by Kyndal Tillman | Staff Writer

Every student at Johnson High School has some sort of unique talent. Some people sing, some  dance, and some people are great at sports. But there are people whose talents are shown more outside of school, for example, a YouTuber.

“I would consider myself a beauty guru on YouTube. I have a channel that is all about beauty and techniques when it comes to hair and makeup. I started this channel because I always watched famous YouTube beauty gurus and absolutely loved them. I loved how they knew everything there was to know about makeup, and how their job was teaching young girls, or even girls who wanted to get started with makeup learn everything about it,” senior Kylie Watkins said.

From a young age Watkins was interested in beauty and wanted to return the favor she received from gurus around the world.

“My YouTube channel is about teaching makeup to anyone who wants to learn about it. When I watched beauty gurus it felt so attached to them because they were people that had the same interests as me and wanted to use their talent to teach others good techniques,” Watkins said.

With having a YouTube channel for everyone to see comes a lot of recognition and acknowledgement from people around the world.

“I have over 50,000 subscribers. This means that over 50,000 people watch my videos and I could not be more thankful. YouTube is a great thing for me to do because it’s what I love to do. I love making videos and sharing things with the people that watch me. I even do giveaways. Sometimes I pick a subscriber of mine and mail them a small gift like a type of makeup that I love, or something similar to that. It’s a way of showing appreciation,” Watkins said.

Being a YouTube sensation has many benefits, whether it be for a little extra money, or giving people around the world tips and guidance.

“YouTube does pay people depending on how many views they get on their videos. It’s not much money, but I don’t do it for the money. I enjoy helping people learn new things about makeup and beauty. I would definitely still make videos if there was no money involved,” Watkins said.

Because of having so many people watch YouTube, Watkins is sometimes noticed in school for her YouTube channel.

“As for at school, I don’t feel famous or anything. Just like a normal student. I do have people tell me that they saw my video, or that they enjoy them. It makes me feel good. But other than that, I’m just a normal girl with a YouTube channel,” Watkins said.

Because Watkins is a high school YouTuber, her biggest fans are her closest friends at school.

“Kylie is my best friend, so I know a lot about her and the videos she posts on YouTube. I think it’s really cool that this is her hobby because it’s really helpful to others and she enjoys doing it. I read a lot of the comments on her video and realize how many girls she influences and helps. It’s pretty cool knowing that my best friend is practically a famous YouTuber,” senior Selssa Gutierrez said.

Having a best friend who is famous on YouTube can be an insight on what a beauty guru goes through to put helpful videos up for people to see.

“I’ve seen her film before and I know a lot about the behind the scenes factor in making the videos. It’s not an easy thing because she always has to do things like find the right camera and edit her videos so much. Her hobby is pretty time consuming but it’s worth it. I know how much she loves doing it,” Gutierrez said.

Watkins’s success is a source of pride for her best friend, Gutierrez.

“I have had people at school tell me that they watch her videos because they know Kylie and I are good friends. It’s crazy to think how many people watch her video and how influential and helpful she is to girls around the world,”

Watkins’s videos are also watched and loved  by other Youtubers who have an eye for beauty.

“Kylie and I are pretty similar in a lot of ways because we are both YouTubers. We talk about the same thing in our videos. I guess you could say I used to be a beauty guru. Now I make vlogging videos more. But I have watched most of Kylie’s videos and they are awesome. She uses great techniques and really knows what she’s talking about,” YouTuber Taylor Parks said.

Nobody knows the struggle and bittersweet aspects of being a YouTuber like a YouTuber herself.

“It’s difficult becoming a successful beauty guru because of the time and patience it takes. All of the editing and making sure your video is the quality it should be is a time consuming task. Kylie does very well with it, especially being a young guru. It’s amazing to me that she can find time to do these videos, and I know that it’s very helpful for so many girls out there looking for assistance with makeup and beauty tips. Kylie is a successful YouTube beauty guru” Parks said.