YouTube Standouts

Everyone here knows that I’m a tad YouTube obsessed.  But I don’t use the popular site like many people do.  Instead of searching for random videos of people falling down (it’s been done), or just viewing the top videos of the week, I actually follow certain people and groups on YouTube.  This gives the site more of a social media feel to it, and for me personally, gives it a bit more meaning.  So who are my own most viewed people?  Well, lucky for you, I’ve made this list (in no particular order).

1.     Nikki Phillipi: Along with her husband, Dan, and adorable dogs, Bowser and Zoe, Nikki’s videos always bring a smile to my face.  She has three channels: a ‘lifestyle’ channel, a vlogging channel, and an advice channel.  Her bubbly personality, and her ability to be completely open and honest about even the toughest topics makes her enjoyable to watch. 

Main Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/NikkiPhillippi

Vlogging Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/NikkiPhillippiTake2

Advice Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/AskNikkiP

2.     Allison Andersen (Amarixe): Allison is first and foremost one of the most talented beauty gurus online today.  Not only are her tutorials creative, and her recommendations honest, her video editing is always extremely well done.  She is definitely someone that I think deserves more credit then she already has.  In addition to her main beauty channel, Allison also has her own vlog channel, where she reviews books, has a ‘tea time’ series, and covers much more.

Main Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/amarixe

Vlogging Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/AllisonVlogs

3.     MeghanRosette: Meghan’s bright, bubbly, and sometimes crazy out-there personality makes you wish she was your best friend.  She holds nothing back, and isn’t afraid to be real on camera and show that she isn’t a perfect human being – a rare quality in the online world.   I love watching her videos because they are diverse, creative, and unique. 

Main Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/meghanrosette

Vlogging Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/moremeghann

4.     Jim Chapman: An absolutely hilarious British man who isn’t afraid to make fun of himself.  I personally love his sense of humor – it is a perfect blend of British and American humor (because yes, there is a difference) – but he never makes the viewer feel overly uncomfortable with how far he takes a joke.  If you’re looking for some off the wall type humor and are in desperate need of a good laugh, check him out.

Main Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/j1mmyb0bba

5.     Kurt Hugo Schneider: An incredibly talented musician, Kurt just seems to be able to do it all.  He can sing, he can play countless instruments, he can edit videos, produce…. What can’t he do?  I was lucky enough to meet him at the last Alex Goot concert that I went to, and he is just as nice in person as he appears to be on camera.

Main Channel: http://www.youtube.com/user/KurtHugoSchneider

So there you have it – my top five played YouTubers!  I hope this introduced you to some new faces and will give you plenty of new material to check out!  Let me know what you think of everyone in the comments below; I would love to hear your thoughts!

Introducing… Sam Tsui

For today’s blog post, I wanted to piggy back off of my recent post where I introduced you all to Kurt Hugo Schnieder, and introduce you all to his good friend, Sam Tsui.

Sam, like Kurt, attended Yale, and grew up a street away from Kurt, and they attended High School together. 

Sam is best known for his covers on YouTube, but is now gaining popularity for his new album “Make it Up.”

To view Sam’s personal YouTube channel, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/user/TheSamTsui

To view some of my own personal favorite Sam Tsui songs and covers, click on the links below:

“Make it Up”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfeDEES5TEE

“Grey Area”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4nFYhdyLJas

“Heart Attack”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=c4peSZWqd1w

I was lucky enough to meet Sam at the last Alex Goot concert I went to where he performed along with Kurt Hugo Schneider.  Such an amazing performance!

To see my concert experience, click here:

http://youtu.be/thN3kaaC3og

Introducing… Kurt Hugo Schneider

Today I want to introduce you all to another fabulous man on YouTube, Kurt Hugo Schneider. 

Kurt is a Yale educated music producer (mainly), who is currently producing and working with Sam Tsui on his current album, “Make it Up.”  His YouTube channel has over three million subscribers (yes, I am one of them), and he deserves every last one of them.  His personality shines through in each and every one of his videos, and they never fail to bring a smile to my face.  I highly recommend checking him out!

Here are some of my current favorite videos of Kurts, and below is his personal channel link:

“Can’t Hold Us” Cover (Max Schneider & Kurt Hugo Schneider Cover)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-rndLomIbVY

“Radioactive” Cover (The Macy Kate Band & Kurt Hugo Schneider)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P6qFCqOy3HU

“Kiss You” (Not Another Boy Band Cover)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2Ea2bH3f4AA&list=PL289157D6A9B909E2&index=73

Kurt’s YouTube Channel

http://www.youtube.com/user/KurtHugoSchneider?feature=watch

I was lucky enough to meet Kurt at the last Alex Goot concert I went to where he performed along with Sam Tsui.  Such an amazing performance!

So see my concert experience, click here:

http://youtu.be/thN3kaaC3og 

Makeup Collection Videos: Why I’m so Addicted

I think it’s safe to say that I’m a makeup and nail polish addict.  And if you’ve been following my blog or YouTube videos for any amount of time, then this is absolutely no surprise to you.

I obviously love watching people’s makeup video’s on YouTube, but my absolute favorite types of videos to watch are Makeup Collection videos.  This may be a huge surprise to people because a lot of people consider these types of videos to be conceited and just people bragging about how rich and fabulous they are.  But I look at them as people sharing their organization tips.  And besides, these videos are popular.  Why else would they be some of the most highly requested videos on YouTube? 

So before you judge, check out a few of them yourself.  While yes, some people do obviously only film these videos to brag about how much they own, there are people that film them graciously and do them to educate their viewers on organization and products.

I also love watching the transitions that people’s collections go through, one of my favorite transitions being Amarixe, or Allison’s, transitions.  She is by far one of my favorite beauty gurus because of her personality, and the transformation her collection has gone through is absolutely unbelievable.   I will link her most current video (and one of my own inspirations for my own collection below).

My own personal collection is far from what I would like it to be.  While I am not complaining about the amount of makeup that I have – I consider myself extremely lucky to have the amount of products that I own – I do not like my set up, and like I said earlier, I am an addict and just crave to have more.  (hey, at least I’m honest)  I currently have two plastic containers that I picked up at Bed Bath and Beyond that I use to store my main makeup collection, and while it works for now, it isn’t the most functional container.  Once I get a place of my own, I can definitely see myself investing in the Ikea Alex unit that is so popular with the YouTube makeup population.

To view my own personal makeup collection video from several months ago, click the link here (please note that this giveaway is currently CLOSED):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rJ6IqLSmH4g

Overall, I love these videos.  And I hope you guys do to.  And if you don’t please respect the people making them.  Please don’t go and post things on the videos about how spoiled the people are or how rich they must be.  Each and every person works hard to get what they have.  Just like any COLLECTION, they are compiled over years, not just bought in a week.  And while yes, some of these collections are insanely huge, just remember – there are a lot worse things these girls could be spending their money on. 

To view Amarixe’s latest makeup collection video, click here:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=z628MZ2E7RE

YouTube Favorite Recent Vids

Who doesn’t love watching awesome videos on YouTube?  I think we can all agree that there’s nothing better.  Ok, well maybe there’s some things that are better, but it’s pretty great.  So, I decided to compile a list of some videos that I’ve been loving lately.  These videos are in no particular order, so just sit back, relax, and happy watching! J

1.     “Just Say Yes” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=HG-WbtoAf2k

2.     “Best of 2012: Makeup, Nails, Hair, & More!” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S8u2i3pBLzM

3.     “Closer, Faster – Official Lyric Video” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7t1Mmqr0n0

4.     “DIY Beauty Tricks Using Olive Oil” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uBUePskotzY

5.     Lauren Graham on the Ellen DeGeneres Show 30-09-08 http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pBLz0IQNaac

6.     “Kiss You, One Direction Cover” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ye5WdfWbesY

7.     “How to Stop Biting Your Nails and Cuticles” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BuEiJc67ECc

8.     “Lightning” http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sxVDUE3D8_4

My YouTube Story

Hey Everyone!  I hope everyone is having a fantastic day!  So for today’s blog post I thought I’d share a bit about why exactly I decided to begin my own YouTube channels and what exactly inspired me to keep going with them, even though it is difficult and time consuming. 

During my time studying abroad in London, one of my good friends Megan introduced me to the Wrock band Ministry of Magic.  Being that Harry Potter was ending with the release of the final movie, it was the ideal time to get into Wrock and be introduced to the group.  The group’s music really hit home with me but not only that, I was introduced to a section of YouTube that I’d never heard of before.  Before this, YouTube was just a place where I’d watched music videos and the occasional video of people falling down or babies laughing.  With this new discovery, I was amazed.  I delved into learning as much as I could about the different members of the band, and soon was listening to their own personal music, and watching their personal vlogs.  I learned about their personal lives, their friends, and their relationships. 

About a year and a half ago, I discovered MissGlamorazzi on YouTube through Luke Conard, on of the members of Ministry of Magic.  When Luke on the Next Up competition, he’d met Ingrid, and they’d become friends and had begun filming videos together.  And so I was introduced to the YouTube beauty community.  Through her I became introduced to amarixe, FluerdeForce, and many others.  It instantly became an obsession.

I knew I wanted to vlog, but was afraid to do it.  So when I came across Ingrid’s video, Dear YouTube (linked below), I was inspired and finally got the courage to jump in and do it.  Ingrid’s video, along with all of the videos that I’d obsessively watched for a year by then, inspired me and pushed me forward towards something that I’d really wanted to do. 

So I began vlogging.  I did occasional vlogs over the summer, Vlogsgiving, and now and doing VlogYear.  I started a ‘main’ channel, or allisonbeauty1 where I am now sharing my own take on the world of beauty.  I hope to one day become like Ingrid or Allison or Fleur, but that’s not important- what’s important is that I’m loving what I’m doing, and I’m having a blast.  While I admit it can be discouraging not seeing the views on my videos as high as I would like, I always think back to WHY I am doing this and I instantly get pulled back in. 

Overall, it’s simple.  While time consuming, and a bit overwhelming at times, I love doing YouTube.  I’ve enjoyed every second of it, and only hope that I can grow in it.  I certainly hope that I can count on all of my readers’ support in this endeavor of mine just as you’ve all been kind enough to support me in reading my blog.