by Valerie Piro
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Okay, so you posted a black square to your Instagram and retweeted a bunch of things in support of destroying white supremacy. Now what? Eventually, the protests will end and we’re going to move onto the next crisis (which appears to be the new normal). So what can you do in the long run to be an ally?
Well, for starters, if you’re as far down the YouTube beauty rabbit hole as we are, you can support Black YouTubers by subscribing to their channels. Watch their content, and you’ll learn whether the brands you’ve been purchasing from are actually making products that work for everyone, and not just for those at the lighter end of the shade spectrum.
You’ll also learn about racism in the beauty industry, dispel some beauty myths (Black women can wear bronzer, pastels, and anything they damn well please), and see some fabulous eyeshadow application techniques. And on top of everything, the women on this list just make fabulous content, so why not support their channels? (Note: This list is by no means exhaustive. See who these YouTubers support, and then go follow them, too! Your subscription feed can never be too long.)
Jackie Aina
Okay, how are you not already subscribed to Jackie Aina? You know how a bunch of beauty YouTubers are now putting out videos that feature black-owned brands? Yeah, Jackie started the BOMB (Black Owned Makeup Brands) challenge in July 2016, and called for non-black YouTubers to take the challenge. Want to learn about racism in the beauty industry and which brands to support as you follow along with a GRWM? Look no further than Jackie-Jackie-Jackie-Jackie, Jackie-Jackie-Jackie.
Alissa Ashley
Makeup? Hair? Nails? Alissa Ashley has got you covered, especially if you have hooded eyes. She has no shortage of videos that teach her two million followers how to achieve her flawless base, with tips that anyone (regardless of confidence in makeup application ability) can follow.
Nyma Tang
How inclusive is your favorite brand’s shade range? Nyma Tang will tell you. If a makeup brand doesn’t make a complexion product deep enough for her, then its shade range just isn’t cutting it.
Andrea Renee
There’s a myth that Black women don’t need to wear bronzer, or that bronzer is only for those on the lighter end of the shade spectrum. Let us introduce you to Andrea Renee’s bronzer collection and bust that myth. Sometimes you just want to get ready for the day and chill, and Andrea Renee’s content has got you covered, especially in quarantine (an hour-long eyeshadow collection/declutter video? Um, yes, thank you).
Ti (nappyheadedjojoba)
For those who are looking for a channel that features both makeup and thoughtful commentary/opinion videos, look no further than Ti, or, nappyheadedjojoba. Want to know how to actually help? Questioning the black squares all over Instagram? Annoyed at the “reopen the country” protests that seem like they were so long ago? Ti has a video for you. Oh, and she wants you to know that women of color can rock pastels. Just in case you ever doubted.
Alicia Archer
Alicia (pronounced ah-lee-see-ah) Archer, also known as kinkysweat (“kinky hair and sweat life”), is our go-to for luxury eyeshadow tutorials. Bought a Pat McGrath Labs palette and have no idea what to do with it? Alicia will give you four looks per video, all the while introducing you to the greatest makeup brushes that you never knew you needed in your collection. She recently did a livestream with a representative from Chantecaille to discuss race in the beauty industry, particularly when it comes to luxury brands, and it is absolutely worth a listen.
Kelsee Briana Jai
Kelsee Briana Jai (AKA Kelsee Briana Bae) loves makeup. Sure, everyone on this list loves makeup, but no one else has posted a video comparing seven different concealers over seven days that clocks in at over an hour long (did we watch the whole thing because quarantine has us really interested in concealer weartime? Maybe). She also kicked off a “Brown Girl Beauty Myths BUSTED!” collaboration between seven YouTubers (including the aforementioned nappyheadedjojoba and kinkysweat!).
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