Guys… I Started a YouTube Channel! My First Video Is all about K-Beauty Trends in 2022

Guys, this is so nerve-wrecking but also really exciting! After basically agonising over whether or not I should put myself out there more, I finally mustered up my courage and started my own YouTube channel!

My YouTube Journey: Putting Yourself out There Is kind of hard, who knew?!

I do not consider myself very photogenic – never have, never will. I have weirdly asymmetrical eyes, low hanging eye brows, a German potato nose, and a double chin that usually gets worse in spring thanks to congestion in my sinuses, ears and the neck area (I love my allergies…). This is not me trying to score pity points or fish for compliments, it really is just a very neutral acceptance of my 43 year old self most definitely not being the sort of face you would usually see go viral on social media. I’ve been doing some research around what sort of creators usually gain subscribers fast in the skincare niche and, well… They are all really gorgeous! I mean… Have you seen James Welsh’s face? What a stunningly handsome man! And Rene/Gothamista? That woman is a few years older than me and she looks like she is maybe in her early 30s if that, with skin so flawless that it’s self-explanatory why we are all dying to hear her spill skincare secrets.

I also realised, to my dismay, that there don’t seem to be any plus-sized skincare creators on YouTube? Is skincare only for skinny people? Hardly! And especially beauty content should really be free from fat bias, shouldn’t it? Alas, it seems that even when it comes to putting creams and toners on our faces, people prefer said faces to be oval-shaped, symmetrical and free from any chubbiness. If you do know any plus-sized skincare creators, please let me know by the way, I’m truly desperate to find and support them!

So, anyway… I honestly hesitated to join YouTube given the stunning co-creators on that platform in my niche. YouTube comments can be notoriously mean, and I haven’t quite arrived at that point in the self acceptance journey where I will just brush off any harsher criticisms of the way I look, dress, or put on makeup (I’m really not great at putting on makeup, guys). And I also really didn’t have the funds to buy a professional camera, professional lighting, and do amazing things with professional editing tools. Hence, my years-long hesitation to jump into video content creation.

Sometimes, all You Can Do Is Jump…

But then I thought: oh whatever! Literally, that was what I thought one day right after my 43rd birthday in late January, seeing my declining blog views, plus the waning to nonexistent interest in my podcast. The truth is that most people today do not read blogs anymore, and video content is really where it’s at right now. True, many people predict YouTube will also start to lose influence, and I keep seeing “hot takes” from people claiming that the “skinfluencer” boom is over. But I really do not believe that this is true. Sure, the virality of skincare topics is declining, but if you find your loyal audience, if you find people who appreciate content around skincare trends, honest reviews and new developments on the beauty market, especially in Asia, then I honestly feel that there is no end to the possibilities around creating skincare video content. Skincare content is only repetitive if you as a creator aren’t willing to grow, learn and remain curious about what’s out there.

So… I just did it, I recorded my first ever YouTube video! I managed to get my hands on some affordable extra lighting, which will suffice for now, and I used my trusty old Samsung phone to record. Is it perfect quality? No? Do I look porelessly flawless? Also a hard no – thanks to hay fever and trying a higher strength retinal lotion, my skin is actually quite a mess right now. I also didn’t set up my external mic correctly, and you can hear weird audio stuff throughout.

But that’s ok, because I feel that if I continue to wait for my face, my body, my voice and my equipment being “perfect”, I will waste another few years not putting myself out there, not risking something really scary that could, however, potentially be a game-changer for my content creation career.

Once upon a time, at age 26, I took a huge risk and moved to the other side of the world to compete for a university scholarship with English native speakers studying English literature. It still remains the best decision I ever made – not many people believed I could do it or succeed, but I did. I even went on to gain an MA and a PhD from that university!

And so without further ado: here it is, my first ever YouTube video! It’s a long one, to no one’s surprise. Once I get going, I kind of can’t stop talking about my favourite topic: K-beauty trends!

If you have read my article on Korean beauty trends for 2022 already, some of the content may be a tad repetitive, but I made sure to add new information and some new trends too. My little rant about bakuchiol in particular was very freeing, to be honest – it’s only February 2022 and I’m already so over the bakuchiol hype. And, well, you will have to watch the video to find out why!

My New YouTube Channel: All about K-Beauty, of course – but Hopefully so much More!

So what can you expect from my new YouTube channel? Well, of course it will have a strong focus on Korean beauty and skincare, but I’m hoping to also branch out to other skincare and beauty topics. If you’ve read my blog for a while, whether in German or English (the YouTube channel will primarily be in English), then you know that my heart beats for any new and innovative products and brands. I would love to highlight indie and niche brands and discover interesting and exciting products from around the world, maybe even from countries whose skincare somehow never gets mentioned. For instance, did you know that Latvia has some really amazing organic brands on offer such as MÁDARA, whose Skin Equal foundation is one of the best I’ve ever tried? Or how about Indian natural, Ayurveda-inspired brand Forest Essentials? Or Taiwanese skincare brands, some of the best in the world, yet rarely talked about by the bigger skinfluencers (Gothamista excluded!).

I would love to gain a large enough platform on YouTube to introduce more people to these types of rare and special beauty gems from around the world. But yes, K-beauty will be a big focal point for my channel, and don’t you worry, there is plenty to talk about and try out!

Let me know in the comments: What sort of video content would you like to see from me? What topics would be interesting for you?

Take care guys, and stay safe – don’t forget to subscribe to my YouTube channel, follow me on Instagram and Facebook for all the latest K-Beauty and skincare news, and check out my other work, e.g. my review of the Laneige Cica Sleeping Mask!