Hill is one of the most well-known beauty gurus. She began making videos on YouTube many years ago and now has nearly four million subscribers and four million followers on Instagram. She first collaborated with “Becca Cosmetics” for a highlighter compact called “Champagne Pop” in 2015. The release was highly anticipated and turned out to be a huge success. So successful that Becca and Jaclyn returned about a year later with an entire array of makeup items called the “Champagne Collection.” This collection, which was released summer 2016, contained a face palette that returned for a second release in November 2016 by popular demand.

Carli Bybel x Missguided
“Missguided” is a trendy fashion brand based in the U.K. The clothing company collaborated with huge American beauty and fashion YouTuber, Carli Bybel. Carli has over five million subscribers on YouTube and over four million followers on Instagram. Her trendy fashion sense has inspired many of her followers. She released her first clothing collection wth Missguided during the summer of 2016. The collection was so sought after that Missguided’s website crashed almost immediately after the launch. The demand was so high for the pieces that Carli and Missguided decided to release the collection twice, originally only intending on having one release. This is helpful to Missguided because their brand was introduced to the millions of people who follow Carli Bybel while Carli was given an opportunity to showcase her fashion direction. 

Nicole Guerriero x Anastasia Beverly Hills
Nicole Guerriero has been on YouTube since the “beauty guru” was born and now has nearly three million subscribers. Nicole and popular brand “Anastasia Beverly Hills” joined forces to release a stunning palette of highlighters. Anastasia Beverly Hills “glow kits” have been very popular over the last two years or so and this Nicole Guerriero glow kit is no exception. It has been raved about by many on social media, using the power of YouTube to promote the release of course. The palette was released March 3rd online and will be limited edition.

Makeup companies have been born due to social media as well. Many YouTubers become successful enough that they create their own makeup lines that they can then collaborate with their fellow YouTubers.

One of the best examples is “Makeup Geek Cosmetics,” a brand used by many makeup accounts on social media. This company was started by Marlena Stell, a beauty guru on YouTube. Makeup Geek Cosmetics collaborated with fellow YouTube star Manny Guiterrez for an eyeshadow palette in 2016. 

Jeffree Star is another example of someone who used YouTube and social media to promote his or her brand. 

These companies, particularly the makeup brands, also advertise their upcoming product releases through public relations packages. Many prominent YouTubers receive a PR package with the latest collections a few weeks or days prior to the launch date. They will usually then show the new collections or products to their followers via their YouTube channels, Instagram and Twitter accounts, and even video on Snapchat. This gets the word out about the collaboration or new product and usually aids in the success of the launch. Makeup brands from “Tarte Cosmetics” to “ColorPop” to even Kylie Jenner’s makeup line “Kylie Cosmetics.”

Sources:

http://www.anastasiabeverlyhills.com 

https://www.google.com/amp/www.glamour.com/story/jaclyn-hill-champagne-glow-palette-review/amp 

https://www.instagram.com/carlibel/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/jaclynhill/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/makeupgeekcosmetics/?hl=en

https://www.instagram.com/nicoleguerriero/?hl=en

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=carli%20bybel&sm=1 

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=jaclyn%20hill&sm=1 

https://m.youtube.com/results?q=nicole%20guerriero&sm=1 

https://www.makeupgeek.com/mannymua-makeup-geek-palette-1.html