It is amazing to see Asian beauty influencers on the rise. For years, I used to watch many non-Asian influencers, but I felt lost. I wanted to see someone that looked like me on YouTube, Instagram and TikTok. However, when the 2020 Black Lives Matter movement sparked numerous cultural changes across the world, I too decided enough was enough. I searched and followed as many Asian beauty influencers as possible and even started my own YouTube channel.
That means that now, I can feel comfortable as my feed represents who I am. To get you started on my path, here are some of my favourite Asian beauty influencers.
1. Jahanara Rahman (Instagram: @jahanara.makeup)
She is a British-Bangladeshi makeup artist who is regularly active on Instagram having 309K followers, and also has a Youtube channel. I love her content as it is something I can relate to; the skincare and glamorous makeup looks she does suit and inspire me. I stumbled across her Instagram feed this year, and her creativity got me hooked instantly, so I followed her. Make sure you check out her page too!
2. Kaushal Beauty (Instagram: @kaushal)
Kaushal is a British-Gujarati makeup artist who creates content that Indian people can relate to. She mostly posts makeup videos with a vlog every now and then. She often features her mum who is a traditional Indian housewife on her YouTube channel which helps show their culture. And honestly, that's really sweet. With 2.29 million subscribers, she’s definitely doing something right and she does not let her race hinder her, making her culture more visible in the YouTube sphere. She is someone who I truly wish success for.
3. Chanelle (Instagram: imchanellex & TikTok @hehechannnnnneeeeel)
I found Chanelle on TikTok and I instantly fell in love with her makeup looks. She creates fashion and beauty content and I especially adore her originality; she is very creative and loves to play with bright eyeshadows. With a total of 4.7 million likes and 155.3k followers on TikTok (at the time of writing), it's clear a lot of people also think her content is fabulous, anyone who scrolls past her channel will be in awe of her talent! She does the most natural looking makeup, but makes it look so unique and effortless. If you want another Asian TikToker to follow, I really recommend Chanelle.
4. Neil Shibata (TikTok: @neilshibata, Instagram: @neilshibata)
Here’s Neil, a Canadian-Japanese TikToker, and I love his work so much. Shibata is HILARIOUS as he dresses up as a bee almost all the time, on his TikTok. His content mostly focuses around funny skits, but he has dressed up in drag before (and he looks STUNNING)!! His makeup is flawless; however, he is more rebellious with his makeup (his most recent post featured blood!) But if you take a look at his TikTok feed, with a verified status and 75.5 million likes to his name, you need to watch him. He challenges makeup stereotypes which is a delight to see as I watch RuPaul’s Drag Race myself. To see someone who does drag, and regularly wears makeup shows that he does not care what a heteronormative society thinks of him.
5. Kashish Raja (Instagram: kashishrajaa & TikTok: @kashishrajaa)
Raja is a 19-year makeup enthusiast who does very artistic, complex makeup. She usually dresses in customary Indian clothes and does her makeup to match her outfits. I especially loved her makeup look for Eid, and I am in awe at how she cherishes her culture! Even Though she has some extravagant looks, she also does simpler looks, embracing her natural beauty. Despite only being 19, she has garnered 55.8k followers on instagram (at the time of writing), which showcases her rise as a makeup influencer.
6. Nisha-Paris (YouTube: Nisha-Paris, TikTok: @makeupnish & Instagram: @nishaparisx)
How could I not include myself in my list of favourite Asian beauty influencers? Even though I am only a small beauty/fashion influencer, I have a passion for expressing myself with makeup and learning new techniques. I have always wanted to start a channel, but I was also too shy; however, during the lockdowns I have changed my whole perspective on things. With that, I plucked up the courage to start a YouTube channel and I haven’t looked back since. I enjoy testing myself and part of the reason why I made my channel was because I wanted other Asian girls, like myself, to feel proud knowing that they are being represented on social media. Plus, I also want my channel to resonate with people who also want to create a channel and design their own colourful makeup looks.
So here are my favourite Asian beauty influencers, make sure you check them out and make sure you diversify the makeup influencers you follow. You never know, you could learn some new techniques, and maybe even learn something new about the many cultures across Asia!
Writer: Nisha Paris
Illustrator: Fanny Editor: Yukan Perumal, Yelil Perumal
Sources
https://www.instagram.com/jahanara.makeup/
https://www.instagram.com/neilshibata/