Michelle Phan Provides a Birthday-Girl Tutorial

April 19, 2009

Michelle Phan's YouTube channel has more than 96,000 subscribers. Popular girl. Her makeup tutorials are slick and thorough, so if you want to know how to create fancy eye makeup, she'll show you how to do it. TrèsSugar and I enjoy watching Michelle gaze at herself as the look comes together, and I wouldn't be surprised if she becomes the next makeup mogul. Here's her latest:

Makeup Michelle Phan

134 Comments

3 years

I was just about to say this "Also what bothers me is that she never does makeup on anyone else, part of being considered a makeup artist is that you can make others look beautiful." I think she's good at putting makeup on herself but I don't really know what she could do for someone who doesn't look like her, and doesn't have her eyes, face, lips etc. She has a very unique look. That said, her uniqueness is what has gotten her fame and what sets her apart --plus some marketing savvy. She put a lot of thought into those tutorials. They are very organized. Truthfully, her technique is nothing new to makeup artists. She just beat makeup artist to capitalize on some very smart marketing. That's all she is, marketing. That said, I don't really know if she's a good makeup artist over all. I won't buy her products, but then again. I never buy any over hyped stuff.

3 years

I think you guys should stop hating, the reason why michelle makes videos is to help others. She hand picks all the ingredates in her products. She is not a dermatologist and never claimed she was, she worked with a dermatologist to create her line. I believe you should never judge if you dont even know. People like you make Michelle want to quit. So get educated and if you dont like her then dont watch her.

3 years

her voice is so god damn annoying i haaaaaaate her

3 years

Why jealousy? Sure she's successful and might have a bad personality. So what? Are you looking for an angel? She sells because she is pretty and talented. She has what it takes to sell products. That's how business and life work. It's reality. No need to try to critic like a saint. She's the one with a 6-figures job at Lancome not you.

3 years

shes does seem like shes in love with herself, but she did mention once the more pics she posts of herself the more views she got on xanga. so all this preening in front of the camera probably brings more views no?? mostly i enjoy how much effort she puts in her vids and how she gets to the point. too many gurus just talk and talk and then drop stuff and tell you about their headache and excuse the pimples and look at what i bought. yeah, michelle is less annoying in that way.

3 years

having looked at this girls childish makeup tutorials...... WTF? this chick is a "guru"? I think the people who like her have not seen a lot of good makeup. I showed the techs at my work (well, we may have been laughing. sorry, i'm sure she's a nice person but if you throw yourself out there with mediocre skills you're gonna get bashed) and they mentioned that her youtube "followers" can be faked. Just something to think about. Apparently bloggers do this to create a buzz about their blogs. Honestly that would explain this girls following to me. I don't see many other girls running around with chunky eyeliner, crooked eyelashes and blotchy eyeshadow so I don't believe people are following her tutorials. I know I'm not. She's a mess.

3 years

recently came across her vids .. wow .. really enjoyed watching them, she made it seemed so easy ... haha .. i love her voice. She seemed very sweet and nice.

3 years

Someone is jealous. I smell a jealous ex.

3 years

I am sorry for writing this but someone has to stop Michelle. She has basically back-stabbed all her friends in school and forgotten them. None of her ideas are unique, she simply tried to create a cutesy version of what others were doing with some production value. Her skincare line has nothing to do with her, she was simply offered a position as co-president by a Canadian company that distributes skin care. She simply put her name on the product, exactly what she now claims she doesn't like about other lines. She is as phony and treacherous as they come. She always tries to paint herself in a good image (no pun intended). Unfortunately she thinks she is a lot smarter than she is and she is not who she claims to be. Her focus and her story always changes as her presence grows. We all used to like her in the beginning, but her true colors have come out. It is a shame that you are fooled by her. She knows very little about skin care and make up. She literally learned on the fly. She is simply masquerading as a guru, she is not. She is simply taking advantage of the situation and playing the money game against moral standard. Her ethics are tied in a knot. It is a shame because there are people out there that truly want to help others look and feel better, Michelle is not one of them. I don't know why anyone would want to purchase IQQU, the formulations have been sold already under different names. This is simply a rebranding of these products. Why would you pay made in France prices for made in Hong Kong skin care? Few times in my life have I known a person who brags about every aspect of life, Michelle is that person. Even before you all knew who she was, she was living in a fantasy world. She is boastful, arrogant and insincere.

3 years

Very nice site!

3 years

Very nice site!

3 years

Hi Guys, Looking for tips about which are the cheapest tooth whitening goods to buy? I find it has been rather hard to get the right information as far as I can see. One person tells you one thing and another person tells you something totally different! And, I thought the smartest thing to do is get real information from you folks as you may have personal experience about these things. Any feedback is really appreciated. Thanks in advance people.

Ange Demon013 3 years

That's not one of her recent videos! Coming from a true Michelle Phan :P She has just uploaded a video on how to create a geisha makeup for Halloween. She also offers makeup tricks and DIY cosmetics. But I mainly love how her videos looks so professional :) http://www.youtube.com/user/michellephan?blend=1&ob=4

3 years

Geez... granted I think she's become a bit more self-absorbed than her eariler videos due to the success she's had with them, but I don't think she deserves all these negativity for putting out youtube tutorials and launching her own line... granted, I probably won't purchase her stuff, but I learned a few things from her tutorials like using business cards to apply mascara... Nowadays though, since I am not a big make-up fan to begin with, I don't really watch her stuff anymore... and to the anonymous who bashed her for her "real life": where is the evidence to support all of your slanderish speech? If she is really a "no one," how in the world do you know whether she dated a guy for credit cards, whether she spent $900 on a bag or shoes (or whatnot)? I agree she's not that great at painting (I didn't really think she did a good job with Aeris), but only because she showed it on youtube, and there is visible evidence (although whether it's good or bad is based on my subjectivity alone). I agree with some comments that she seems a bit bizarre doing all those weird facial poses at the beginning and the end of the video because it looks incredibly fake and hilarious, but unless y'all are ready to provide constructive criticisms, it just looks like jealousy running wild.

3 years

Well for all you out there who don't like her you have every reason not to. I goto school with her and the funny thing is, Michelle has no friends at school. Maybe a few guys but thats it. No one even knows who she is. She is an illustrator and has never even been recognized for her work at school. She is extremely self absorbed. She used to use some guy she dated a while back for his credit card cause he supported her and her family, now that he is gone she took her cult following to youtube where she makes a ton of money off of all of her fake friends on the internet. Its so weird how people can be such loners in real life, but huge celebrities on the web. Michelle is renowned for using people, sure guys are obsessed with her but thats because she wears skirts so short to school that if she bent over she would be exposing everything. People are so obsessed with her that they even buy her crappy art work on ebay that in real life would never sell. Our school is incredibly expensive and its great for students to find ways to make money, aka youtube, but it is pathetic that she is wasting it on prada bags and 900 dollar christian louboutin shoes. She reminds me a lot of Megan Fox, she is really not very smart and bad at what she does (im talking about art not makeup) but because she is attractive people become obsessed. I guess the deal with her makeup line is that some asian company found her and since she had a big following they wanted to use her as sort of like a spokesperson type thing, which is a great idea. I think she does make up well but it is all very generic, you can go on sephora or any other site like that and find lots of better looks and idea that work for everyone not just michelle. Also what bothers me is that she never does makeup on anyone else, part of being considered a makeup artist is that you can make others look beautiful. I just dont see the hype and I agree there are a lot better more real and warm makeup artists on youtube. I just had to write in since i recently discovered her cult following and I wanted to share what it was really like in real life, not on the internet. fake girl and internet personality, self absorbed, spin off of megan fox, no name on campus, and its good she found this way to fool people because she could never make it in the real world as an artist if it wasnt for her following for make up the end

3 years

Yup, it's very typical for women to put each other down and be super catty, isn't it? That's very sad. That being said, I prefer Xteeener but that's another story.

3 years

lol sachana what are you talking about "let's face it, most guys would take a brunette Asian girl with big eyes over a blonde white girl with small eyes like myself any day" asian girls do not have big eyes......but their eyes do pop out as they have flat faces. White/black girls have big eyes that come in different colours. I am yet to meet a guy who doesn't love a blonde (or brunette) white girl, we actually love them and not their wallet. At the moment it's a fad for the not so good looking white/black guys to be with asian girls due to things like anime lol. One of the many great things about us is we dont all look the same. :) michelle should quit caking herself in makeup, get out of the mirror and talk more about that "inner beauty" she's always pratttling about, there are better makeup artists out there on youtube like bubzbeauty, her vids are not at all boring and she seems like a really nice person.

3 years

so what if she curses in real life, im sure even she's admitted she talks differently in her tutorials. ngyuen, jealousy does not suit you, m'dear. and i dont think katy is her, because she usually has a plural grammar problem "this is one of my favorite foundation" leaving off the s after foundation, and i dont think katy did that.

3 years

it's sad to know a fellow viet isn't supporting one another. I know michelle in real life too. probably better than you because she's as genuine as they come and is very compassionate. shes came a long way from a broken childhood, and has made something out of herself unlike the other girls here. I guess maybe its a side she doesn't show much to her viet friends because they're so judgemental. and who cares if she curse, big deal, its not like she's committing a crime.

3 years

I have become addicted to these youtube makeup tutorial videos, and I must say I have learned a few things. I have watched Michelle Phans videos and they are OK. However, I would strongly recommend people watch Makeup Geek and Kandee Johnson the Makeup artist. Those two ladies are truly talented and they provide really useful tips. Their tutorials are great.

4 years

I'm Asian and I don't like her. She's fake. Meet her in real life and you'll see how she curse.

4 years

What is ridiculous is the group of you that have commented so negatively in ((rambles!))--putting down Michelle Phan and her IQQU line. I, amongst many others who have subscribed to her channel, appreciate the extra bit of information she has to offer. She might not cover 'everything' but compared to other YouTubers with makeup tutorial channels, she's been very helpful with tips and a great deal of information. Anyway, It's up to her what information she offers. Thanks, Michelle Phan! I think she's a very intelligent woman and will continue to support her. And over time she's going to continue to grow smarter and more experienced in the fields she chooses--just as anyone else would. Get over it! :) It's pitiful the lengths people go. The envy to mention her beauty just to put it down. You can't win everyone over and that's an obvious fact here. If you don't like her, then you don't. Why make yourself look jealous/shallow when it's so simple to click a button to navigate away from a web page?

4 years

Sachana, i couldn't agree with you more. Sure she is "pretty" and she is asian. Not sure if you do claim "pretty" as piling/caking on a ton of make up onto one's face... but that's my opinion. But the underlying fact is that she is self-absorbed with herself. I could dare say that should could be near the same level as Tila Tequila. I mean, look at Tila and see where she has gotten herself into? She has a regular facial structure and looks absolutely normal, and easily passable on the street. Which is why i wonder why 100,000 grovel at her feet when they have NEVER met her. Watching her make up tutorials is equivalent to walking down a Macy's make-up section, they clearly know nothing of the products they're using/selling, so why buy it? Her "fans" (more of a cult) come to her protection when people exclaim their rejection to her "generic" product line IQQU. I cannot wait till one of her customers contract a rash/allergic reaction from usage because she did not take the proper responsibility to PROPERLY "research" the ingredients in her "skin care" line. The question is, has the skincare line been properly tested within a long time frame? Or will she just sell off her products to "test subjects" (customers) and rake in the benefits of their hard-earned cash? She still goes to school at Ringling College of Art & Design. CLEARLY NOT a certified dermatologist and possibly the only reason why she decided to create or got offered to create a skincare line is because she takes 2309128378 pictures of herself with the same facial poses: the goldfish, the stare, and the side view. I've honestly known FAR more prettier asian women who are modest and keep to themselves (unlike Michelle). I have had the chance to meet her and she is absolutely more self absorbed in person. Her artwork is equivalent to her make-up tutorials: lousy. This girl is the epitome of the phrase "a dime a dozen."

4 years

Here me out, I have been reading Michelle's blog for a long time... Honestly, the first thing that attracted me to her blog (and most people, be honest) was that she was pretty and Asian. Asian women are stereotyped for being hot beauty queens today and let's face it, most guys would take a brunette Asian girl with big eyes over a blonde white girl with small eyes like myself any day. Obviously times have changed, and I can't help but feel envious, so I have tried obsessively reading her blog... turns out you just can't do "big eye" makeup on small eyes. =P Plus our coloring is totally different! Regardless, I have to say, as I grew more mature and started reading more magazines and paying attention to skin care info and such, Michelle's blog is just a regurgitation of anything you can find in just about any magazine. Half of her 'home remedies' are more expensive then if you would just by a pre-made product that does the same and probably works better. Her videos are more concerned about herself and the video itself being pretty than the person watching it. Anyway you put it, if you say your products have 'only the best ingredients' yet you have bashed mineral oil in the past, you are a hypocrite. Same with the talc thing, obviously it has a bad rep (whether it has been 100% proven or not,) so why the heck would she include such a thing, if she is such an expert? (Oh by the way, I work at a bank, and in my spare time I play Operation, I guess that means I can be a surgeon now! =D) I like Michelle, I think she is super fashionable and that's the only reason I read her blog anymore. I really feel bad for her in regards to all the guys with yellow fever that probably make her feel really uncomfortable... I wouldn't be surprised if she stopped talking about video games, since it only encourages this. My overall review... yay on her Fashion (nay on her promoting overexpensive friends' companies), nay on skin care line, nay on makeup, yay on video game stuff =)

4 years

"rat’s have 5 livers" Uhh... No. Unless you know something I couldn't find on the internet. I fear for your future in medicine if you're really a med student... Though if you are it would explain why you think you know everything when clearly you don't. As for everyone else on here acting heinously... Wow. I've never gotten the feeling she's full of herself but even if she was... So what? When a girl lacks the self confidence to look at herself in the mirror everyone tells her she needs to pride herself in her appearance but the moment she shows some real confidence everyone's tearing her down calling her a slut a... potty mouth? xD Seriously? I don't see why the way she feels about herself makes any difference anyway. When I click on one of her videos I'm trying to learn something (and I do), not be her "bff". Ugh *eye roll* Such silliness.

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134 Comments