Be a Successful Beauty YouTuber: By Sponsorship or Not?

Have you ever heard an interesting economic phenomenon called “lipstick effect”? It means when facing an economic crisis, the revenue of lipstick will rise conversely. That is because people still get a strong will for purchasing even though the economic situation is severe. Instead of buying luxuries, people will get something cheap but not necessary as comfort. Thus, lipstick is a perfect choice. Purchasing cosmetics shows rising trend worldwide. Likewise, cosmetics companies will not give up such chances for publicizing their products.  Social media has become a tool for advertising which breaks away from conventions.

According to Houston Social Media Marketing Group (2010), only 14% of consumers trust paid advertisements, whereas 78% trust recommendations stemming from their social media networks. That explains why Youtube beauty bloggers get so many followers. Youtube beauty bloggers put beauty videos on the Internet and some famous YouTubers will receive products from certain brands and upload review videos of these products. This is a common source of income for YouTubers and also a management way for cosmetics companies.

Interestingly though, some followers will have negative opinions on these sponsored videos. They are more likely to purchase products that YouTubers recommend actively. Especially when YouTubers only make compliments about sponsored products, you can always see comments that question the authenticity of this video, which will also lead to the bad reputation of the YouTuber.



There is a fine balance between being a trusty blogger and being a successful commercial blogger. Gaining respect and trust from followers but also keep stable cooperation with cosmetic companies is a goal for every beauty Youtube bloggers. A blogger who only makes sponsored videos will not get so much support because followers still want to see real reviews of products, which concludes strengths and weaknesses. No doubt that commercial cooperation will influence it more or less.

It also leads to the question that how cosmetic companies should use this trend to publicize their products and maximize profits out of cooperation. First of all, they really should put customers feeling first. What makes Youtube review videos special is that bloggers can share their most true impressions about products. A video that only contains strong points will have no difference between a TV advertisement. Cosmetics companies should offer Youtube beauty bloggers with enough space for free comments and let them share honest feelings with followers. For another, cosmetic companies should be upfront about their sponsored content. Followers can easily discriminate between sponsored videos and real ones. Once this little trick being noticed, the blogger and the company will both receive opposite effect and negative evaluation.