YOUTUBE—WHO I WATCH AND WHY A FEW SUGGESTIONS TO KEEP YOU BUSY

We all know that the “influencing” landscape has changed or more accurately “is changing”, as in it seems that it is constantly influx. And spearheading that change is YouTube. Good or bad, right or wrong much like Instagram it is having an impact. The jury is still out on all social media platforms; as to what will survive and what will not. But at the moment YouTube appears to dominate.

Of course YouTube is no longer YouTube in that it is now owned by Google. That may give one pause but the fundamental elements of YouTube still remain (for now). I spoke last week of the dark side of social media but when it comes to YouTube there are benefits to be sure. For me one of the best aspects of the platform is the learning component.

It can really make people who do not live these kinds of lives feel left out, and unlike the past you can’t dismiss it as not being real because it is real

If you want to know how to do something, search for it on YouTube and you are almost sure to find a tutorial. And of course watching the lives of real people. Which if reality TV is any indicator, seems to fascinate people.

However there is a dark side to this as well. In the past when one was bombarded with images of perfection and people living lives of luxury and good fortunate, it was mostly fabricated via movies, TV shows and magazines. Now? Well, now it is real. And in some ways that is worse. It can really make people who do not live these kinds of lives feel left out, and unlike the past you can’t dismiss it as not being real because it is real. Whew. A lot to consider.

I watch out of genuine interest, to get ideas, and to learn how to use technology

How do you feel about this new landscape of real perfection? Do you watch YouTube? If so, what do you watch and many hours a day do you watch? I do not watch it everyday. I generally spend one day a week where I devote a number of hours to watching the platform. I watch out of genuine interest, to get ideas, and to learn how to use technology.

If you are new to YouTube you may not know what to watch or where to begin. So today I rounded up some YouTubers that I watch on a regular basis. They are mainly in the influencer category and of course targeted to women. I do watch other YouTubers like Casey Neistat and there are plenty of other people that I watch that are not on this list, some of them are very well known so I did not include them as you probably already know who they are.

So with further delay are my suggestions for a binge worthy YouTube session:

Makeup (and fashion)

1) Amy Serrano.  Amy covers beauty and fashion with a focus on beauty. She is quirky and fun and her makeup tutorials are varied and easy to follow.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UC_a8HaeL7RWSSXQuiLKlKUg

2)  I Covet Thee. Alix is British and also focuses on beauty but includes fashion and lifestyle content on her channel. Alix is approachable and charming and I love to listen to her British accent.

https://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=i+covet+thee

A Day in the Life

This is my favorite type of YouTuber to watch, so this list is going to be longest. From models to students to full-time YouTubers you can follow along in their day-to-day lives.

1) Sanne Vloet. A fashion model who vlogs about travel, food, and life in addition to her modeling career. She is down to earth and makes relatable content which is quite a feat considering she is globe trotting model.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCgNUeSxwTH5tE9Bgvzek-5Q

2) Ashley Brooke. Ashley also vlogs about varied subjects: fashion, beauty, home design, being an entrepreneur, and her life in NYC with her husband. But be forewarned, you may experience FOMO. How people so young can afford to live this way is beyond me, but well there you go.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCrB-gI1aOqz4PQJN7HA_usg

3) Tar Mar. I love her channel. It is very real and down to earth. Tara is from Ireland and is half Irish and half Malaysian. She currently lives in NY and vlogs about her life there as well as fashion and beauty, and issues that millennials deal with in their daily lives.

https://www.youtube.com/user/TarMarTales

Frank Discussions

The two YouTubers I am featuring in this section are both known for their frank, nothing is off the table discussions on life. Of course this is offered up in-between posts on fashion, beauty, technology and home decor but if you are also looking for straight forward chats on sex, dealing with depression and navigating life, these channels are worth a look.

1) Best Dressed. Another Ashley here. Ashley lives in LA and is a film student. She is very funny and talks a mile a minute. She covers everything from decorating your space, to how to use technology, to sex, fashion and beauty.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCnQhwPVwcP-DnbUZtIMrupw

2) Vagabond Youth. Amy covers similar content to Ashley but includes travel. I actually discovered Amy’s channel when doing a search on Paris. She is hilarious but also thought provoking, which is what makes her channel so watchable.

https://www.youtube.com/user/shopvagabondyouth

Sustainable and Affordable Fashion

In this section I am including two YouTubers who focus on buying pre-loved second hand clothing and show you how to shop for it, and how to style it and look super on trend. Both channels are very inspiring and fun to watch.

1) Karen Brith Chick. Karen as the name suggests is British but she currently lives in New York. She is loud in a good way, funny and has a great knack for putting together out of the box looks. She often collaborates with the second YouTuber in this section Beth Jones (as well as Tar Mar).

https://www.youtube.com/user/WhereDidUGetThatNY

2) B Jones Style. Beth of B Jones Style is the queen of thrifting and she makes forgotten, I would never wear that clothing look appealing and fashion forward. She breaths new life in to what is thrown away and shows you how to rock these discarded pieces like an in-demand it girl.

https://www.youtube.com/user/bjonesstyle

Photography and Technology

1) Jessica Kobeissi. Jessica is a true inspiration. She earns a living via YouTube where she shares her knowledge of photography from shooting, to Photoshop and Light Room to ideas to inspire. I included her channel as most of us who maintain blogs do want to up our photography skills.

https://www.youtube.com/user/jessicakphoto

Old Souls

And finally in this section I am included two Youtubers who albeit being very young seem to have a wisdom that goes beyond their years. I could have included them in the Day in the Life section but I singled them out for their insight and mindfulness. One of them recommended the book “When Nations Fail” so yep not your typical influencer.

1) Elena Taber. Elena is from southern California and currently lives in New York. She vlogs about life, diet, fashion, beauty and travel. I also discovered her channel when doing a search on Paris where she lived for a while when she was in school. She has great editing skills and her videos are engaging and a joy to watch.

https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCDBroOWVP4aN8SYM0br6sJQ

2) Bea Jonite. Bea lives on the opposite end of the world from Elena, in Latvia. She too blogs about life, diet, fashion and beauty but she also includes discussions on politics and is not afraid to share the mistakes she has made in life; like the five days she spent in jail for drunk driving. So if you are looking for a breath of fresh air her channel should not be missed.

https://www.youtube.com/user/xochanelegance

Well there you have it, some suggestions to keep you busy on YouTube. I hope you enjoy and let me know if there is anyone you watch that you think is work a look.

Image via Tar Marz