I am a small makeup and skincare fashion vlogger on Youtube with less than 50k followers. What got me inspired to start a channel on Youtube? My love and passion for others who also looked at makeup and fashion as a form of expressive art. As someone who struggled with skincare issues like cystic acne my whole life, I wanted to provide help and guidance to others on how I get rid of mine as well as how I cover it up with makeup. Connecting with people that I’ve never met and formed great relationships just makes me really happy!
When I first started out, I vlogged for myself and uploaded my videos on YouTube as my journey into the world of makeup, skincare, and fashion. To be honest, there were times that I would vlog but not upload those videos because I felt vulnerable, shy, not good enough, not pretty enough to upload, and didn’t to show that part of me on Youtube. But, I soon realized that it was very therapeutic, even though I got less than 100 views per video in the first few months.
Before I was vlogging, I had limited self-confidence, I didn’t feel pretty nor smart. But, I realized that I wasn’t allowed and many others also didn’t feel confident. When I started getting comments and private messages from people who watched my daily vlogs, makeup tutorials, story times, and OOTDs, I saw how much I made people happy and how I helped them start their journeys in makeup, fashion, skincare or in whatever their interests were.
It wasn’t easy starting out, I felt very alone and I didn’t know what accessories and equipment I needed. I followed bigger Youtube Gurus but their equipment was way out of my budget! So, I asked myself if I could start out filming on my iPhone and editing from my camera. The answer was yes! But, I still needed extra gear to bring my videos to the next level!
I would alternate recording between my iPhone (perfect for vlogs and showing my outfits) and recording from the webcam on my MacBook Pro when I wanted to share a story or offer tips and tricks on different subjects. When I earned my first paycheck from Youtube, I invested in the Blue Yeti Mic to do voiceovers in my tutorials like this one on Amazon. My audience grew and so did my expectations to provide great quality content so I saved up and purchased a Canon EOS Rebel T6 from their official website. It’s easy to carry, relatively lightweight, and great image quality (after all, many YouTubers also use this camera to vlog). I found this blog post that went into great details of which camera and setup do popular Youtubers use, so if you want to purchase a setup that’s similar to a Youtuber’s style you like, you can now!
Whether I shoot with my iPhone or my Canon, I always shoot with a tripod that can support my camera and my iPhone! This helps me capture stable and supported videos and makes my videos look much more professional. I purchased this smartphone/camera tripod from Amazon and it came with its own smartphone clamp so I didn’t need to purchase one separately, it fits both my older iPhone 7 and newer iPhone XR! It also fits my camera easily without shakiness and the affordable price makes it even more worth it! If you are looking for similar tripods for iPhones, you can check out this blog post here and all of the tripods mentioned also include an iPhone adapter! That’s actually how I found my tripod and I’m thinking of getting the Joby GorillaPod 5k for my GoPro! I also use a selfie ring for my photos and videos because it makes me glow! The one that I have is this one that I also purchased off of Amazon. It’s my go-to for shooting makeup tutorials! I love it and I’m sure if you would too, especially if you’re like me and want to shoot makeup/hair tutorials. As of now, I am thinking of getting a GoPro as I intend to expand on my world traveling vlogs!
You don’t need all of these accessories but if vlogging for yourself or on YouTube is something you are interested in, I’ve provided you with the equipment that you can find in my bag (none of these are sponsored nor am I using any affiliate links to earn a commission as I want to be completely transparent with you guys), I simply want to guide others to vlogging so they can see the benefits for themselves because, for me, it really helped and made me feel like I can do anything if I’m able to be myself on Youtube!
As for post-production, I still edit on iMovie for convenience but you can use other options like Final Cut Pro (I just find it a little too complicated for me, not to mention expensive too). I recommend watching this tutorial on Youtube on how to edit and film vlogs if you’re new to iMovie. There’s a ton of resources on YouTube to help you get started!
And to end this blog post, here are the 5 ways that vlogging on YouTube has drastically improved my self-confidence and me as a person!
- By showing myself to the world without any acne and my natural hair, I was able to be completely honest with myself. It requires a lot of courage to show all of your little imperfections and flaws to be out there in the world! After all, that’s what makes me different!
- I was able to engage with my audience and learn about the lives and struggles of people who watch my channel, we were able to talk about any stresses or anxieties we experience in a safe and accepting environment. This made me realize that I am not alone!
- My vlogs are a reflection of my life, I was able to record these diaries and be transparent with the world, even when I was feeling sad, I expressed myself and didn’t bottle any emotions in! By being vulnerable, I was able to show myself to the world.
- This is very important! My makeup, hairstyles, skin, and clothing improved because I was expressing my creativity through art.
- Since I needed to purchase a gear like a camera, tripod, selfie light, and a mic, this allowed me to get out more often into the world (with and without makeup, being myself) and I was able to explore the wonders and beauty of the world. I started to learn about photography and I would say that it’s my second favorite hobby besides fashion!
So, go out there and get filming if it’s something you’ve wanted to do! Don’t be afraid of being yourself because your audience on YouTube will love you for it!