JUST DO IT!

Starting a YouTube channel, was something I wanted to do but I was so afraid. I didn’t know where to start or exactly what to do and I wanted my branding to be specific. I didn’t know how to edit and I didn’t have the equipment.

Did I really want to put myself out there to be trolled??? The advice I kept receiving was just do it, YOU WILL BE GREAT ON CAMERA!

So I’m sharing my thoughts and tips on this YouTube phenomenon that is sweeping the makeup industry as the go-to source for information on all things beauty!

THE COMPETITION

There are a lot of channels offering makeup tips, tutorials, get ready with me, vlogs and reviews. However, I am also truly bothered by the fact that it was becoming the standard for some inaccurate information.

I love the platform, I subscribe to so many beauty vloggers that are killing it and I adore all of them and their work. The frustration came mainly because I heard and saw so much misinformation.

I also realized I don’t know of any professional makeup artists that are women of color on youtube applying makeup on people of all races and ethnicities.

No matter if you are doing makeup on yourself or on someone else, you have a responsibility to give the correct advice. But as a viewer, it’s also important to follow the experts who are actual professional makeup artists with experience working in the entertainment, fashion, and advertising industry as well.

Here are some of my favorites:

TAKING THE FIRST STEP

With the help and encouragement from my makeup buddy Mathias, he came over and assisted me with filming and editing. I had gotten used to being in front of the camera by being a guest on his channel. Most makeup artists are behind the scenes and the majority of us don’t wear a full face of makeup on the daily!

Mathias and Lavonne

8 months later…I still only have 1 video posted as I type this, however, the ring light is bought, softboxes bought, microphone bought, branding decided, video editor hired and there are 10 new videos in the pipeline!

The fear of putting myself out there with no makeup, a skin rash, hyperpigmentation, half an eyebrow and no real editing skills had me SHOOK! However, I let go of the fear and told myself I have to start somewhere.

Starting a youtube channel for me was about sharing accurate information with you and the people who ask me all the time about my skincare routine, my product favorites, should I do this or should I do that, how do you apply eyeshadow on a hooded eye, etcetera. But most important was, I wanted to show you makeup being applied correctly and accurately on civilians and models and not just myself.

Collaboration with Mathias

Therefore, if you are a makeup artist, I highly suggest you go for it. We need to be educating people on what we have learned through our experience of working with real clients. Or else the next generation is going to be looking CRAZY!

The industry is changing and in my opinion, more professional makeup artists should have a louder voice on this platform.

This post contains affiliate links. This means at no cost to you; I will receive compensation if you purchase something through one of these links.

MY TIPS FOR STARTING A CHANNEL

Here are the top 15 things I’ve learned my first 6 months of starting a YouTube channel

Just do it, don’t “what if” yourself to death, you have to start somewhere!
Watch videos on how to set up your equipment and edit and invest in training yourself on iMovie, Final Cut Pro or Adobe Creative Cloud. I still need to learn more so in the meantime, I hired an amazing teenager who loves editing!
Set up your laptop or a monitor where you are filming and take advantage of the Utility software so you can use it as a remote…this was life-changing for me!
Figure out your branding, typography, style and film quality in advance. I love these plugins I heard about from Shameless Maya’s youtube channel.
Know your market. You can check it by looking at your Instagram analytics with a business profile to see who your demographic is.
Invest in a DSLR camera, microphone, and good lighting. I use the Canon Rebel T3i I bought on Craigslist for $350, Neewer 18″ LED ring light and 2 softboxes.

Canon Rebel T3i

Boya Microphone

Neewer 18″ LED Ring Light

LimoStudio Soft Box
Decide if you want to talk during your videos or do a voice over. Voice over I feel is better if someone else is editing or until you get more advanced in your skills.
Hold up your products so the camera can focus on it….duh! Or add images of the products in your video.
Don’t forget to film your intro and your outro and take pictures of yourself.
Please have a manicure…if I see another chipped nail! #smh
Be yourself, don’t try to act and sound like another person.
Put an item above the lens to look at so your eyes are looking into the camera and not the view finder.
Make sure you have at least 2-3 back up batteries and more than one SD card.
Be Patient. Don’t expect to make a ton of money or any at all in the beginning, so schedule your time to film and edit like it’s your “real” job.
Promote, Promote, Promote your channel on all social media, once you have 100 subscribers you can personalize your URL!