The Makeup Influencers Taking Social Media by Storm in 2023
Jan 07, 2021
Influencer News
Social media and makeup influencers are quite literally a match made in heaven for marketers.
From in-depth makeup tutorials to get-ready-with-me videos and product reviews, these artistic creators often have some of the highest engagement rates on the internet, due to their visual content thriving on visual mediums, such as TikTok, Instagram and YouTube.
To the beauty brands among you, partnering with makeup influencers for your next influencer marketing campaign can lead you to an engaged audience who want to try new products recommended by their favourite creators.
New to influencer marketing?
Enlisting the help of a beauty marketing agency will alleviate your worries and put your brand in good stead for driving sales and increasing brand awareness/reach.
In this blog, we will walk you through the best platforms out there for makeup influencers and beauty brands alike, as well as some notable creators who just might inspire your next campaign.
Where can you find makeup influencers?
The very essence of a makeup influencer is to create something visually appealing. After all, makeup is an art and, oftentimes, art is visual.
There could be no better platform to do this on, than Instagram.
Unlike video-dominated platforms, Instagram offers the best of both worlds. It allows makeup influencers to post short-form video, but also static images, which are great for showing before and after results. #Makeup is also the most popular beauty-related hashtag on the platform, making it a haven for both influencers and brands to increase content visibility.
Home to more makeup influencers than anywhere else, Instagram is the perfect place for brands to cash in on their influencer marketing efforts and with Instagram’s shopping feature, customers can buy directly from the brand without ever having to leave the app.
Notable beauty campaigns:
The sheer scale of Instagram means it has played host to a multitude of marketing campaigns. Of these campaigns, one immediately stands out to us.
Glossier.
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Glossier is a makeup and skincare brand completely powered by Instagram beauty influencers. Since 2014, it has banked on user-generated content to promote products, launch campaigns and empower regular women in the beauty sector.
Notable makeup influencers:
Mei Pang – @meicrosoft
Mei has 1.9M followers and is best known for mixing the worlds of makeup and art. She regularly comes up with unique looks that inspire many other makeup influencers on this platform.
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Jenna – @bigfatjenna
Jenna is one of Instagram’s most talented micro beauty influencers with 57.6K followers. As well as creating everyday makeup tutorials, she often dabbles in the world of creative makeup, transforming herself into different characters.
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Mitchell Halliday – @mmmmitchell
Makeup artist and colour extraordinaire Mitchell is one of the app’s top male makeup influencers. He is the founder and CEO of MadeByMitchell and regularly posts tutorials.
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Ling – @ling.kt
Ling has 1.3M followers and is a makeup and trichology expert. Her page mostly consists of makeup tutorials and product reviews.
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Colleen Milner – @colleen.makeupp
The original creator of the stop-motion makeup challenge, Colleen shares her love for colour and creativity with her 474k followers.
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Abbie Louise – @abs.shadows
Manchester-based MUA Abbie has 67.3k followers with whom she shares her client transformations. She specialises in soft glam and can be booked for weddings, ecommerce and even 1-1 lessons.
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Dasia Janae – @dajjrambo
With 156k followers, makeup artist Dasia posts makeup tutorials and GRWM videos.
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Jen Seren – @jennseren
Jen is one of the most creative makeup influencers you will come across on Instagram. Her colourful, avant-garde looks are enough to inspire any aspiring makeup artist to take the plunge and begin their influencer journey.
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Lena – @lenkalul
With 2.5M followers, Lena is a go-to for everyday, wearable makeup looks and product recommendations. Her page features a lot of reviews, makeup tutorials and makeup challenges.
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TikTok
Though it does not host the most makeup influencers on the internet, TikTok is where you can find the highest engagement rates. The platform’s short-form video format makes it perfect for creators to post makeup hacks, quick how-to videos and challenges, such as Meredith Duxbury’s famous foundation technique.
Thanks to its never ending stream of viral trends, TikTok is the perfect place for brands to partner with creators and hop on the bandwagon to create engaging content.
Notable beauty campaigns:
As previously mentioned, TikTok runs a constant stream of videos 24/7, so how do brands ensure that their content doesn’t get lost in the sea of it all?
NYX Cosmetics did a brilliant job of being seen with their #ButterGlossPop campaign. This saw huge creator engagement, resulting in 10 billion views and 2 million user-generated videos.
@vereenasayed might be stuck at home all day but at least my lip gloss is still poppin ? #butterglosspop @nyxcosmetics #ad ♬ Butter Gloss Pop – NYX Cosmetics
For the campaign, NYX reached out to influencers of all sizes and, as a rule, doesn’t ask for a specific number of followers to be featured in their campaigns and on their pages.
Notable makeup influencers:
Meredith Duxbury – @meredithduxbury
Meredith has 17.8M followers and is best known for her controversial foundation application technique, which sparked the ‘Meredith challenge’ across all platforms. She regularly posts makeup tutorials while lip-syncing to popular songs.
@meredithduxburyI’M GOING TO DISNEYLAND FOR THE FIRST TIME EVER!!!!!! IN TOKYO!!!!! ???♬ original sound – Meredith Duxbury
Mikayla Nogueira – @mikaylanogueira
Hailed the queen of makeup on TikTok, Mikayla has fast become a household name within the beauty community. With 14.6M followers you can expect to find a lot of product reviews and tutorials on her account.
@mikaylanogueira I LOVE THIS NEW SERIES AND I HAVE A BUNCH OF BRANDS LINED UP TO TRY ???? #makeup #beauty ♬ original sound – Mikayla Nogueira
Kylee Fleek – @kyleefleekmakeup
Kylee is one of TikTok’s most popular male makeup influencers with 398.8K followers. On his page you can expect to find tutorials for graphic liner looks, product reviews and general makeup tips for making makeup last and not look cakey.
@kyleefleekmakeup Replying to @kyleefleekmakeup butterfly eyeshadow ?? my first attempt at actual line work and i’m pretty happy omg ✨ #makeup #makeuptutorial #makeupgrwm #beauty ♬ original sound – ✨ Kylee Fleek ✨
Tyra Harrison – @tyra.mua
Your makeup influencer list is not complete without Tyra. Her mesmerising makeup transformations have earned her a total of 33M likes and 784.2K followers. Her looks are colourful, bold and totally avant-garde.
@tyra.mua i love it ? #foryou #makeup #transition ♬ stargirl interlude – daddy’s girl & creamy & 11:11 Music Group
Kaylee – @dontgetoffendedpls
As a micro influencer on TikTok, Kaylee specialises in glass skin and soft glam tutorials. She has 52.1K followers and regularly posts GRWM videos.
@dontgetoffendedpls grwm ✨ ps i got distracted watching the office #grwm #makeup #makeuptutorial #makeuphacks #makeuproutine #getreadywithme #skincare ♬ IMU – Muni Long
Kate Grant – @kategrantmodel
Kate is the UK and Ireland’s first model with Down Syndrome. She has 240.4K followers, with whom she shares ‘day-in-the-life’ videos and makeup tutorials.
@kategrantmodel let’s do some makeup? #grwm ♬ original sound – Kate Grant
Nykita – @neoitgirl
Nykita is an NYC-based trans female model and (ex) makeup artist. She shares everyday makeup tutorials and makeup tips with her 644.7K followers, as well as skin prep videos.
@neoitgirl Replying to @ch3rrycokeboy Juicy skin for the people!!! #skincareroutine #glassskin #makeuptips #grwm #neoitgirl ♬ Chopin Nocturne No. 2 Piano Mono – moshimo sound design
Erin Parsons – @erinparsonsmakeup
Erin is the global makeup artist for Maybelline and vintage makeup collector. She shares her love for vintage makeup, as well as classic glam tutorials with her 1.7M followers and can be expected to be seen painting Gigi Hadid a lot of the time.
@erinparsonsmakeup Some comments questioned my talent because of how I wear my own makeup so here’s a glimpse into my portfolio. The way I express myself has nothing to do with my work ✨ #makeupartist ♬ original sound – ChickenButt!
Belle Hassan – @bellehassan
Ex-islander and internet sensation Belle has 453.5K TikTok followers. She encapsulates “Gen Z makeup” perfectly in her tutorials, which are full of colour and creativity.
@bellehassan Remember baby girl you can buy your self flowers ? #valentinesday #valentinesdayinspo #valentinesdaymakeup #galentinesday #flowers #mileycyrus #mileycyrusflowers ♬ Flowers – Miley Cyrus
Amelia Olivia – @amelia0livia
As one of TikTok’s fastest growing makeup influencers, Amelia specialises in flawless base makeup and general tips and tricks for slaying your everyday makeup looks. She has 1.2M followers and a total of 36.4M likes.
@amelia0livia Testing Makeup Underpainting?? The Mary Phillips Technique #underpaintingmakeup #maryphillipsmakeuptechnique #celebritymakeuptutorial ♬ original sound – Amelia Olivia
YouTube
Though short-form video content is dominating our screens nowadays, YouTube is where it all began for makeup influencers.
Yes, TikTok videos and Reels might be consumed more easily, but makeup tutorials require in-depth walkthroughs, meaning more time; making YouTube’s longer video format perfect for a lot of creators.
Another positive to come from longer videos is that viewers get to spend more time developing a connection with their favourite influencers. Once a YouTube influencer has built up their following, their scheduled posts can be more anticipated and therefore receive more views. This is great for brands who wish to collaborate with established influencers to increase brand awareness or drive sales with the promotion of a new product.
Notable beauty campaigns:
Harnessing the power of YouTube makeup influencers is ColourPop. This brand has historically relied on social media advertising to sell products and launch new ones. Over the years, they have partnered with some of YouTube’s most popular beauty and makeup influencers to increase brand visibility and it’s safe to say their efforts have been extremely successful. With 10.1M Instagram followers, ColourPop is now one of the world’s leading makeup brands offering luxury formulas for accessible prices.
Like NYX Cosmetics, ColourPop features influencers of all shapes and sizes. Their inclusivity allows for them to constantly repurpose user-generated content across their socials.
Notable makeup influencers:
Jamie Genevieve – @jamiegenevieve
Beginning her YouTube career in 2013, Jamie has amassed 994K subscribers and put out a grand total of 658 videos. The Scottish makeup artist began her career working on makeup counters and has since gone on to launch her own brand Vieve. Her channel consists of makeup tutorials using her own products and promotional content for the brands she regularly partners with.
Carli Bybel – @CarliBel55
Carli is one of YouTube OG makeup influencers, posting her first makeup tutorial all the way back in 2011. Since then she has gone on to earn 6.1M subscribers, launch multiple collaborations with makeup brands and collaborate with some of YouTube’s top influencers. On her channel, you can find tutorials, product reviews and lifestyle content.
Manny Gutierrez – @Mannymua733
Manny is one of YouTube’s most popular male makeup influencers. Since posting his first video in 2014, he has amassed 4.86M subscribers and launched his own brand Lunar Beauty. He continues to promote the message that makeup is genderless in every tutorial, first impressions video and GRWM that he posts.
Nikkie de Jager – @nikkietutorials
Nikkie Tutorials. Need we say any more?
Hailed as the queen of the entire beauty community, Nikkie is the 4th most subscribed-to beauty channel on the platform, with 14.1M subscribers. On her channel you can expect to find colour, full coverage makeup and a variety of beauty-related content; from tutorials (hence the name) and product reviews to makeup challenges and celebrity collaborations.
Jackie Aina – @jackieaina
When we say your list isn’t complete without Jackie, we really mean it. She is another of YouTube’s OG creators, posting her first video back in 2009! With everything Jackie does, her goal is to always redefine standards and change the face of beauty. Her makeup tutorials radiate luxury and her message of self-love and care is present in all that she does.
Edward Avila – @EdwardAvila0
Eddy is a Filipino beauty influencer living in Seoul. He specialises in K-beauty and skincare and shares product reviews and makeup tutorials on achieving the look with his 1.57M subscribers. He regularly collaborates with famous Kpop groups and does the makeup of idols, adding his signature comedic edits to every video.
Soph – @sophdoeslife
Soph is a UK-based makeup influencer with 1.4M subscribers. Since posting her first video in 2014, she has gone on to release product collaborations with the likes of Revolution and Skinny Dip. For realistic makeup tutorials for your everyday look, Soph has you covered. Her product reviews are honest and authentic, making her a go-to influencer for recommendations.
Jordan Lipscombe – @jordanlipscombe5222
If you’re from the UK, Jordan will be a name you instantly recognise. As well as having 1.8M YouTube subscribers, she is also incredibly popular on TikTok with 1M followers. On her channel you can expect to find in-depth tutorials on super glam looks, as well as regular daily vlogs and brand reviews.
Nyma Tang – @NymaTang
Nyma has 1.3M subscribers and is the go-to makeup influencer for people with darker complexions. Her series ‘The darkest shade’ highlights the need for immediate change within the beauty industry when it comes to creating inclusive products. Alongside advocating for change, Nyma also posts first impressions videos and regularly updates her makeup/skincare routine videos.
John Maclean – @Houseofmaclean
John is not your average beauty YouTuber…he’s far better! His incredibly detailed makeup tutorials have earned him 737K subscribers and, being the palest shade in almost every complexion product out there, he advocates for shade inclusivity. On his channel, you can expect to find product reviews and makeup tips presented by the most calming voice.
FAQ’s
Who is the most popular makeup influencer?
On Instagram, Huda Kattan is the most popular beauty influencer with 50M subscribers.
On TikTok, Meredith Duxbury and Mikyalya Nogueira are the most popular makeup influencers.
On YouTube, NikkieTutorials holds the title for the most popular beauty influencer.
Who is the richest makeup influencer?
Safiya Nygaard is the top earning makeup influencer, with an estimated earning of $196,877 per post across TikTok, YouTube and Instagram
Who are the top British makeup influencers on Instagram?
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