All hail the internet for #inspo: Here's our top 9 beauty influencers to follow

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1/10

They command legions on Instagram. Their YouTube videos are the beauty industry’s equivalent of Game of Thrones, with viewership that can number in the millions. Cosmetic brands fly them in for glamourous events, some even sign them on as Ambassadors or develop new products especially for their collaboration. Yes, we’re talking about the beauty queens of social media.

Here, we highlight some of the biggest influencers on the beauty scene that you should keep a beady beauty eye on.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

 

Amata Chittasenee

2/10

@pearypie

IG followers: 1.5 million

YouTube subscribers: 319,000

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/pearypie

Watch her for: Funny, snazzy makeup tutorials and globe-trotting videos.

 

This superstar of Thai social media has both the fan numbers and the street cred, boasting a degree in theatre from the University of Arts in London and experience as a regular makeup artist at London Fashion Week (she’s self-taught, by the way).

A veritable beauty chameleon, she rocks just about every look under the sun, whether it’s cornrow braids, rainbow makeup or clean-face pretty – and her videos show you how you can too. Refreshingly, she doesn’t seem to take herself all too seriously and is not afraid to go in front of the camera totally bare-faced. Warning: her IG travel photos can induce a serious case of the envies.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

Karen Yeung

3/10

@iamkareno

IG followers: 537,000

YouTube subscribers: 1.4 million

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/iamkareno

Watch her for: Trend-led makeup tutorials and practical, beauty-on-a-budget videos.

 

Born in Hong Kong but raised in the U.S where she is still based, Yeung has a cool, sassy street style which she attributes to tough city living.  Since uploading her first video four years ago, she’s worked hard to differentiate herself from the mass of beauty influencers with her distinctive image and snappy, well-edited videos. Her channel also features videos on fashion and styling tips.

Interestingly, she was among the new generation of beauty trendsetters ‘discovered’ by Michelle Phan, who had set up a professionally equipped studio for use by selected up-and-comers.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

Annabel Lee

4/10

@followthatway

IG followers: 115,000

YouTube subscribers: 5,500

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCxq95OjKHv4yj3iOPlvwIRw/featured

Watch her for: Stunning nail art and how-to videos.

 

Looking at the close-up shots of her painstakingly painted talons (seriously, the detailing is incredible), you’d expect it to be the work of a highly experienced professional nail artist. Surprise, surprise! Lee is a 24-year-old assistant manager at the National Arts Council who freelances as a nail artist on the side.

Her YouTube channel has plenty of videos showing, step by step, how her elaborate designs were done. They’re tough acts to follow – you’ll need two steady hands, a bit of artistic flair and infinite patience – but even if you can’t quite pull it off, they’re still a great source of inspiration and ideas.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

Park Hye Min

5/10

@ponysmakeup

IG followers: 4 million

YouTube subscribers: 2.85 million

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCT-_4GqC-yLY1xtTHhwY0hA

Watch her for: K-beauty trends, expert makeup tutorials and celebrity transformation videos.

 

She’s one of South Korea’s most famous makeup artists and YouTube star, with four makeup books and her own cosmetics line, Pony Effect, under her belt. And since becoming personal face-painter to K-pop singer CL (from girl group 2NE1), her profile’s never been higher.

Her makeup videos are well put-together and easy to follow, showcasing topics from natural dos to makeup for monolids and colour trends. Best part? Most of them come with English subtitles so us non-Korean speakers can benefit too. For a demonstration of just how good her skills are, check out her famous celebrity doppelganger videos, where she uses makeup to transform herself into stars like Taylor Swift and Kylie Jenner. See it to believe it.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

Miyake Ng

6/10

@mykxii

IG followers: 108,000

Blog: https://mykxii.com/

Watch her for: Simple makeup tutorials and reviews of Asian products and services.

 

This local blogger was recently named Singapore’s Top Beauty Influencer at the Influence Asia Awards 2017, which celebrated the most prominent social media movers-and-shakers across the region. Previously operating as part of a blogger collective, she moved to her own blog at the end of last year, which may explain why it’s yet to chalk up many postings (most of her product reviews were left on the old blog or deleted).

Her Instagram and Facebook features posts about product and services try-outs, as well as photos from her travels. She has also recently started putting up brief makeup and unboxing videos on YouTube.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

Michelle Phan

7/10

@michellephan

IG followers: 2.2 million

YouTube subscribers: 8.95 million

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/MichellePhan?hl=en-GB&gl=SG

Watch her for: Honest, non-sponsored product reviews and fun, themed makeup tutorials.

 

We’d be remiss if we didn’t include the grand doyen Michelle Phan, one of YouTube’s earliest beauty vlogging sensations. Her videos cover trend reports, reviews and makeup tutorials on looks ranging from the everyday to the outrageous (Sailor Moon or Zombie Barbie transformation, anyone?), chalking up a mindboggling 1.1 billion views. No wonder she made it onto Forbes’ ‘30 Under 30’ list in 2015.  

Since then, she has evolved into a bona fide business juggernaut, co-founding Ipsy, a beauty products subscription company worth over USD$500 million, and launching a beauty and lifestyle network called ICON. After a year-long hiatus last year during which she went on a digital detox, she’s back and set to conquer the world again with the relaunch of Em, her cosmetics line which she bought back from L’Oreal.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

Leanne Ho

8/10

@loveforskincare

IG followers: 60,200

Blog: http://loveforskincare.com/about/

Watch her for: Gorgeous product porn and news on latest launches.

 

A veteran of the local beauty blogosphere, this former air stewardess’s jetabout days gave her solid knowledge about the importance of looking after skin and how. It’s evident from her face – she’s a 45-year-old stay-home mum who looks a decade younger.

Since she started posting photos of pretty makeup buys and shopping hauls five years ago, her beautifully styled and shot flatlays that make you want to buy, buy, buy have become her calling card. Little wonder, then, that she’s also on the VIP list of many beauty brands hoping to get a shout-out on her account. She doesn’t do videos for now, but her blog contains news and detailed reviews of the latest launches and services.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

Jen Kim

9/10

@meejmuse

IG followers: 91,200

YouTube subscribers: 429,000

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/meejmuse?hl=en-GB&gl=SG

Watch her for: English reviews of Korean beauty products and shopping haul videos.

 

This Australian-born Korean YouTuber, blogger and former Arirang TV reporter now dedicates her time to providing scoops on what’s hot (and not) in K-beauty. Apart from makeup tutorials on how to achieve trending Korean looks, she also does heaps of Korean product reviews, unboxing videos and shopping tours where she shows you great places to score beauty buys.

There is fun, newsy stuff on her channel too, such as street interviews with Koreans about plastic surgery and what they consider the ideal guy. And all her videos are in English – we like.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'

Zoe Slugg

10/10

@zoella

IG followers: 11.1 million

YouTube subscribers: 11.9 million

Channel: https://www.youtube.com/user/zoella280390

Watch her for: Product reviews, makeup tutorials for pretty, wearable looks and gorgeous lifestyle photos.

 

You may wonder what a 27-year-old English girl from Brighton has to do with you. But this is one young lady who has just topped Forbes first ever Top Influencers list, outranking even OG Michelle Phan.

 

Bubbly, pretty and exuding a sort of down-to-earth, sisterly vibe, Sugg started posting beauty videos and tutorials from her bedroom when she was 19. These days, she still broadcasts from her boudoir, albeit one located inside the 5-room house she bought with her considerable earnings.

She doesn’t have the skills of a professional makeup artist, but that’s what makes her so relatable. She’s found success in other areas as well, with her 2014 book, Girl Online, a New York Times bestseller and sales of her Zoella beauty products going through the roof at UK chain store Superdrug.

 

ALSO READ: 10 Singaporean and Malaysian Instagram Influencers you need to follow; Xiaxue on Singapore's social media Influencers: 'It's all about boobs'