I don't want to be a beauty guru. I quit.

I do NOT want to be a ‘beauty guru’ anymore.

Is it just me or is YouTube becoming a competition of who can have the biggest mansion, the most designer handbags, the longest – fakest nails… the biggest lips etc? Have we forgotten what it means to be on YouTube? To me, being on YouTube in the ‘beauty community’ means that I aim to be helpful to my audience, to inspire, to provide information on my chosen subject, and to connect with my followers – which is something that I don’t see a lot of ‘beauty gurus’ doing these days.

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[actinglikeseals]

I’m so with you. I️ HATE PR unboxings. They’re so tacky. The amount of excess sickens me. I️ think people do PR unboxings because it’s an easy way to feature products in videos and in turn get sent even MORE stuff. It’s disgusting. Thanks for being normal!!! It’s so rare nowadays, but so wonderful to watch!

[adventuresofatwentysomethi]

Your ability to remain realistic, and "approachable" is the reason I started watching YouTube videos! You're my fave.

[KatieIbsen]

It's interesting to see people feeling this way in other communities. I'm a cosplayer and personally, I feel the same way. The "cosplay community" has become oversaturated with "cosplayers" who only do oversexualized versions of cosplay, for money. The fake boobs, the makeup, the same character in lacy langerie, it's kind of the same feeling I think you're having towards the makeup community

[HeatherHowser]

The big “beauty gurus” are a bunch of narcissistic reality show wannabes. I appreciate those of you who keep it real and relatable.

[jenluv]

One of my subscribers recommended that I watch this video and I'm so thankful. I feel like people "vote with their views" about what they want to see. The fact is that people are WATCHING the channels that you describe for one reason or another. Channels that are more information based and feature creators who aren't "perfect" simply don't get as many views. There are exceptions, but I'm speaking in general terms. I've heard of your channel, but I've never watched a video from you before. Just subscribed!

[Skewzzme]

I️ 100% agree with you on this topic, the beauty community has gone downhill lately. You are one of the few “gurus” I️ will watch, simply because you are YOU! Thanks for being so transparent!!

[annasliwa]

This is why i love you Stephanie. Your video was the very first one ive ever seen on youtube when i started looking into learning makeup and i followed you since. Thank you for doing what you do and for being a real person. Dont ever change.
P.s. i never commented anywhere on youtube before but i felt like a thank you is in order here :*

[nancyfong]

I have hit the unsubscribe button to so many "gurus" this past year because of many things you have touched upon. I am starting to feel like I'm watching infomercials. There is no possible way that a person can genuinely like every single product that they receive thru PR! They become transparent real fast!

[paddymcmarlar]

Coming from a mature beauty subscriber of 62, I think you are a gem! Good for you for blasting the fakeness and plasticness of our world today and our ridiculous obsession with looks and body perfection, especially in my dear old USA. One of the main reasons why I love the mature beauty community of 50+ on YT is that they are so real, genuine, and so very supportive of one another. Most of them have lived long enough and survived the struggles that life has dealt them to be quite wise and know the meaning of kindness.

[StephanieMarie]

Stephanie, I've always loved you but have watched from afar and haven't commented. I'm small potatoes in comparison to your channel, but I feel the SAME way you do. I'm getting PR and have done some sponsorships BUT I'm SO SELECTIVE about any sponsorships and I've resolved to never ever do PR unboxings for the same reasons. It just seems so braggy to me. I film in front of my bed with my dog in the background and talk to my community intelligently because that's what matters, right? I love them! I show myself at my worst because it's helpful! I'm even weird about posting this reply because I HATE replying under channels about MY channel because I feel like it's spammy. Please don't take it that way because I never ever try to self-promote under someone else's video...that drives me crazy! I don't know how I missed this video when it loaded! But I wanted to tell you that NO, from one "non" beauty guru to another, you're NOT alone! 😘

[jessicawoodmus]

Way to go finally someone speaks out and says the truth I'm sick of it everybody's the same every video I see everybody's doing the same eyeshadow palette the same look it's getting tedious and when they do their openings it looks like the rubbing the face who gets more I don't mind the openings but come on now when they make an hour of it I love some beauty gurus cuz they actually help you like you help us and you tell us the products good or not so thank you for being real and honest

[EmmaVictoriaTV]

This is exactly how I feel too! I'm so glad a bigger YouTuber has come out and said the same thing! I wanted to start my own channel, taking it back to basics with make up, beauty and SFX, trying to teach people and share my passion rather than showing off like all these "perfect beauty gurus" do nowadays, but the epidemic of them has made me feel completely "less than" and like I'm not good enough. I feel like we need a new wave of "beauty gurus" who are more down to earth and relatable like the OG gurus were back in the day!

[laurennorton]

I totally agree. There are some youtubers who have morphed into someone completely different than they were when they started. I thought it was just me but I’ve been unsubscribing a lot recently - I thought I was just getting old and cranky! I now have my couple of trusted favs that I stick with because of their honesty and lack of pretension.
Please NEVER do an unboxing video, I feel like they are just an extended infomercial and worry they will make my eyes bleed.

[Mellyouttaphase]

Insecurity. That’s what it can give your audience. I go through phases where I feel I need to to get Botox, fillers, finally cave and get rhinoplasty and I know that means I have to take a step back from what content I am watching! I don’t watch TV, read magazines, etc, so this is my main “media outlet” really. I think this is a very responsibly made video and what an impressionable market needs to hear - thanks, Steph! X

[tonistark]

You are spot on! Thank you for telling it like it is!!! I’m a 60 y/o subscriber who wants to better my application of makeup not to see what you “have”! I appreciate your stance on not unboxing although you certainly can and I wouldn’t take it as bragging from you. Keep up the great content and I appreciate you! Congrats on 1M subscribers, honey, you deserve it!

[TahliaaJIRL]

THANK YOU SO MUCH!
I totally agree with this. Its kind of the same for my line of work. I guess my job title is an "Instagram Influencer" (I don't have a lot of followers but enough to make a living from it) AND every god damn "instagram model" is trying to create this false reality out of it. I feel like I don't fit in anymore because I don't have the fake boobs, fake lips or the fake lifestyle. Its getting so ridiculous and everyone is looking up to these people and wishing their life was like theirs. I try to raise awareness about this a lot because people need to realise they don't need to be fake to be beautiful.

[gemmag]

I love how honest and open you are. I really enjoy watching your videos and you are so down to earth and relatable. I’m never made to feel insecure If don’t compare to your lifestyle. Please keep doing what you’re doing and don’t change you’re amazing and have helped me feel more confident to try different makeup looks 💖💖💖💖💖💖

[madisonl]

And THIS is exactly why I love you so much! I am so over all these huge Youtubers (Jaclyn Hill, Manny, Jeffree, Laura Lee) who first of all have so much filler and work done that they look like caricatures of their original selves. They use filters on every video, complain about how things don't look good but we don't see anything like that because the lights and filters blur out every imperfection. It makes normal people feel like shit about themselves. PR unboxing can be ok if the YT is appreciative, but often times they just throw shit around and it doesn't feel good. I love you, I appreciate you and how real and genuine and morally correct you are. Keep being you and please, don't ever sell out!

[creachickofficial]

The only beauty youtuber I follow is you. I don't know why, because I hate beauty youtubers lol. And I own maybe 5 makeup products 😂 I really love to watch your videos. I think you are very open and just you. That's a compliment. So, don't be a beauty guru. Just be you! I think that's why people follow you. That's why I follow you. Love from Holland

[BriannaStanko]

THIS WAS THE BEST VIDEO!!! I totally agree