Her name is Leslee. Not Lesless. For some reason, when I’m typing her name, my fingers just want to add two S’s to the end and skip out on that last “e”. I’ve got it down now. I’m able to fight the urge. Plus, Leslee herself pointed out the spelling error when I was interviewing her via email.
So now I’ve got to get it right.
So now I’ve got to get it right.
Leslee (MissLeslee229) is as unique as her name spelling.
She makes inc redible YouTube videos, she’s beautiful, and if you love hauls, her channel is for you.
She’s a makeup-loving shopaholic. And her subscribers lov e it. ♡
Leslee’s channel just recently had its first birthday! Yeay! She, like most gurus, was inspired by others in the beauty community to begin filming. “I decided to start [making videos] because I watched a lot of Melmphs a.k.a. Melissa Raymond on YouTube and I started thinking about how I’d really like to share some of my tips,” she said. “I have a lot of opinions on makeup and I felt as though I had something to add to the beauty world.”
That she did. Leslee is chock-full of beauty knowledge and she energetically shares that with an audience of just about 2,900 subscribers! Leslee’s videos are informative and uploaded regularly (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), which is likely why her subscriber count has grown so steadily over the past year. But, Leslee said, it was a slow go at first. “It took a few months to even get past 100 [subscribers],” she said. But Leslee wanted more; she wanted to reach as many beauty-lovers as she could, through YouTube, to share her tips and tricks with.
That she did. Leslee is chock-full of beauty knowledge and she energetically shares that with an audience of just about 2,900 subscribers! Leslee’s videos are informative and uploaded regularly (Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays), which is likely why her subscriber count has grown so steadily over the past year. But, Leslee said, it was a slow go at first. “It took a few months to even get past 100 [subscribers],” she said. But Leslee wanted more; she wanted to reach as many beauty-lovers as she could, through YouTube, to share her tips and tricks with.
That’s when she found StyleHaul. She joined up with the YouTube beauty and fashion network in August of 2013 to increase traffic to her channel. “I heard about them through watching other beauty gurus,” Leslee said. She applied through their website and was accepted! But I mean, duh. How could they not accept her?
StyleHaul does more than just aid in pumping up her subscriber count, though. “They pay me and help me build my channel,” Leslee said. One of the main ways Leslee is able to gain viewers is through StyleHaul’s “Link Up” program, which is essentially a way for gurus to promote each other’s videos by clicking that infamous thumbs-up icon. “I am assigned a certain day to upload a video, then everyone in my Link Up group “likes” that video, which shares it with their subscribers on their feed,” she said. “It usually leads to a little jump in my subscriber count.”
It also leads to some extra spending money for this beauty guru, too. Perhaps it’s part of the reason her subscribers get to see so many of her fabulous haul videos. StyleHaul is “sort of like my manager,” she said. They receive all of her YouTube earnings, which amount to about a penny per ad-click, and then pay her a percentage. Though it may seem like sharing her earnings would be an income loss for Leslee, she says the arrangement actually works out perfectly. “It’s easier for me since YouTube only pays you after you’ve reached $100,” she said. “Plus, when you get a high amount of subscribers, StyleHaul will fund giveaways and trips for you.” Well yeah, that sounds like a good setup to me! The partnership has helped Leslee reach the level of success and viewership she has today.
It especially comes in handy when Leslee encounters obstacles or needs a virtual guiding light. “It’s nice having easy access to someone for questions and help,” she said. “YouTube doesn’t have a customer service line, so it’s definitely nice having StyleHaul then!”
StyleHaul does more than just aid in pumping up her subscriber count, though. “They pay me and help me build my channel,” Leslee said. One of the main ways Leslee is able to gain viewers is through StyleHaul’s “Link Up” program, which is essentially a way for gurus to promote each other’s videos by clicking that infamous thumbs-up icon. “I am assigned a certain day to upload a video, then everyone in my Link Up group “likes” that video, which shares it with their subscribers on their feed,” she said. “It usually leads to a little jump in my subscriber count.”
It also leads to some extra spending money for this beauty guru, too. Perhaps it’s part of the reason her subscribers get to see so many of her fabulous haul videos. StyleHaul is “sort of like my manager,” she said. They receive all of her YouTube earnings, which amount to about a penny per ad-click, and then pay her a percentage. Though it may seem like sharing her earnings would be an income loss for Leslee, she says the arrangement actually works out perfectly. “It’s easier for me since YouTube only pays you after you’ve reached $100,” she said. “Plus, when you get a high amount of subscribers, StyleHaul will fund giveaways and trips for you.” Well yeah, that sounds like a good setup to me! The partnership has helped Leslee reach the level of success and viewership she has today.
It especially comes in handy when Leslee encounters obstacles or needs a virtual guiding light. “It’s nice having easy access to someone for questions and help,” she said. “YouTube doesn’t have a customer service line, so it’s definitely nice having StyleHaul then!”
It seems like she’s pretty much got it down by now, though. Her videos are creative, edited well and simply entertaining to watch. Plus, they’re educational. Obviously not in the boring sense, though. As a college student, the term “educational,” when connected to video content, usually makes me duck and cover… or fall asleep. But Leslee’s different; she teaches viewers about all things makeup! I’m not sure about you, but I’m down to be educated about beauty any day.
For Leslee, this is what YouTube is all about: connecting and sharing. She especially enjoys the interactive component that the site offers creators and the reach she has because of it. “I love meeting people from other cities, states, and countries,” she said. “It still blows my mind that I can watch someone’s video from Brazil, or France, or China and feel like they are right there with me in my living room.” What’s better? YouTube is essentially a swapping ground, where ideas and suggestions are constantly exchanged with others of similar interests and passions, ultimately connecting everyone involved. “I get to share and learn tips from people from all over the world,” Leslee said. “It makes the world feel so much smaller.”
This aspect is what keeps those that create and those that consume from being strangers. We don’t call it the “YouTube beauty COMMUNITY” for nothing. “I like that you use the word ‘community,’” Leslee told me. “Since that’s exactly what we are!”
The community, though virtual, is nonetheless real. Leslee has even connected with other gurus across the country through their love of beauty and video-creation. “I’ve finally broken through my shell and started making friends,” she said. “I’ve been talking with a girl in Miami who also makes videos. And how else would we have ever met? We wouldn’t, but YouTube made it happen.”
I wouldn’t give YouTube all the credit, however. Leslee’s enthusiastic and outgoing personality is what has drawn in viewers and connected her with other makeup crazies. One of her most memorable YouTube moments involved another YouTube friend – GlitzyDazzle01. Leslee’s first ever collab video was made with Grisel, who Leslee affectionately calls her “new friend.”
This aspect is what keeps those that create and those that consume from being strangers. We don’t call it the “YouTube beauty COMMUNITY” for nothing. “I like that you use the word ‘community,’” Leslee told me. “Since that’s exactly what we are!”
The community, though virtual, is nonetheless real. Leslee has even connected with other gurus across the country through their love of beauty and video-creation. “I’ve finally broken through my shell and started making friends,” she said. “I’ve been talking with a girl in Miami who also makes videos. And how else would we have ever met? We wouldn’t, but YouTube made it happen.”
I wouldn’t give YouTube all the credit, however. Leslee’s enthusiastic and outgoing personality is what has drawn in viewers and connected her with other makeup crazies. One of her most memorable YouTube moments involved another YouTube friend – GlitzyDazzle01. Leslee’s first ever collab video was made with Grisel, who Leslee affectionately calls her “new friend.”
Despite the fun and the love, however, Leslee admits YouTube is still hard work. “Filming tutorials is definitely fun,” she said. “The not-so-fun part is the editing. Then it starts to feel like real work!” All together, it can take more than three hours to get the video from the memory card to her channel. Let’s also keep in mind that creating content for YouTube isn’t all Leslee does for a living, though I’m sure she wouldn’t mind if it was. She has a lot going on offline, too. “It’s difficult with a set upload schedule, a full-time job, and a husband and home to take care of,” Leslee admits. She works in human resources at a government agency in California full time and has also recently begun doing freelance makeup! How’s that for a full plate??
Leslee credits YouTube with leading down her newest career path. Since becoming a certified freelance makeup artist, she’s done a few wedding gigs and has another set up for this summer. This is all thanks to the influence she’s had online and the opportunities the beauty community has provided for her. “If not for YouTube,” she said, “I would never have gone down that path.” So she’s a wife, a full-time career woman, a freelance makeup artist and a beauty guru. Is there anything this girl can’t do??
Leslee credits YouTube with leading down her newest career path. Since becoming a certified freelance makeup artist, she’s done a few wedding gigs and has another set up for this summer. This is all thanks to the influence she’s had online and the opportunities the beauty community has provided for her. “If not for YouTube,” she said, “I would never have gone down that path.” So she’s a wife, a full-time career woman, a freelance makeup artist and a beauty guru. Is there anything this girl can’t do??
Well, there is one thing: she can’t please everyone – but she knows this. “I, of course, get the rude comment every now and then,” she said. “But I have to tell myself that not everyone is going to have something nice to say about me.” Unfortunately, this is one the lessons many gurus learn after putting themselves in the public eye.
The naysayers don’t bring her down, though – at least not for long. Leslee knows she’s got something good going and there isn’t a soul who could convince her otherwise. She’s confident in her work. She says her channel stands out from the delectable smorgasbord of other beauty channels because she’s able to stick to a consistent upload schedule (which is a feat in itself), her videos aren’t inundated with sponsored content or advertising (“I think we’re all tired of hearing about Whitening Lightening, Morphe Brushes, Sigman, NUME, etc,” she said. Yes, girl! We are) and, most importantly, she responds “to about 99% of the comments” on her videos (which is more than most beauty gurus can say). I’d say yes, yes indeed. Her channel isn’t a reproduction of any other out there; it’s unique (just like the name spelling I still can’t get my swift typing fingers to master).
But don’t you worry. Though it’s clear Leslee is a busy beauty bee, she doesn’t plan on scribbling YouTube out of her schedule anytime soon. “I plan on making videos as long as I can,” she said. But “I don’t have any specific goals other than growing my channel. It would be great if I could be associated with a brand like Sigma and be able to travel for events, but that’s not so much a goal as something that would be nice.” An arrangement like that doesn’t seem an unrealistic dream for Leslee. Her channel is growing rapidly, thanks to her partnership with StyleHaul, and I imagine that increasing subscriber count number won’t slow anytime soon. In fact, it should continue growing because you should all go check out her channel and click that little red button. You won’t regret it. I certainly haven’t.
The naysayers don’t bring her down, though – at least not for long. Leslee knows she’s got something good going and there isn’t a soul who could convince her otherwise. She’s confident in her work. She says her channel stands out from the delectable smorgasbord of other beauty channels because she’s able to stick to a consistent upload schedule (which is a feat in itself), her videos aren’t inundated with sponsored content or advertising (“I think we’re all tired of hearing about Whitening Lightening, Morphe Brushes, Sigman, NUME, etc,” she said. Yes, girl! We are) and, most importantly, she responds “to about 99% of the comments” on her videos (which is more than most beauty gurus can say). I’d say yes, yes indeed. Her channel isn’t a reproduction of any other out there; it’s unique (just like the name spelling I still can’t get my swift typing fingers to master).
But don’t you worry. Though it’s clear Leslee is a busy beauty bee, she doesn’t plan on scribbling YouTube out of her schedule anytime soon. “I plan on making videos as long as I can,” she said. But “I don’t have any specific goals other than growing my channel. It would be great if I could be associated with a brand like Sigma and be able to travel for events, but that’s not so much a goal as something that would be nice.” An arrangement like that doesn’t seem an unrealistic dream for Leslee. Her channel is growing rapidly, thanks to her partnership with StyleHaul, and I imagine that increasing subscriber count number won’t slow anytime soon. In fact, it should continue growing because you should all go check out her channel and click that little red button. You won’t regret it. I certainly haven’t.
She was such a sweetheart and responded to each and everyone one of my many questions
(including the follow-ups).
I had a blast writing this.
I hope you all enjoyed!