!["In 2024, Crafting Chic Looks The Ultimate Cosmetic Compendium"](https://www.lifewire.com/thmb/q7ywpOZnu85SW7yyAs9fIvlBPBE=/400x300/filters:no_upscale():max_bytes(150000):strip_icc()/Screenshot2024-03-05at9.42.11AM-1c51353a15ff474eac44d411e97115d9.png)
"In 2024, Crafting Chic Looks The Ultimate Cosmetic Compendium"
![](/images/site-logo.png)
Crafting Chic Looks: The Ultimate Cosmetic Compendium
Ultimate Guide to Beauty on YouTube - Gear, Makeup Tutorials, and More
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Beauty and lifestyle are two of the most popular categories on YouTube, and they might also be the categories most associated with brand deals. Whether you’re hoping to earn revenue as a beauty influencer, or just want to post some fun makeup tutorials, this guide is for you!
We’ll walk you through deciding on a theme for your channel, setting up your equipment, and give you tips for actually recording your videos.
1. **[Finding Your Niche in Beauty or Lifestyle](#niche)**
- Types of Beauty Videos – Your Content Strategy
- How to Get Products to Review
- Simple Camera Setup for Beauty Vloggers
- Lighting for Beauty
- Top Ring Lights for YouTube
- Build Your Own Diva Ring Light
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Before You Start
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Recording
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – After Shooting
Best YouTube Video Editor- Wondershare Filmora
Wondershare Filmora is specifically made keeping quality on priority and to make sure all the videos are edited well with the highest accuracy. You can trim, merge, crop, add background music, rotate videos as well as add motion elements, animated texts, overlays, and filters, etc. to your makeup video, and the video can also be uploaded to YouTube or burned to DVD directly.
Finding Your Niche in Beauty or Lifestyle
As a new makeup, beauty, or lifestyle YouTuber you’ll be jumping into a category that’s already packed with thousands of channels. In order to gain any momentum, you’ll have to decide on a particular thing you want to be known for. That’s your niche.
People looking for beauty tutorials are often looking for someone who has something in particular in common with them. Hairstyling for a specific ethnicity, for example, is a potential niche because people want to learn how to style their own hair, not a hair in general.
Another way you could find a niche is by taking on a specific area of interest, like a skincare channel with a focus on coping with acne or a makeup channel with a focus on natural products.
SunKissAlba has a lifestyle channel that focuses on a ‘natural’ niche. She posts videos about every aspect of her lifestyle from putting on makeup to cooking, but natural/non-toxic products are a constant theme through everything she does. By niching her channel she hasn’t limited what kinds of videos she can do at all - she posts a huge variety of different types of videos. What she has done is to make her channel particularly valuable to audiences interested in things that are natural or organic.
Types of Beauty Videos – Your Content Strategy
It’s a lot easier to come up with weekly video ideas when you have an overarching strategy.
The easiest way to figure out what kinds of videos you should make (and this can also help determine your niche!) is to think about what you already do and enjoy. If skincare is particularly important to you, for example, then you could build a content strategy that includes things like your favorite sunscreen, what different ingredients in skincare products are for, or even how to make a DIY face mask.
The same thing goes if you love doing big glamourous makeups for going out. Think about what you like, and that will determine what you should talk about in your videos.
Instead of buying new products to use in videos, try to use and showcase what you already have.
Here are some common types of beauty and lifestyle videos:
Get Ready With Me: a video where you put your makeup on which helps your audience get to know you better.
Monthly Favorites: showcases your favorite products from the last month.
Makeup Collection: viewers will want to see what you have.
DIY: create something, like a homemade moisturizer, and show your viewers how to make their own.
Makeup Hauls: show off what you’ve bought recently.
Lookbooks: put together a few looks based on a theme, like a specific color or event.
First Impressions: show yourself using a new product for the first time.
Makeup Tutorials: teach your viewers how to achieve a particular look, like a smokey eye.
What’s In My Bag: empty your handbag to show viewers what you carry around with you, particularly your most essential makeup.
My Routine: show viewers your morning skincare routine, or how you usually take your makeup off before bed. Any of your beauty-related routines will be interesting to your followers.
You should also be ready to jump on trends as they jump up. You can get a bump in viewership from people searching for a particular trend. Here are a couple of examples of past trends:
- Boyfriend Does My Makeup
- Kid’s Makeup Challenge
- No Mirror Makeup Challenge
How to Get Products to Review
You probably already know that a lot of the products popular beauty YouTubers review in their videos were sent to them for free. Brands want to get their products into the hands of creators who have ‘influence’ both in the hopes that their audiences will decide to buy them and as part of generating buzz – getting more people talking about their products so more people become interested.
In order for a brand to consider sending you a free product to review or feature in a video, you will first have to have a large enough following.
What is ‘large enough’? There’s no magic number of YouTube subscribers or Instagram followers. How large your following needs to be will depend on what brands you want to work with, as well as whether your channel has a specific niche.
Large brands will want to work with larger creators. Smaller brands that are still trying to build notoriety may be more open to working with creators whose followings are not as large.
If you have a very specific niche then that could create more opportunities for you as a mid-sized YouTuber. If you specialize in styling curly black hair, and a brand is marketing a product made specifically for styling curly black hair, then your smaller following will be more valuable to that brand than the larger audience of a more general channel.
Here are 4 tips for getting free products for review:
- Follow your favorite brands on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channels. Make sure to take them when you feature their products in your posts or videos.
- Focus on growing your community/audience. As you start getting more subscribers and building up momentum for your channel, brands might start reaching out to you. We’ve got some tips on growing your YouTube channel here .
- Make a pitch to a brand. The first step in this is figuring out who to pitch to. You can send smaller brands DMs via Instagram or Twitter and politely ask for contact info for a PR person. Never ask for free product or sponsorship at this point, just information you can use to contact PR.
- Send an email with your pitch to the brand’s PR person. Your email should introduce yourself, describe your content, and talk about what type of audience you have (how many subscribers, where are they located, how old are they, etc. This information is all available in your Creator Studio analytics).
Make sure to link to your channel so they can verify what you say (do not hide your subscriber count).
Emphasize what value you could provide the brand with (i.e. ‘I’ve had a lot of success with videos on managing acne and I’m sure my subscribers would love to see a review of your cream’) and outline what kind of video you’d like to make (i.e. a five-minute review focusing on the product, or a short feature in a longer makeup tutorial).
Simple Camera Setup for Beauty Vloggers
There are a lot of different ways to set up your camera for a ‘talking head’ video (anything that is primarily you talking to the camera). Keep reading to learn about a popular ring-light setup for beauty videos, or click here to learn 4 different camera setups .
In an ideal situation, this is what you’ll build your setup out of:
- Camera with a flip-out screen
- Ring light
- Camera-mounted shotgun mic
- Tripod (unless you can mount your camera inside your ring light)
If you don’t have access to all of the equipment above, try some of these:
- Smartphone camera
- DIY ring light
- Smartphone shotgun mic or LAV
Step 1: Set your camera and ring light (your camera should be sitting directly behind your ring light, or mounted inside of it) up about 3 feet away from your subject (yourself).
You might want to experiment with sitting at different distances to see how the lighting looks on your face.
Step 2: Set your camera up a bit higher than your face and tilt it down towards yourself (shooting from slightly above is always more flattering). It should be set up at about a 15° angle to you.
Step 3: Check your frame (this is easiest if your camera has a screen that flips out) to make sure there’s not too much empty space in your shot.
Step 4: Adjust your camera’s focus so your picture is clear. You may need to set up a lamp, chair, or stuffed animal as a stand-in for yourself while you stand behind the camera adjusting the focus.
Turn off autofocus and adjust your focus manually by turning the focus ring on your lens, if you’re using a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
Step 5: Set your f-stop (aperture) so that your depth of field is deep enough for you to lean forwards or backward without becoming blurry.
An aperture of f/5.0 is good if you’re going to be moving around a lot, but if you’re not going to be moving much and want a blurry background you might want to go with f/2.8 or lower.
Step 6: Set your ISO (film speed). A lower ISO will give you a darker, but higher quality, image. A higher ISO will lower your quality and give you a brighter image.
ISO 400 should be a happy medium for shooting inside with your ring light, but you may need to try out a couple of settings to find one perfect for your situation.
For more info on camera settings for beauty videos, click here .
Lighting for Beauty
The key to achieving a high-quality picture for your beauty video is having a lot of light.
A ring light (whether it’s one you purchase or one you make) will give you even light over your whole face, and that may be enough. Ring lights are considered one of the biggest ‘secrets’ to beauty on YouTube (as explained in this Racked article ).
There are, however, some reasons you might want additional light:
To Light your Background/Space
If you only have a ring light/front light then you may end up looking like you’re surrounded by shadows. If you want more light for your space you can use windows, household lamps, or professional video lights like softboxes or LED panels.
To Stand Out Against your Background (‘Backlighting’)
A front light that’s lighting you evenly is also lighting whatever’s behind you evenly, which can make your overall picture look flat.
Setting up a light to shine up at you from behind will help you pop out from your background by creating a silhouette.
You can use an LED panel or a household lamp as a backlight.
To Add Dimension to Your Face (Side Lights/ Fill Lights)
Setting up lights to hit you from the sides will help you look more three dimensional. It can also give your video a general quality boost because the picture quality is always better when there’s tons of light.
You can use softboxes, LED panels, clamp lights, household lamps, or any other light source you can think of.
Lighting Tips!
* **_Use ‘daylight’ bulbs in any household lighting/clamp lights you use._ This way, your light will all be the same color and you won’t have to do a lot of color correction (the more yellow-colored light most indoor lights give off will make you look orange).**
You can buy daylight-colored bulbs for about $5.
- Clamp lights ($10 each) and paper lanterns ($10 each) provide great lighting and are much more affordable than professional lighting kits. The paper lanterns will provide even, diffused, light and the clamp lights will be easy to set up wherever you need them.
- Check out these DIY tips for creating your own reflectors and diffusers .
Top Ring Lights for YouTube
1. Neewer Dimmable Fluorescent Ring Light - $110
One cool feature of the Neewer Ring Light is that you can choose between daylight and a more orange-tinted light depending on which of the included filters you use. In almost all situations you’ll want to use white light/daylight because the orange light will make you look orange, but if you ever wanted to create a warmer image to achieve a particular effect you’d have that option with this light.
This light is dimmable and can be adjusted to the angle that suits your shot. That’s true of our number 2 pick too, and the second place light actually has a slight edge over the Neewer light because its color temperature is 5400K which is slightly closer to daylight than Neewer’s 5500K, but that’s honestly not super important for YouTube. They’re close enough that you won’t be able to tell the difference, and this light is over $100 more affordable.
2. Prismatic Halo Ring Light - $260
This lightweight ring light is easy to transport, set up, and mount your phone or camera to. It’s a fluorescent ‘daylight’ (5400K) light, so the colors in your videos will look natural.
This light is dimmable, so you can turn it down if it’s too bright, and the Prismatic Light Stand will allow you to tilt your light to the perfect angle. This will be handy if you’re mounting your camera inside the ring but want to place it slightly above your face instead of having it look at you head on.
Build Your Own Diva Ring Light
A ring light is an important tool for a lot of beauty YouTubers, but it doesn’t fit into everyone’s budget. Here’s one popular way to create your own ring light for about $20.
A lot of people have done this DIY, but we’re using Kevin’s video because we love how he added the stand.
What you need:
- A wire wreath frame
- Zip ties
- LED rope light (16 ft, daylight)
- Tinfoil
- Metal paper towel stand
- Scissors
Step 1: Wrap your wreath frame in tinfoil. Make sure the tinfoil is shaped to the wreath so that there is a curve on the inside where your rope light can sit.
Step 2: Place your rope light inside the curve of your frame. Wind it around for 3 loops so you have 2 rows of lighting tube sitting next to each other.
Step 3: Use the zip ties to fasten in the rope light. Wrap them tightly around your frame and lights in several (6-8) places.
Step 4: Cut off the tails of the zip ties.
This is your ring light. Continue to step 5 if you want it to have a stand (you might just want to clip it up somewhere).
Step 5: Fasten your ring light tightly to your paper towel stand securely with several zip ties. Make sure to fasten it at the bottom (where the excess rope light is coming out of your ring light). Cut off the tails of the zip ties.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Before You Start
Before you start recording your makeup tutorial there are a few things you should do.
- Write an outline. You might even want to write yourself a transcript. Having a concrete plan before you start recording will help ensure your tutorial is useful for viewers. You’ll realize where you might need to slow down and show a particular step in more detail, or where your viewers might find a particular step tricky, in a way you want if you just jump into a makeup routine you know perfectly.
- Layout your supplies. Make sure everything you need for your tutorial is laid out neatly in front of you so you can access it all easily. Try to use clean brushes – it just looks nicer.
- Tidy up. If you want your viewers to trust you when it comes to aesthetics, it’s important that your studio area is clean and tidy. You may even want to use a backdrop.
- Do a video test. Before you start your video for real, start recording and shoot some test footage. Watch that back to make sure you like the look of your frame, your face is never blurry, and you’re happy with the overall look of things.
- Do an audio test. If you’re going to be talking in your video instead of recording a voiceover after, do an audio test to make sure your audience will be able to hear you clearly.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Recording
Here are some things to keep in mind while you record your makeup tutorial:
- Show what you’re using. When you use a product, brush, or any other beauty supply make sure to let your audience know what you’re using and why you chose it. This isn’t about promoting brands, it’s about making it easy for viewers to duplicate your results.
If you’re using autofocus, you can hold products up to the screen and wait for it to kick in. If you’re not using autofocus, just hold them up next to you for a moment. You can also shoot separate closeups of each product and cut them into your main tutorial video. - Highlight small details. Describe what you’re doing in a lot of detail and don’t gloss over anything. Assume the person watching your tutorial doesn’t know anything about putting on makeup.
- Take stills for your thumbnail. Remember to take some still photos of your finished makeup to use in your YouTube thumbnail.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – After Shooting
Once you’ve finished recording and put away all your camera gear, there’s still work to do. You still need to edit your video and post it on YouTube. Here are some tips for that:
- Add transitions and effects. If you have several clips or even just distinct sections of your main clip, then adding transitions can be a great way to hold your viewers’ attention.
If you spend a lot of time on a repetitive step, you may want to speed that part up and make it a time-lapse. - Add your intro. Having a short (usually around 5 seconds) intro sequence is a great way to strengthen your personal lifestyle brand. You can download free intros right here on filmora.io .
- Title your video. Make sure your most important keyword – the type of look you’re creating, or a product you’re reviewing – is near the beginning of your video’s title. Searching for the topic of your video and writing a title similar to the highest-ranking results is a good way to start.
Remember to include what type of video you made, i.e. ‘tutorial’, ‘review’, or ‘get ready with me’, in your title. People might include these kinds of words in their search queries and, even if they find your video another way, they’ll probably want to know what they’re clicking on before they click. - Customize your thumbnail. Again, search for your video’s topic and see what comes up. You want your thumbnail to look related to the top results, but you also want it to jump out at potential viewers. There may be something you can add to the thumbnail photos you took that will help you stand out, like a bright border, an emoji, or a closeup of a product you feature in the video.
- Write a detailed description. Putting the products you use in your video description will help your viewers, and it’s a great place to include affiliate links if you ever join an affiliate program (like Amazon’s) to generate some revenue.
Are you already making beauty videos? If so, let us know if you have any of your own tips!
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Beauty and lifestyle are two of the most popular categories on YouTube, and they might also be the categories most associated with brand deals. Whether you’re hoping to earn revenue as a beauty influencer, or just want to post some fun makeup tutorials, this guide is for you!
We’ll walk you through deciding on a theme for your channel, setting up your equipment, and give you tips for actually recording your videos.
1. **[Finding Your Niche in Beauty or Lifestyle](#niche)**
- Types of Beauty Videos – Your Content Strategy
- How to Get Products to Review
- Simple Camera Setup for Beauty Vloggers
- Lighting for Beauty
- Top Ring Lights for YouTube
- Build Your Own Diva Ring Light
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Before You Start
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Recording
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – After Shooting
Best YouTube Video Editor- Wondershare Filmora
Wondershare Filmora is specifically made keeping quality on priority and to make sure all the videos are edited well with the highest accuracy. You can trim, merge, crop, add background music, rotate videos as well as add motion elements, animated texts, overlays, and filters, etc. to your makeup video, and the video can also be uploaded to YouTube or burned to DVD directly.
Finding Your Niche in Beauty or Lifestyle
As a new makeup, beauty, or lifestyle YouTuber you’ll be jumping into a category that’s already packed with thousands of channels. In order to gain any momentum, you’ll have to decide on a particular thing you want to be known for. That’s your niche.
People looking for beauty tutorials are often looking for someone who has something in particular in common with them. Hairstyling for a specific ethnicity, for example, is a potential niche because people want to learn how to style their own hair, not a hair in general.
Another way you could find a niche is by taking on a specific area of interest, like a skincare channel with a focus on coping with acne or a makeup channel with a focus on natural products.
SunKissAlba has a lifestyle channel that focuses on a ‘natural’ niche. She posts videos about every aspect of her lifestyle from putting on makeup to cooking, but natural/non-toxic products are a constant theme through everything she does. By niching her channel she hasn’t limited what kinds of videos she can do at all - she posts a huge variety of different types of videos. What she has done is to make her channel particularly valuable to audiences interested in things that are natural or organic.
Types of Beauty Videos – Your Content Strategy
It’s a lot easier to come up with weekly video ideas when you have an overarching strategy.
The easiest way to figure out what kinds of videos you should make (and this can also help determine your niche!) is to think about what you already do and enjoy. If skincare is particularly important to you, for example, then you could build a content strategy that includes things like your favorite sunscreen, what different ingredients in skincare products are for, or even how to make a DIY face mask.
The same thing goes if you love doing big glamourous makeups for going out. Think about what you like, and that will determine what you should talk about in your videos.
Instead of buying new products to use in videos, try to use and showcase what you already have.
Here are some common types of beauty and lifestyle videos:
Get Ready With Me: a video where you put your makeup on which helps your audience get to know you better.
Monthly Favorites: showcases your favorite products from the last month.
Makeup Collection: viewers will want to see what you have.
DIY: create something, like a homemade moisturizer, and show your viewers how to make their own.
Makeup Hauls: show off what you’ve bought recently.
Lookbooks: put together a few looks based on a theme, like a specific color or event.
First Impressions: show yourself using a new product for the first time.
Makeup Tutorials: teach your viewers how to achieve a particular look, like a smokey eye.
What’s In My Bag: empty your handbag to show viewers what you carry around with you, particularly your most essential makeup.
My Routine: show viewers your morning skincare routine, or how you usually take your makeup off before bed. Any of your beauty-related routines will be interesting to your followers.
You should also be ready to jump on trends as they jump up. You can get a bump in viewership from people searching for a particular trend. Here are a couple of examples of past trends:
- Boyfriend Does My Makeup
- Kid’s Makeup Challenge
- No Mirror Makeup Challenge
How to Get Products to Review
You probably already know that a lot of the products popular beauty YouTubers review in their videos were sent to them for free. Brands want to get their products into the hands of creators who have ‘influence’ both in the hopes that their audiences will decide to buy them and as part of generating buzz – getting more people talking about their products so more people become interested.
In order for a brand to consider sending you a free product to review or feature in a video, you will first have to have a large enough following.
What is ‘large enough’? There’s no magic number of YouTube subscribers or Instagram followers. How large your following needs to be will depend on what brands you want to work with, as well as whether your channel has a specific niche.
Large brands will want to work with larger creators. Smaller brands that are still trying to build notoriety may be more open to working with creators whose followings are not as large.
If you have a very specific niche then that could create more opportunities for you as a mid-sized YouTuber. If you specialize in styling curly black hair, and a brand is marketing a product made specifically for styling curly black hair, then your smaller following will be more valuable to that brand than the larger audience of a more general channel.
Here are 4 tips for getting free products for review:
- Follow your favorite brands on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channels. Make sure to take them when you feature their products in your posts or videos.
- Focus on growing your community/audience. As you start getting more subscribers and building up momentum for your channel, brands might start reaching out to you. We’ve got some tips on growing your YouTube channel here .
- Make a pitch to a brand. The first step in this is figuring out who to pitch to. You can send smaller brands DMs via Instagram or Twitter and politely ask for contact info for a PR person. Never ask for free product or sponsorship at this point, just information you can use to contact PR.
- Send an email with your pitch to the brand’s PR person. Your email should introduce yourself, describe your content, and talk about what type of audience you have (how many subscribers, where are they located, how old are they, etc. This information is all available in your Creator Studio analytics).
Make sure to link to your channel so they can verify what you say (do not hide your subscriber count).
Emphasize what value you could provide the brand with (i.e. ‘I’ve had a lot of success with videos on managing acne and I’m sure my subscribers would love to see a review of your cream’) and outline what kind of video you’d like to make (i.e. a five-minute review focusing on the product, or a short feature in a longer makeup tutorial).
Simple Camera Setup for Beauty Vloggers
There are a lot of different ways to set up your camera for a ‘talking head’ video (anything that is primarily you talking to the camera). Keep reading to learn about a popular ring-light setup for beauty videos, or click here to learn 4 different camera setups .
In an ideal situation, this is what you’ll build your setup out of:
- Camera with a flip-out screen
- Ring light
- Camera-mounted shotgun mic
- Tripod (unless you can mount your camera inside your ring light)
If you don’t have access to all of the equipment above, try some of these:
- Smartphone camera
- DIY ring light
- Smartphone shotgun mic or LAV
Step 1: Set your camera and ring light (your camera should be sitting directly behind your ring light, or mounted inside of it) up about 3 feet away from your subject (yourself).
You might want to experiment with sitting at different distances to see how the lighting looks on your face.
Step 2: Set your camera up a bit higher than your face and tilt it down towards yourself (shooting from slightly above is always more flattering). It should be set up at about a 15° angle to you.
Step 3: Check your frame (this is easiest if your camera has a screen that flips out) to make sure there’s not too much empty space in your shot.
Step 4: Adjust your camera’s focus so your picture is clear. You may need to set up a lamp, chair, or stuffed animal as a stand-in for yourself while you stand behind the camera adjusting the focus.
Turn off autofocus and adjust your focus manually by turning the focus ring on your lens, if you’re using a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
Step 5: Set your f-stop (aperture) so that your depth of field is deep enough for you to lean forwards or backward without becoming blurry.
An aperture of f/5.0 is good if you’re going to be moving around a lot, but if you’re not going to be moving much and want a blurry background you might want to go with f/2.8 or lower.
Step 6: Set your ISO (film speed). A lower ISO will give you a darker, but higher quality, image. A higher ISO will lower your quality and give you a brighter image.
ISO 400 should be a happy medium for shooting inside with your ring light, but you may need to try out a couple of settings to find one perfect for your situation.
For more info on camera settings for beauty videos, click here .
Lighting for Beauty
The key to achieving a high-quality picture for your beauty video is having a lot of light.
A ring light (whether it’s one you purchase or one you make) will give you even light over your whole face, and that may be enough. Ring lights are considered one of the biggest ‘secrets’ to beauty on YouTube (as explained in this Racked article ).
There are, however, some reasons you might want additional light:
To Light your Background/Space
If you only have a ring light/front light then you may end up looking like you’re surrounded by shadows. If you want more light for your space you can use windows, household lamps, or professional video lights like softboxes or LED panels.
To Stand Out Against your Background (‘Backlighting’)
A front light that’s lighting you evenly is also lighting whatever’s behind you evenly, which can make your overall picture look flat.
Setting up a light to shine up at you from behind will help you pop out from your background by creating a silhouette.
You can use an LED panel or a household lamp as a backlight.
To Add Dimension to Your Face (Side Lights/ Fill Lights)
Setting up lights to hit you from the sides will help you look more three dimensional. It can also give your video a general quality boost because the picture quality is always better when there’s tons of light.
You can use softboxes, LED panels, clamp lights, household lamps, or any other light source you can think of.
Lighting Tips!
* **_Use ‘daylight’ bulbs in any household lighting/clamp lights you use._ This way, your light will all be the same color and you won’t have to do a lot of color correction (the more yellow-colored light most indoor lights give off will make you look orange).**
You can buy daylight-colored bulbs for about $5.
- Clamp lights ($10 each) and paper lanterns ($10 each) provide great lighting and are much more affordable than professional lighting kits. The paper lanterns will provide even, diffused, light and the clamp lights will be easy to set up wherever you need them.
- Check out these DIY tips for creating your own reflectors and diffusers .
Top Ring Lights for YouTube
1. Neewer Dimmable Fluorescent Ring Light - $110
One cool feature of the Neewer Ring Light is that you can choose between daylight and a more orange-tinted light depending on which of the included filters you use. In almost all situations you’ll want to use white light/daylight because the orange light will make you look orange, but if you ever wanted to create a warmer image to achieve a particular effect you’d have that option with this light.
This light is dimmable and can be adjusted to the angle that suits your shot. That’s true of our number 2 pick too, and the second place light actually has a slight edge over the Neewer light because its color temperature is 5400K which is slightly closer to daylight than Neewer’s 5500K, but that’s honestly not super important for YouTube. They’re close enough that you won’t be able to tell the difference, and this light is over $100 more affordable.
2. Prismatic Halo Ring Light - $260
This lightweight ring light is easy to transport, set up, and mount your phone or camera to. It’s a fluorescent ‘daylight’ (5400K) light, so the colors in your videos will look natural.
This light is dimmable, so you can turn it down if it’s too bright, and the Prismatic Light Stand will allow you to tilt your light to the perfect angle. This will be handy if you’re mounting your camera inside the ring but want to place it slightly above your face instead of having it look at you head on.
Build Your Own Diva Ring Light
A ring light is an important tool for a lot of beauty YouTubers, but it doesn’t fit into everyone’s budget. Here’s one popular way to create your own ring light for about $20.
A lot of people have done this DIY, but we’re using Kevin’s video because we love how he added the stand.
What you need:
- A wire wreath frame
- Zip ties
- LED rope light (16 ft, daylight)
- Tinfoil
- Metal paper towel stand
- Scissors
Step 1: Wrap your wreath frame in tinfoil. Make sure the tinfoil is shaped to the wreath so that there is a curve on the inside where your rope light can sit.
Step 2: Place your rope light inside the curve of your frame. Wind it around for 3 loops so you have 2 rows of lighting tube sitting next to each other.
Step 3: Use the zip ties to fasten in the rope light. Wrap them tightly around your frame and lights in several (6-8) places.
Step 4: Cut off the tails of the zip ties.
This is your ring light. Continue to step 5 if you want it to have a stand (you might just want to clip it up somewhere).
Step 5: Fasten your ring light tightly to your paper towel stand securely with several zip ties. Make sure to fasten it at the bottom (where the excess rope light is coming out of your ring light). Cut off the tails of the zip ties.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Before You Start
Before you start recording your makeup tutorial there are a few things you should do.
- Write an outline. You might even want to write yourself a transcript. Having a concrete plan before you start recording will help ensure your tutorial is useful for viewers. You’ll realize where you might need to slow down and show a particular step in more detail, or where your viewers might find a particular step tricky, in a way you want if you just jump into a makeup routine you know perfectly.
- Layout your supplies. Make sure everything you need for your tutorial is laid out neatly in front of you so you can access it all easily. Try to use clean brushes – it just looks nicer.
- Tidy up. If you want your viewers to trust you when it comes to aesthetics, it’s important that your studio area is clean and tidy. You may even want to use a backdrop.
- Do a video test. Before you start your video for real, start recording and shoot some test footage. Watch that back to make sure you like the look of your frame, your face is never blurry, and you’re happy with the overall look of things.
- Do an audio test. If you’re going to be talking in your video instead of recording a voiceover after, do an audio test to make sure your audience will be able to hear you clearly.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Recording
Here are some things to keep in mind while you record your makeup tutorial:
- Show what you’re using. When you use a product, brush, or any other beauty supply make sure to let your audience know what you’re using and why you chose it. This isn’t about promoting brands, it’s about making it easy for viewers to duplicate your results.
If you’re using autofocus, you can hold products up to the screen and wait for it to kick in. If you’re not using autofocus, just hold them up next to you for a moment. You can also shoot separate closeups of each product and cut them into your main tutorial video. - Highlight small details. Describe what you’re doing in a lot of detail and don’t gloss over anything. Assume the person watching your tutorial doesn’t know anything about putting on makeup.
- Take stills for your thumbnail. Remember to take some still photos of your finished makeup to use in your YouTube thumbnail.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – After Shooting
Once you’ve finished recording and put away all your camera gear, there’s still work to do. You still need to edit your video and post it on YouTube. Here are some tips for that:
- Add transitions and effects. If you have several clips or even just distinct sections of your main clip, then adding transitions can be a great way to hold your viewers’ attention.
If you spend a lot of time on a repetitive step, you may want to speed that part up and make it a time-lapse. - Add your intro. Having a short (usually around 5 seconds) intro sequence is a great way to strengthen your personal lifestyle brand. You can download free intros right here on filmora.io .
- Title your video. Make sure your most important keyword – the type of look you’re creating, or a product you’re reviewing – is near the beginning of your video’s title. Searching for the topic of your video and writing a title similar to the highest-ranking results is a good way to start.
Remember to include what type of video you made, i.e. ‘tutorial’, ‘review’, or ‘get ready with me’, in your title. People might include these kinds of words in their search queries and, even if they find your video another way, they’ll probably want to know what they’re clicking on before they click. - Customize your thumbnail. Again, search for your video’s topic and see what comes up. You want your thumbnail to look related to the top results, but you also want it to jump out at potential viewers. There may be something you can add to the thumbnail photos you took that will help you stand out, like a bright border, an emoji, or a closeup of a product you feature in the video.
- Write a detailed description. Putting the products you use in your video description will help your viewers, and it’s a great place to include affiliate links if you ever join an affiliate program (like Amazon’s) to generate some revenue.
Are you already making beauty videos? If so, let us know if you have any of your own tips!
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Beauty and lifestyle are two of the most popular categories on YouTube, and they might also be the categories most associated with brand deals. Whether you’re hoping to earn revenue as a beauty influencer, or just want to post some fun makeup tutorials, this guide is for you!
We’ll walk you through deciding on a theme for your channel, setting up your equipment, and give you tips for actually recording your videos.
1. **[Finding Your Niche in Beauty or Lifestyle](#niche)**
- Types of Beauty Videos – Your Content Strategy
- How to Get Products to Review
- Simple Camera Setup for Beauty Vloggers
- Lighting for Beauty
- Top Ring Lights for YouTube
- Build Your Own Diva Ring Light
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Before You Start
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Recording
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – After Shooting
Best YouTube Video Editor- Wondershare Filmora
Wondershare Filmora is specifically made keeping quality on priority and to make sure all the videos are edited well with the highest accuracy. You can trim, merge, crop, add background music, rotate videos as well as add motion elements, animated texts, overlays, and filters, etc. to your makeup video, and the video can also be uploaded to YouTube or burned to DVD directly.
Finding Your Niche in Beauty or Lifestyle
As a new makeup, beauty, or lifestyle YouTuber you’ll be jumping into a category that’s already packed with thousands of channels. In order to gain any momentum, you’ll have to decide on a particular thing you want to be known for. That’s your niche.
People looking for beauty tutorials are often looking for someone who has something in particular in common with them. Hairstyling for a specific ethnicity, for example, is a potential niche because people want to learn how to style their own hair, not a hair in general.
Another way you could find a niche is by taking on a specific area of interest, like a skincare channel with a focus on coping with acne or a makeup channel with a focus on natural products.
SunKissAlba has a lifestyle channel that focuses on a ‘natural’ niche. She posts videos about every aspect of her lifestyle from putting on makeup to cooking, but natural/non-toxic products are a constant theme through everything she does. By niching her channel she hasn’t limited what kinds of videos she can do at all - she posts a huge variety of different types of videos. What she has done is to make her channel particularly valuable to audiences interested in things that are natural or organic.
Types of Beauty Videos – Your Content Strategy
It’s a lot easier to come up with weekly video ideas when you have an overarching strategy.
The easiest way to figure out what kinds of videos you should make (and this can also help determine your niche!) is to think about what you already do and enjoy. If skincare is particularly important to you, for example, then you could build a content strategy that includes things like your favorite sunscreen, what different ingredients in skincare products are for, or even how to make a DIY face mask.
The same thing goes if you love doing big glamourous makeups for going out. Think about what you like, and that will determine what you should talk about in your videos.
Instead of buying new products to use in videos, try to use and showcase what you already have.
Here are some common types of beauty and lifestyle videos:
Get Ready With Me: a video where you put your makeup on which helps your audience get to know you better.
Monthly Favorites: showcases your favorite products from the last month.
Makeup Collection: viewers will want to see what you have.
DIY: create something, like a homemade moisturizer, and show your viewers how to make their own.
Makeup Hauls: show off what you’ve bought recently.
Lookbooks: put together a few looks based on a theme, like a specific color or event.
First Impressions: show yourself using a new product for the first time.
Makeup Tutorials: teach your viewers how to achieve a particular look, like a smokey eye.
What’s In My Bag: empty your handbag to show viewers what you carry around with you, particularly your most essential makeup.
My Routine: show viewers your morning skincare routine, or how you usually take your makeup off before bed. Any of your beauty-related routines will be interesting to your followers.
You should also be ready to jump on trends as they jump up. You can get a bump in viewership from people searching for a particular trend. Here are a couple of examples of past trends:
- Boyfriend Does My Makeup
- Kid’s Makeup Challenge
- No Mirror Makeup Challenge
How to Get Products to Review
You probably already know that a lot of the products popular beauty YouTubers review in their videos were sent to them for free. Brands want to get their products into the hands of creators who have ‘influence’ both in the hopes that their audiences will decide to buy them and as part of generating buzz – getting more people talking about their products so more people become interested.
In order for a brand to consider sending you a free product to review or feature in a video, you will first have to have a large enough following.
What is ‘large enough’? There’s no magic number of YouTube subscribers or Instagram followers. How large your following needs to be will depend on what brands you want to work with, as well as whether your channel has a specific niche.
Large brands will want to work with larger creators. Smaller brands that are still trying to build notoriety may be more open to working with creators whose followings are not as large.
If you have a very specific niche then that could create more opportunities for you as a mid-sized YouTuber. If you specialize in styling curly black hair, and a brand is marketing a product made specifically for styling curly black hair, then your smaller following will be more valuable to that brand than the larger audience of a more general channel.
Here are 4 tips for getting free products for review:
- Follow your favorite brands on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channels. Make sure to take them when you feature their products in your posts or videos.
- Focus on growing your community/audience. As you start getting more subscribers and building up momentum for your channel, brands might start reaching out to you. We’ve got some tips on growing your YouTube channel here .
- Make a pitch to a brand. The first step in this is figuring out who to pitch to. You can send smaller brands DMs via Instagram or Twitter and politely ask for contact info for a PR person. Never ask for free product or sponsorship at this point, just information you can use to contact PR.
- Send an email with your pitch to the brand’s PR person. Your email should introduce yourself, describe your content, and talk about what type of audience you have (how many subscribers, where are they located, how old are they, etc. This information is all available in your Creator Studio analytics).
Make sure to link to your channel so they can verify what you say (do not hide your subscriber count).
Emphasize what value you could provide the brand with (i.e. ‘I’ve had a lot of success with videos on managing acne and I’m sure my subscribers would love to see a review of your cream’) and outline what kind of video you’d like to make (i.e. a five-minute review focusing on the product, or a short feature in a longer makeup tutorial).
Simple Camera Setup for Beauty Vloggers
There are a lot of different ways to set up your camera for a ‘talking head’ video (anything that is primarily you talking to the camera). Keep reading to learn about a popular ring-light setup for beauty videos, or click here to learn 4 different camera setups .
In an ideal situation, this is what you’ll build your setup out of:
- Camera with a flip-out screen
- Ring light
- Camera-mounted shotgun mic
- Tripod (unless you can mount your camera inside your ring light)
If you don’t have access to all of the equipment above, try some of these:
- Smartphone camera
- DIY ring light
- Smartphone shotgun mic or LAV
Step 1: Set your camera and ring light (your camera should be sitting directly behind your ring light, or mounted inside of it) up about 3 feet away from your subject (yourself).
You might want to experiment with sitting at different distances to see how the lighting looks on your face.
Step 2: Set your camera up a bit higher than your face and tilt it down towards yourself (shooting from slightly above is always more flattering). It should be set up at about a 15° angle to you.
Step 3: Check your frame (this is easiest if your camera has a screen that flips out) to make sure there’s not too much empty space in your shot.
Step 4: Adjust your camera’s focus so your picture is clear. You may need to set up a lamp, chair, or stuffed animal as a stand-in for yourself while you stand behind the camera adjusting the focus.
Turn off autofocus and adjust your focus manually by turning the focus ring on your lens, if you’re using a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
Step 5: Set your f-stop (aperture) so that your depth of field is deep enough for you to lean forwards or backward without becoming blurry.
An aperture of f/5.0 is good if you’re going to be moving around a lot, but if you’re not going to be moving much and want a blurry background you might want to go with f/2.8 or lower.
Step 6: Set your ISO (film speed). A lower ISO will give you a darker, but higher quality, image. A higher ISO will lower your quality and give you a brighter image.
ISO 400 should be a happy medium for shooting inside with your ring light, but you may need to try out a couple of settings to find one perfect for your situation.
For more info on camera settings for beauty videos, click here .
Lighting for Beauty
The key to achieving a high-quality picture for your beauty video is having a lot of light.
A ring light (whether it’s one you purchase or one you make) will give you even light over your whole face, and that may be enough. Ring lights are considered one of the biggest ‘secrets’ to beauty on YouTube (as explained in this Racked article ).
There are, however, some reasons you might want additional light:
To Light your Background/Space
If you only have a ring light/front light then you may end up looking like you’re surrounded by shadows. If you want more light for your space you can use windows, household lamps, or professional video lights like softboxes or LED panels.
To Stand Out Against your Background (‘Backlighting’)
A front light that’s lighting you evenly is also lighting whatever’s behind you evenly, which can make your overall picture look flat.
Setting up a light to shine up at you from behind will help you pop out from your background by creating a silhouette.
You can use an LED panel or a household lamp as a backlight.
To Add Dimension to Your Face (Side Lights/ Fill Lights)
Setting up lights to hit you from the sides will help you look more three dimensional. It can also give your video a general quality boost because the picture quality is always better when there’s tons of light.
You can use softboxes, LED panels, clamp lights, household lamps, or any other light source you can think of.
Lighting Tips!
* **_Use ‘daylight’ bulbs in any household lighting/clamp lights you use._ This way, your light will all be the same color and you won’t have to do a lot of color correction (the more yellow-colored light most indoor lights give off will make you look orange).**
You can buy daylight-colored bulbs for about $5.
- Clamp lights ($10 each) and paper lanterns ($10 each) provide great lighting and are much more affordable than professional lighting kits. The paper lanterns will provide even, diffused, light and the clamp lights will be easy to set up wherever you need them.
- Check out these DIY tips for creating your own reflectors and diffusers .
Top Ring Lights for YouTube
1. Neewer Dimmable Fluorescent Ring Light - $110
One cool feature of the Neewer Ring Light is that you can choose between daylight and a more orange-tinted light depending on which of the included filters you use. In almost all situations you’ll want to use white light/daylight because the orange light will make you look orange, but if you ever wanted to create a warmer image to achieve a particular effect you’d have that option with this light.
This light is dimmable and can be adjusted to the angle that suits your shot. That’s true of our number 2 pick too, and the second place light actually has a slight edge over the Neewer light because its color temperature is 5400K which is slightly closer to daylight than Neewer’s 5500K, but that’s honestly not super important for YouTube. They’re close enough that you won’t be able to tell the difference, and this light is over $100 more affordable.
2. Prismatic Halo Ring Light - $260
This lightweight ring light is easy to transport, set up, and mount your phone or camera to. It’s a fluorescent ‘daylight’ (5400K) light, so the colors in your videos will look natural.
This light is dimmable, so you can turn it down if it’s too bright, and the Prismatic Light Stand will allow you to tilt your light to the perfect angle. This will be handy if you’re mounting your camera inside the ring but want to place it slightly above your face instead of having it look at you head on.
Build Your Own Diva Ring Light
A ring light is an important tool for a lot of beauty YouTubers, but it doesn’t fit into everyone’s budget. Here’s one popular way to create your own ring light for about $20.
A lot of people have done this DIY, but we’re using Kevin’s video because we love how he added the stand.
What you need:
- A wire wreath frame
- Zip ties
- LED rope light (16 ft, daylight)
- Tinfoil
- Metal paper towel stand
- Scissors
Step 1: Wrap your wreath frame in tinfoil. Make sure the tinfoil is shaped to the wreath so that there is a curve on the inside where your rope light can sit.
Step 2: Place your rope light inside the curve of your frame. Wind it around for 3 loops so you have 2 rows of lighting tube sitting next to each other.
Step 3: Use the zip ties to fasten in the rope light. Wrap them tightly around your frame and lights in several (6-8) places.
Step 4: Cut off the tails of the zip ties.
This is your ring light. Continue to step 5 if you want it to have a stand (you might just want to clip it up somewhere).
Step 5: Fasten your ring light tightly to your paper towel stand securely with several zip ties. Make sure to fasten it at the bottom (where the excess rope light is coming out of your ring light). Cut off the tails of the zip ties.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Before You Start
Before you start recording your makeup tutorial there are a few things you should do.
- Write an outline. You might even want to write yourself a transcript. Having a concrete plan before you start recording will help ensure your tutorial is useful for viewers. You’ll realize where you might need to slow down and show a particular step in more detail, or where your viewers might find a particular step tricky, in a way you want if you just jump into a makeup routine you know perfectly.
- Layout your supplies. Make sure everything you need for your tutorial is laid out neatly in front of you so you can access it all easily. Try to use clean brushes – it just looks nicer.
- Tidy up. If you want your viewers to trust you when it comes to aesthetics, it’s important that your studio area is clean and tidy. You may even want to use a backdrop.
- Do a video test. Before you start your video for real, start recording and shoot some test footage. Watch that back to make sure you like the look of your frame, your face is never blurry, and you’re happy with the overall look of things.
- Do an audio test. If you’re going to be talking in your video instead of recording a voiceover after, do an audio test to make sure your audience will be able to hear you clearly.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Recording
Here are some things to keep in mind while you record your makeup tutorial:
- Show what you’re using. When you use a product, brush, or any other beauty supply make sure to let your audience know what you’re using and why you chose it. This isn’t about promoting brands, it’s about making it easy for viewers to duplicate your results.
If you’re using autofocus, you can hold products up to the screen and wait for it to kick in. If you’re not using autofocus, just hold them up next to you for a moment. You can also shoot separate closeups of each product and cut them into your main tutorial video. - Highlight small details. Describe what you’re doing in a lot of detail and don’t gloss over anything. Assume the person watching your tutorial doesn’t know anything about putting on makeup.
- Take stills for your thumbnail. Remember to take some still photos of your finished makeup to use in your YouTube thumbnail.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – After Shooting
Once you’ve finished recording and put away all your camera gear, there’s still work to do. You still need to edit your video and post it on YouTube. Here are some tips for that:
- Add transitions and effects. If you have several clips or even just distinct sections of your main clip, then adding transitions can be a great way to hold your viewers’ attention.
If you spend a lot of time on a repetitive step, you may want to speed that part up and make it a time-lapse. - Add your intro. Having a short (usually around 5 seconds) intro sequence is a great way to strengthen your personal lifestyle brand. You can download free intros right here on filmora.io .
- Title your video. Make sure your most important keyword – the type of look you’re creating, or a product you’re reviewing – is near the beginning of your video’s title. Searching for the topic of your video and writing a title similar to the highest-ranking results is a good way to start.
Remember to include what type of video you made, i.e. ‘tutorial’, ‘review’, or ‘get ready with me’, in your title. People might include these kinds of words in their search queries and, even if they find your video another way, they’ll probably want to know what they’re clicking on before they click. - Customize your thumbnail. Again, search for your video’s topic and see what comes up. You want your thumbnail to look related to the top results, but you also want it to jump out at potential viewers. There may be something you can add to the thumbnail photos you took that will help you stand out, like a bright border, an emoji, or a closeup of a product you feature in the video.
- Write a detailed description. Putting the products you use in your video description will help your viewers, and it’s a great place to include affiliate links if you ever join an affiliate program (like Amazon’s) to generate some revenue.
Are you already making beauty videos? If so, let us know if you have any of your own tips!
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
Beauty and lifestyle are two of the most popular categories on YouTube, and they might also be the categories most associated with brand deals. Whether you’re hoping to earn revenue as a beauty influencer, or just want to post some fun makeup tutorials, this guide is for you!
We’ll walk you through deciding on a theme for your channel, setting up your equipment, and give you tips for actually recording your videos.
1. **[Finding Your Niche in Beauty or Lifestyle](#niche)**
- Types of Beauty Videos – Your Content Strategy
- How to Get Products to Review
- Simple Camera Setup for Beauty Vloggers
- Lighting for Beauty
- Top Ring Lights for YouTube
- Build Your Own Diva Ring Light
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Before You Start
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Recording
- How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – After Shooting
Best YouTube Video Editor- Wondershare Filmora
Wondershare Filmora is specifically made keeping quality on priority and to make sure all the videos are edited well with the highest accuracy. You can trim, merge, crop, add background music, rotate videos as well as add motion elements, animated texts, overlays, and filters, etc. to your makeup video, and the video can also be uploaded to YouTube or burned to DVD directly.
Finding Your Niche in Beauty or Lifestyle
As a new makeup, beauty, or lifestyle YouTuber you’ll be jumping into a category that’s already packed with thousands of channels. In order to gain any momentum, you’ll have to decide on a particular thing you want to be known for. That’s your niche.
People looking for beauty tutorials are often looking for someone who has something in particular in common with them. Hairstyling for a specific ethnicity, for example, is a potential niche because people want to learn how to style their own hair, not a hair in general.
Another way you could find a niche is by taking on a specific area of interest, like a skincare channel with a focus on coping with acne or a makeup channel with a focus on natural products.
SunKissAlba has a lifestyle channel that focuses on a ‘natural’ niche. She posts videos about every aspect of her lifestyle from putting on makeup to cooking, but natural/non-toxic products are a constant theme through everything she does. By niching her channel she hasn’t limited what kinds of videos she can do at all - she posts a huge variety of different types of videos. What she has done is to make her channel particularly valuable to audiences interested in things that are natural or organic.
Types of Beauty Videos – Your Content Strategy
It’s a lot easier to come up with weekly video ideas when you have an overarching strategy.
The easiest way to figure out what kinds of videos you should make (and this can also help determine your niche!) is to think about what you already do and enjoy. If skincare is particularly important to you, for example, then you could build a content strategy that includes things like your favorite sunscreen, what different ingredients in skincare products are for, or even how to make a DIY face mask.
The same thing goes if you love doing big glamourous makeups for going out. Think about what you like, and that will determine what you should talk about in your videos.
Instead of buying new products to use in videos, try to use and showcase what you already have.
Here are some common types of beauty and lifestyle videos:
Get Ready With Me: a video where you put your makeup on which helps your audience get to know you better.
Monthly Favorites: showcases your favorite products from the last month.
Makeup Collection: viewers will want to see what you have.
DIY: create something, like a homemade moisturizer, and show your viewers how to make their own.
Makeup Hauls: show off what you’ve bought recently.
Lookbooks: put together a few looks based on a theme, like a specific color or event.
First Impressions: show yourself using a new product for the first time.
Makeup Tutorials: teach your viewers how to achieve a particular look, like a smokey eye.
What’s In My Bag: empty your handbag to show viewers what you carry around with you, particularly your most essential makeup.
My Routine: show viewers your morning skincare routine, or how you usually take your makeup off before bed. Any of your beauty-related routines will be interesting to your followers.
You should also be ready to jump on trends as they jump up. You can get a bump in viewership from people searching for a particular trend. Here are a couple of examples of past trends:
- Boyfriend Does My Makeup
- Kid’s Makeup Challenge
- No Mirror Makeup Challenge
How to Get Products to Review
You probably already know that a lot of the products popular beauty YouTubers review in their videos were sent to them for free. Brands want to get their products into the hands of creators who have ‘influence’ both in the hopes that their audiences will decide to buy them and as part of generating buzz – getting more people talking about their products so more people become interested.
In order for a brand to consider sending you a free product to review or feature in a video, you will first have to have a large enough following.
What is ‘large enough’? There’s no magic number of YouTube subscribers or Instagram followers. How large your following needs to be will depend on what brands you want to work with, as well as whether your channel has a specific niche.
Large brands will want to work with larger creators. Smaller brands that are still trying to build notoriety may be more open to working with creators whose followings are not as large.
If you have a very specific niche then that could create more opportunities for you as a mid-sized YouTuber. If you specialize in styling curly black hair, and a brand is marketing a product made specifically for styling curly black hair, then your smaller following will be more valuable to that brand than the larger audience of a more general channel.
Here are 4 tips for getting free products for review:
- Follow your favorite brands on Instagram and subscribe to their YouTube channels. Make sure to take them when you feature their products in your posts or videos.
- Focus on growing your community/audience. As you start getting more subscribers and building up momentum for your channel, brands might start reaching out to you. We’ve got some tips on growing your YouTube channel here .
- Make a pitch to a brand. The first step in this is figuring out who to pitch to. You can send smaller brands DMs via Instagram or Twitter and politely ask for contact info for a PR person. Never ask for free product or sponsorship at this point, just information you can use to contact PR.
- Send an email with your pitch to the brand’s PR person. Your email should introduce yourself, describe your content, and talk about what type of audience you have (how many subscribers, where are they located, how old are they, etc. This information is all available in your Creator Studio analytics).
Make sure to link to your channel so they can verify what you say (do not hide your subscriber count).
Emphasize what value you could provide the brand with (i.e. ‘I’ve had a lot of success with videos on managing acne and I’m sure my subscribers would love to see a review of your cream’) and outline what kind of video you’d like to make (i.e. a five-minute review focusing on the product, or a short feature in a longer makeup tutorial).
Simple Camera Setup for Beauty Vloggers
There are a lot of different ways to set up your camera for a ‘talking head’ video (anything that is primarily you talking to the camera). Keep reading to learn about a popular ring-light setup for beauty videos, or click here to learn 4 different camera setups .
In an ideal situation, this is what you’ll build your setup out of:
- Camera with a flip-out screen
- Ring light
- Camera-mounted shotgun mic
- Tripod (unless you can mount your camera inside your ring light)
If you don’t have access to all of the equipment above, try some of these:
- Smartphone camera
- DIY ring light
- Smartphone shotgun mic or LAV
Step 1: Set your camera and ring light (your camera should be sitting directly behind your ring light, or mounted inside of it) up about 3 feet away from your subject (yourself).
You might want to experiment with sitting at different distances to see how the lighting looks on your face.
Step 2: Set your camera up a bit higher than your face and tilt it down towards yourself (shooting from slightly above is always more flattering). It should be set up at about a 15° angle to you.
Step 3: Check your frame (this is easiest if your camera has a screen that flips out) to make sure there’s not too much empty space in your shot.
Step 4: Adjust your camera’s focus so your picture is clear. You may need to set up a lamp, chair, or stuffed animal as a stand-in for yourself while you stand behind the camera adjusting the focus.
Turn off autofocus and adjust your focus manually by turning the focus ring on your lens, if you’re using a DSLR or mirrorless camera.
Step 5: Set your f-stop (aperture) so that your depth of field is deep enough for you to lean forwards or backward without becoming blurry.
An aperture of f/5.0 is good if you’re going to be moving around a lot, but if you’re not going to be moving much and want a blurry background you might want to go with f/2.8 or lower.
Step 6: Set your ISO (film speed). A lower ISO will give you a darker, but higher quality, image. A higher ISO will lower your quality and give you a brighter image.
ISO 400 should be a happy medium for shooting inside with your ring light, but you may need to try out a couple of settings to find one perfect for your situation.
For more info on camera settings for beauty videos, click here .
Lighting for Beauty
The key to achieving a high-quality picture for your beauty video is having a lot of light.
A ring light (whether it’s one you purchase or one you make) will give you even light over your whole face, and that may be enough. Ring lights are considered one of the biggest ‘secrets’ to beauty on YouTube (as explained in this Racked article ).
There are, however, some reasons you might want additional light:
To Light your Background/Space
If you only have a ring light/front light then you may end up looking like you’re surrounded by shadows. If you want more light for your space you can use windows, household lamps, or professional video lights like softboxes or LED panels.
To Stand Out Against your Background (‘Backlighting’)
A front light that’s lighting you evenly is also lighting whatever’s behind you evenly, which can make your overall picture look flat.
Setting up a light to shine up at you from behind will help you pop out from your background by creating a silhouette.
You can use an LED panel or a household lamp as a backlight.
To Add Dimension to Your Face (Side Lights/ Fill Lights)
Setting up lights to hit you from the sides will help you look more three dimensional. It can also give your video a general quality boost because the picture quality is always better when there’s tons of light.
You can use softboxes, LED panels, clamp lights, household lamps, or any other light source you can think of.
Lighting Tips!
* **_Use ‘daylight’ bulbs in any household lighting/clamp lights you use._ This way, your light will all be the same color and you won’t have to do a lot of color correction (the more yellow-colored light most indoor lights give off will make you look orange).**
You can buy daylight-colored bulbs for about $5.
- Clamp lights ($10 each) and paper lanterns ($10 each) provide great lighting and are much more affordable than professional lighting kits. The paper lanterns will provide even, diffused, light and the clamp lights will be easy to set up wherever you need them.
- Check out these DIY tips for creating your own reflectors and diffusers .
Top Ring Lights for YouTube
1. Neewer Dimmable Fluorescent Ring Light - $110
One cool feature of the Neewer Ring Light is that you can choose between daylight and a more orange-tinted light depending on which of the included filters you use. In almost all situations you’ll want to use white light/daylight because the orange light will make you look orange, but if you ever wanted to create a warmer image to achieve a particular effect you’d have that option with this light.
This light is dimmable and can be adjusted to the angle that suits your shot. That’s true of our number 2 pick too, and the second place light actually has a slight edge over the Neewer light because its color temperature is 5400K which is slightly closer to daylight than Neewer’s 5500K, but that’s honestly not super important for YouTube. They’re close enough that you won’t be able to tell the difference, and this light is over $100 more affordable.
2. Prismatic Halo Ring Light - $260
This lightweight ring light is easy to transport, set up, and mount your phone or camera to. It’s a fluorescent ‘daylight’ (5400K) light, so the colors in your videos will look natural.
This light is dimmable, so you can turn it down if it’s too bright, and the Prismatic Light Stand will allow you to tilt your light to the perfect angle. This will be handy if you’re mounting your camera inside the ring but want to place it slightly above your face instead of having it look at you head on.
Build Your Own Diva Ring Light
A ring light is an important tool for a lot of beauty YouTubers, but it doesn’t fit into everyone’s budget. Here’s one popular way to create your own ring light for about $20.
A lot of people have done this DIY, but we’re using Kevin’s video because we love how he added the stand.
What you need:
- A wire wreath frame
- Zip ties
- LED rope light (16 ft, daylight)
- Tinfoil
- Metal paper towel stand
- Scissors
Step 1: Wrap your wreath frame in tinfoil. Make sure the tinfoil is shaped to the wreath so that there is a curve on the inside where your rope light can sit.
Step 2: Place your rope light inside the curve of your frame. Wind it around for 3 loops so you have 2 rows of lighting tube sitting next to each other.
Step 3: Use the zip ties to fasten in the rope light. Wrap them tightly around your frame and lights in several (6-8) places.
Step 4: Cut off the tails of the zip ties.
This is your ring light. Continue to step 5 if you want it to have a stand (you might just want to clip it up somewhere).
Step 5: Fasten your ring light tightly to your paper towel stand securely with several zip ties. Make sure to fasten it at the bottom (where the excess rope light is coming out of your ring light). Cut off the tails of the zip ties.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Before You Start
Before you start recording your makeup tutorial there are a few things you should do.
- Write an outline. You might even want to write yourself a transcript. Having a concrete plan before you start recording will help ensure your tutorial is useful for viewers. You’ll realize where you might need to slow down and show a particular step in more detail, or where your viewers might find a particular step tricky, in a way you want if you just jump into a makeup routine you know perfectly.
- Layout your supplies. Make sure everything you need for your tutorial is laid out neatly in front of you so you can access it all easily. Try to use clean brushes – it just looks nicer.
- Tidy up. If you want your viewers to trust you when it comes to aesthetics, it’s important that your studio area is clean and tidy. You may even want to use a backdrop.
- Do a video test. Before you start your video for real, start recording and shoot some test footage. Watch that back to make sure you like the look of your frame, your face is never blurry, and you’re happy with the overall look of things.
- Do an audio test. If you’re going to be talking in your video instead of recording a voiceover after, do an audio test to make sure your audience will be able to hear you clearly.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – Recording
Here are some things to keep in mind while you record your makeup tutorial:
- Show what you’re using. When you use a product, brush, or any other beauty supply make sure to let your audience know what you’re using and why you chose it. This isn’t about promoting brands, it’s about making it easy for viewers to duplicate your results.
If you’re using autofocus, you can hold products up to the screen and wait for it to kick in. If you’re not using autofocus, just hold them up next to you for a moment. You can also shoot separate closeups of each product and cut them into your main tutorial video. - Highlight small details. Describe what you’re doing in a lot of detail and don’t gloss over anything. Assume the person watching your tutorial doesn’t know anything about putting on makeup.
- Take stills for your thumbnail. Remember to take some still photos of your finished makeup to use in your YouTube thumbnail.
How to Make a Makeup Tutorial – After Shooting
Once you’ve finished recording and put away all your camera gear, there’s still work to do. You still need to edit your video and post it on YouTube. Here are some tips for that:
- Add transitions and effects. If you have several clips or even just distinct sections of your main clip, then adding transitions can be a great way to hold your viewers’ attention.
If you spend a lot of time on a repetitive step, you may want to speed that part up and make it a time-lapse. - Add your intro. Having a short (usually around 5 seconds) intro sequence is a great way to strengthen your personal lifestyle brand. You can download free intros right here on filmora.io .
- Title your video. Make sure your most important keyword – the type of look you’re creating, or a product you’re reviewing – is near the beginning of your video’s title. Searching for the topic of your video and writing a title similar to the highest-ranking results is a good way to start.
Remember to include what type of video you made, i.e. ‘tutorial’, ‘review’, or ‘get ready with me’, in your title. People might include these kinds of words in their search queries and, even if they find your video another way, they’ll probably want to know what they’re clicking on before they click. - Customize your thumbnail. Again, search for your video’s topic and see what comes up. You want your thumbnail to look related to the top results, but you also want it to jump out at potential viewers. There may be something you can add to the thumbnail photos you took that will help you stand out, like a bright border, an emoji, or a closeup of a product you feature in the video.
- Write a detailed description. Putting the products you use in your video description will help your viewers, and it’s a great place to include affiliate links if you ever join an affiliate program (like Amazon’s) to generate some revenue.
Are you already making beauty videos? If so, let us know if you have any of your own tips!
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Optimal Options: High-Performance Laptops for Videographers
The Best Laptops for Video Editing
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
This article lists the 3 best laptops for video editing in 2018.
Whether you’re an industry professional or an avid YouTuber, you know how important it is to produce quality videos consistently.
The quality of the videos you create will depend on your creativity, the editing software you use, and the hardware that software is installed on. And as you probably know, it can be tough to work fast and get good results when your hardware or laptop isn’t strong enough to power your software properly and allow you to work at the pace you want.
The best laptops for video editing in 2018 have three things in common. First, they have top-of-the-line display technology for color accuracy, color depth, and clarity. Next, they have discrete (dedicated) Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) with accompanying RAM to enable them to handle video processing fast without compromising other system functions. And finally, they have Intel core i7 CPU processors and Solid-State Drives (SSD) for faster overall performance.
THE TOP 3 LAPTOPS FOR EDITING VIDEO IN 2018
The top 3 laptops below are quite impressive. They have the right mix of power and function that video editing requires.
1.MACBOOK PRO WITH TOUCH BAR
PRICE: $1500 - $1800
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB memory – 560 with 4GB memory
RAM: 16GB
SCREEN: 15.4” Retina Display
RES: 2880 x 1800px
STORAGE: 128 – 256GB SSD
PROS
- OLED Touch Bar
- Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Large Trackpad
CONS:
- No other input ports available besides Thunderbolt 3
- Expensive
The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is the best video editing laptop produced by Apple. It has a wide 15.4” screen with thin bezels, and its proprietary OLED Touch bar amps up its flexibility and functionality considerably. The Touch Bar is set-up to show different shortcuts for different apps. It works quite well with Photoshop and will show thumbnails, filter options, a color picker, and more while you’re editing videos or stills.
Working with large 4K video files is much easier with the MacBook Pro. It’s fitted with Thunderbolt 3 Ports which have the highest data and video bandwidth available for USB-C connections. With these Thunderbolt ports, you can also use high-speed and high-power peripherals without a hitch. This laptop also has an extra-wide touchpad or Trackpad (as Apple calls it) which expands your physical working surface while also making it easier to do detailed video editing.
Unfortunately, if you need a variety of ports like most videographers, working with the MacBook Pro could be a challenge as it only has Thunderbolt 3 ports. If this is the laptop you prefer, you’ll need to buy additional connection hardware to work with different input devices. And while this laptop impresses in many ways, it’s also quite expensive. There are certainly other laptops on the market which can give you similar performance at a lower cost.
2. DELL XPS 15
PRICE: $999 - $1300
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
RAM: 8 - 16GB
SCREEN: 15.6”
RES: FHD - 4k UHD 3840 x 2160px
STORAGE: 256GB – 1TB SSD
PROS
- 4k InfinityEdge display
- Good battery life
- Has multiple input ports
CONS:
- Webcam is oddly positioned
The Dell XPS 15 is one laptop that hits the sweet spot for many videographers. It’s considered the closest competitor to the MacBook Pro reviewed above. In fact, many would argue that it tops the MacBook Pro when it comes to speed, color accuracy, and color depth. Its 15.6” screen has very thin bezels for minimal distraction and immersive work experience. At 4K resolution and displaying a wide range of the sRGB gamut, video editing with the Dell XPS 15 promises to be both smooth and enjoyable.
The Dell XPS 15 is certainly more affordable, while still delivering excellent graphics performance. It features an Intel i7 processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics processor. This makes it remarkably fast for video editing, as well as energy-efficient. People who work with different input devices will also like that this laptop has legacy adapters (USB, HDMI, ethernet) alongside a USB type C port.
The biggest downside to the Dell XPS 15 laptop is its oddly positioned webcam. It feels awkward and can be an inconvenience to use since you’ll have to adjust your position significantly while making video calls or recording for your YouTube channel.
3. MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2
PRICE: $1499 - $2499
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: Intel HD 620 or Nvidia GTX 1050 / GTX 1060
RAM: 16GB
SCREEN: 15.0”
RES: 3240 x 2160px
STORAGE: 256GB, 512GB – 1TB SSD
PROS
- Detachable screen
- Has multiple input ports (USB Type-A, USB Type-C, SD card reader)
- Works with a Stylus
CONS:
- Expensive
- Fulcrum hinge
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a laptop and a tablet thanks to its detachable screen. At a resolution of 3240 x 2160px, its screen is nearly 4k and can handle Full HD and HD footage with ease. Add to this its capacity to show a considerable portion of the sRGB gamut and its easy-to-use stylus and you can see why this 2-in-1 combo from Microsoft is one of the top 3 laptops for video editing in 2018.
Surface Book 2 also has the right combination of power and storage capacity that video editing requires. It boasts a state-of-the-art NVIDIA graphics processor and an Intel i7 processor for a smooth workflow no matter the size or level of detail involved in your video editing project.
On the downside, this laptop is undoubtedly very expensive. Compared to the function and power you can get from the DELL XPS 15, it’s hard to justify paying nearly $2500 for the Surface Book 2. Its detachable screen, supported by a fulcrum hinge, also comes at a price. It makes the laptop a bit bulky at one end when it’s folded. This in turn can make day-to-day handling a bit more tricky than it has to be.
CONCLUSION
If you’re searching for a good laptop to help you improve the quality of your videos in 2018, look no further than these 3. They have all the power, function, and storage capacity you need to handle any project with ease. Just be mindful of your budget and consider which extras are worth the expense. Go for the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar if customizing your workflow is a priority. Opt for the Dell XPS 15 if you want the best combination of display quality and graphics processing. Finally, consider the Surface Book 2 if you need the flexibility of a 2-in-1 device.
What do you think is the best laptop for video editing?
Equip Your Laptop with the Best Video Editing Software
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
This article lists the 3 best laptops for video editing in 2018.
Whether you’re an industry professional or an avid YouTuber, you know how important it is to produce quality videos consistently.
The quality of the videos you create will depend on your creativity, the editing software you use, and the hardware that software is installed on. And as you probably know, it can be tough to work fast and get good results when your hardware or laptop isn’t strong enough to power your software properly and allow you to work at the pace you want.
The best laptops for video editing in 2018 have three things in common. First, they have top-of-the-line display technology for color accuracy, color depth, and clarity. Next, they have discrete (dedicated) Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) with accompanying RAM to enable them to handle video processing fast without compromising other system functions. And finally, they have Intel core i7 CPU processors and Solid-State Drives (SSD) for faster overall performance.
THE TOP 3 LAPTOPS FOR EDITING VIDEO IN 2018
The top 3 laptops below are quite impressive. They have the right mix of power and function that video editing requires.
1.MACBOOK PRO WITH TOUCH BAR
PRICE: $1500 - $1800
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB memory – 560 with 4GB memory
RAM: 16GB
SCREEN: 15.4” Retina Display
RES: 2880 x 1800px
STORAGE: 128 – 256GB SSD
PROS
- OLED Touch Bar
- Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Large Trackpad
CONS:
- No other input ports available besides Thunderbolt 3
- Expensive
The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is the best video editing laptop produced by Apple. It has a wide 15.4” screen with thin bezels, and its proprietary OLED Touch bar amps up its flexibility and functionality considerably. The Touch Bar is set-up to show different shortcuts for different apps. It works quite well with Photoshop and will show thumbnails, filter options, a color picker, and more while you’re editing videos or stills.
Working with large 4K video files is much easier with the MacBook Pro. It’s fitted with Thunderbolt 3 Ports which have the highest data and video bandwidth available for USB-C connections. With these Thunderbolt ports, you can also use high-speed and high-power peripherals without a hitch. This laptop also has an extra-wide touchpad or Trackpad (as Apple calls it) which expands your physical working surface while also making it easier to do detailed video editing.
Unfortunately, if you need a variety of ports like most videographers, working with the MacBook Pro could be a challenge as it only has Thunderbolt 3 ports. If this is the laptop you prefer, you’ll need to buy additional connection hardware to work with different input devices. And while this laptop impresses in many ways, it’s also quite expensive. There are certainly other laptops on the market which can give you similar performance at a lower cost.
2. DELL XPS 15
PRICE: $999 - $1300
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
RAM: 8 - 16GB
SCREEN: 15.6”
RES: FHD - 4k UHD 3840 x 2160px
STORAGE: 256GB – 1TB SSD
PROS
- 4k InfinityEdge display
- Good battery life
- Has multiple input ports
CONS:
- Webcam is oddly positioned
The Dell XPS 15 is one laptop that hits the sweet spot for many videographers. It’s considered the closest competitor to the MacBook Pro reviewed above. In fact, many would argue that it tops the MacBook Pro when it comes to speed, color accuracy, and color depth. Its 15.6” screen has very thin bezels for minimal distraction and immersive work experience. At 4K resolution and displaying a wide range of the sRGB gamut, video editing with the Dell XPS 15 promises to be both smooth and enjoyable.
The Dell XPS 15 is certainly more affordable, while still delivering excellent graphics performance. It features an Intel i7 processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics processor. This makes it remarkably fast for video editing, as well as energy-efficient. People who work with different input devices will also like that this laptop has legacy adapters (USB, HDMI, ethernet) alongside a USB type C port.
The biggest downside to the Dell XPS 15 laptop is its oddly positioned webcam. It feels awkward and can be an inconvenience to use since you’ll have to adjust your position significantly while making video calls or recording for your YouTube channel.
3. MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2
PRICE: $1499 - $2499
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: Intel HD 620 or Nvidia GTX 1050 / GTX 1060
RAM: 16GB
SCREEN: 15.0”
RES: 3240 x 2160px
STORAGE: 256GB, 512GB – 1TB SSD
PROS
- Detachable screen
- Has multiple input ports (USB Type-A, USB Type-C, SD card reader)
- Works with a Stylus
CONS:
- Expensive
- Fulcrum hinge
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a laptop and a tablet thanks to its detachable screen. At a resolution of 3240 x 2160px, its screen is nearly 4k and can handle Full HD and HD footage with ease. Add to this its capacity to show a considerable portion of the sRGB gamut and its easy-to-use stylus and you can see why this 2-in-1 combo from Microsoft is one of the top 3 laptops for video editing in 2018.
Surface Book 2 also has the right combination of power and storage capacity that video editing requires. It boasts a state-of-the-art NVIDIA graphics processor and an Intel i7 processor for a smooth workflow no matter the size or level of detail involved in your video editing project.
On the downside, this laptop is undoubtedly very expensive. Compared to the function and power you can get from the DELL XPS 15, it’s hard to justify paying nearly $2500 for the Surface Book 2. Its detachable screen, supported by a fulcrum hinge, also comes at a price. It makes the laptop a bit bulky at one end when it’s folded. This in turn can make day-to-day handling a bit more tricky than it has to be.
CONCLUSION
If you’re searching for a good laptop to help you improve the quality of your videos in 2018, look no further than these 3. They have all the power, function, and storage capacity you need to handle any project with ease. Just be mindful of your budget and consider which extras are worth the expense. Go for the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar if customizing your workflow is a priority. Opt for the Dell XPS 15 if you want the best combination of display quality and graphics processing. Finally, consider the Surface Book 2 if you need the flexibility of a 2-in-1 device.
What do you think is the best laptop for video editing?
Equip Your Laptop with the Best Video Editing Software
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
This article lists the 3 best laptops for video editing in 2018.
Whether you’re an industry professional or an avid YouTuber, you know how important it is to produce quality videos consistently.
The quality of the videos you create will depend on your creativity, the editing software you use, and the hardware that software is installed on. And as you probably know, it can be tough to work fast and get good results when your hardware or laptop isn’t strong enough to power your software properly and allow you to work at the pace you want.
The best laptops for video editing in 2018 have three things in common. First, they have top-of-the-line display technology for color accuracy, color depth, and clarity. Next, they have discrete (dedicated) Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) with accompanying RAM to enable them to handle video processing fast without compromising other system functions. And finally, they have Intel core i7 CPU processors and Solid-State Drives (SSD) for faster overall performance.
THE TOP 3 LAPTOPS FOR EDITING VIDEO IN 2018
The top 3 laptops below are quite impressive. They have the right mix of power and function that video editing requires.
1.MACBOOK PRO WITH TOUCH BAR
PRICE: $1500 - $1800
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB memory – 560 with 4GB memory
RAM: 16GB
SCREEN: 15.4” Retina Display
RES: 2880 x 1800px
STORAGE: 128 – 256GB SSD
PROS
- OLED Touch Bar
- Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Large Trackpad
CONS:
- No other input ports available besides Thunderbolt 3
- Expensive
The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is the best video editing laptop produced by Apple. It has a wide 15.4” screen with thin bezels, and its proprietary OLED Touch bar amps up its flexibility and functionality considerably. The Touch Bar is set-up to show different shortcuts for different apps. It works quite well with Photoshop and will show thumbnails, filter options, a color picker, and more while you’re editing videos or stills.
Working with large 4K video files is much easier with the MacBook Pro. It’s fitted with Thunderbolt 3 Ports which have the highest data and video bandwidth available for USB-C connections. With these Thunderbolt ports, you can also use high-speed and high-power peripherals without a hitch. This laptop also has an extra-wide touchpad or Trackpad (as Apple calls it) which expands your physical working surface while also making it easier to do detailed video editing.
Unfortunately, if you need a variety of ports like most videographers, working with the MacBook Pro could be a challenge as it only has Thunderbolt 3 ports. If this is the laptop you prefer, you’ll need to buy additional connection hardware to work with different input devices. And while this laptop impresses in many ways, it’s also quite expensive. There are certainly other laptops on the market which can give you similar performance at a lower cost.
2. DELL XPS 15
PRICE: $999 - $1300
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
RAM: 8 - 16GB
SCREEN: 15.6”
RES: FHD - 4k UHD 3840 x 2160px
STORAGE: 256GB – 1TB SSD
PROS
- 4k InfinityEdge display
- Good battery life
- Has multiple input ports
CONS:
- Webcam is oddly positioned
The Dell XPS 15 is one laptop that hits the sweet spot for many videographers. It’s considered the closest competitor to the MacBook Pro reviewed above. In fact, many would argue that it tops the MacBook Pro when it comes to speed, color accuracy, and color depth. Its 15.6” screen has very thin bezels for minimal distraction and immersive work experience. At 4K resolution and displaying a wide range of the sRGB gamut, video editing with the Dell XPS 15 promises to be both smooth and enjoyable.
The Dell XPS 15 is certainly more affordable, while still delivering excellent graphics performance. It features an Intel i7 processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics processor. This makes it remarkably fast for video editing, as well as energy-efficient. People who work with different input devices will also like that this laptop has legacy adapters (USB, HDMI, ethernet) alongside a USB type C port.
The biggest downside to the Dell XPS 15 laptop is its oddly positioned webcam. It feels awkward and can be an inconvenience to use since you’ll have to adjust your position significantly while making video calls or recording for your YouTube channel.
3. MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2
PRICE: $1499 - $2499
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: Intel HD 620 or Nvidia GTX 1050 / GTX 1060
RAM: 16GB
SCREEN: 15.0”
RES: 3240 x 2160px
STORAGE: 256GB, 512GB – 1TB SSD
PROS
- Detachable screen
- Has multiple input ports (USB Type-A, USB Type-C, SD card reader)
- Works with a Stylus
CONS:
- Expensive
- Fulcrum hinge
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a laptop and a tablet thanks to its detachable screen. At a resolution of 3240 x 2160px, its screen is nearly 4k and can handle Full HD and HD footage with ease. Add to this its capacity to show a considerable portion of the sRGB gamut and its easy-to-use stylus and you can see why this 2-in-1 combo from Microsoft is one of the top 3 laptops for video editing in 2018.
Surface Book 2 also has the right combination of power and storage capacity that video editing requires. It boasts a state-of-the-art NVIDIA graphics processor and an Intel i7 processor for a smooth workflow no matter the size or level of detail involved in your video editing project.
On the downside, this laptop is undoubtedly very expensive. Compared to the function and power you can get from the DELL XPS 15, it’s hard to justify paying nearly $2500 for the Surface Book 2. Its detachable screen, supported by a fulcrum hinge, also comes at a price. It makes the laptop a bit bulky at one end when it’s folded. This in turn can make day-to-day handling a bit more tricky than it has to be.
CONCLUSION
If you’re searching for a good laptop to help you improve the quality of your videos in 2018, look no further than these 3. They have all the power, function, and storage capacity you need to handle any project with ease. Just be mindful of your budget and consider which extras are worth the expense. Go for the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar if customizing your workflow is a priority. Opt for the Dell XPS 15 if you want the best combination of display quality and graphics processing. Finally, consider the Surface Book 2 if you need the flexibility of a 2-in-1 device.
What do you think is the best laptop for video editing?
Equip Your Laptop with the Best Video Editing Software
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett
Oct 26, 2023• Proven solutions
This article lists the 3 best laptops for video editing in 2018.
Whether you’re an industry professional or an avid YouTuber, you know how important it is to produce quality videos consistently.
The quality of the videos you create will depend on your creativity, the editing software you use, and the hardware that software is installed on. And as you probably know, it can be tough to work fast and get good results when your hardware or laptop isn’t strong enough to power your software properly and allow you to work at the pace you want.
The best laptops for video editing in 2018 have three things in common. First, they have top-of-the-line display technology for color accuracy, color depth, and clarity. Next, they have discrete (dedicated) Graphic Processing Units (GPUs) with accompanying RAM to enable them to handle video processing fast without compromising other system functions. And finally, they have Intel core i7 CPU processors and Solid-State Drives (SSD) for faster overall performance.
THE TOP 3 LAPTOPS FOR EDITING VIDEO IN 2018
The top 3 laptops below are quite impressive. They have the right mix of power and function that video editing requires.
1.MACBOOK PRO WITH TOUCH BAR
PRICE: $1500 - $1800
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: Radeon Pro 555 with 2GB memory – 560 with 4GB memory
RAM: 16GB
SCREEN: 15.4” Retina Display
RES: 2880 x 1800px
STORAGE: 128 – 256GB SSD
PROS
- OLED Touch Bar
- Thunderbolt 3 ports
- Large Trackpad
CONS:
- No other input ports available besides Thunderbolt 3
- Expensive
The MacBook Pro with Touch Bar is the best video editing laptop produced by Apple. It has a wide 15.4” screen with thin bezels, and its proprietary OLED Touch bar amps up its flexibility and functionality considerably. The Touch Bar is set-up to show different shortcuts for different apps. It works quite well with Photoshop and will show thumbnails, filter options, a color picker, and more while you’re editing videos or stills.
Working with large 4K video files is much easier with the MacBook Pro. It’s fitted with Thunderbolt 3 Ports which have the highest data and video bandwidth available for USB-C connections. With these Thunderbolt ports, you can also use high-speed and high-power peripherals without a hitch. This laptop also has an extra-wide touchpad or Trackpad (as Apple calls it) which expands your physical working surface while also making it easier to do detailed video editing.
Unfortunately, if you need a variety of ports like most videographers, working with the MacBook Pro could be a challenge as it only has Thunderbolt 3 ports. If this is the laptop you prefer, you’ll need to buy additional connection hardware to work with different input devices. And while this laptop impresses in many ways, it’s also quite expensive. There are certainly other laptops on the market which can give you similar performance at a lower cost.
2. DELL XPS 15
PRICE: $999 - $1300
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050
RAM: 8 - 16GB
SCREEN: 15.6”
RES: FHD - 4k UHD 3840 x 2160px
STORAGE: 256GB – 1TB SSD
PROS
- 4k InfinityEdge display
- Good battery life
- Has multiple input ports
CONS:
- Webcam is oddly positioned
The Dell XPS 15 is one laptop that hits the sweet spot for many videographers. It’s considered the closest competitor to the MacBook Pro reviewed above. In fact, many would argue that it tops the MacBook Pro when it comes to speed, color accuracy, and color depth. Its 15.6” screen has very thin bezels for minimal distraction and immersive work experience. At 4K resolution and displaying a wide range of the sRGB gamut, video editing with the Dell XPS 15 promises to be both smooth and enjoyable.
The Dell XPS 15 is certainly more affordable, while still delivering excellent graphics performance. It features an Intel i7 processor and the NVIDIA GeForce GTX 1050 graphics processor. This makes it remarkably fast for video editing, as well as energy-efficient. People who work with different input devices will also like that this laptop has legacy adapters (USB, HDMI, ethernet) alongside a USB type C port.
The biggest downside to the Dell XPS 15 laptop is its oddly positioned webcam. It feels awkward and can be an inconvenience to use since you’ll have to adjust your position significantly while making video calls or recording for your YouTube channel.
3. MICROSOFT SURFACE BOOK 2
PRICE: $1499 - $2499
SYSTEM SPECS:
CPU: Intel Core i7 Processor
GRAPHICS: Intel HD 620 or Nvidia GTX 1050 / GTX 1060
RAM: 16GB
SCREEN: 15.0”
RES: 3240 x 2160px
STORAGE: 256GB, 512GB – 1TB SSD
PROS
- Detachable screen
- Has multiple input ports (USB Type-A, USB Type-C, SD card reader)
- Works with a Stylus
CONS:
- Expensive
- Fulcrum hinge
The Microsoft Surface Book 2 is a laptop and a tablet thanks to its detachable screen. At a resolution of 3240 x 2160px, its screen is nearly 4k and can handle Full HD and HD footage with ease. Add to this its capacity to show a considerable portion of the sRGB gamut and its easy-to-use stylus and you can see why this 2-in-1 combo from Microsoft is one of the top 3 laptops for video editing in 2018.
Surface Book 2 also has the right combination of power and storage capacity that video editing requires. It boasts a state-of-the-art NVIDIA graphics processor and an Intel i7 processor for a smooth workflow no matter the size or level of detail involved in your video editing project.
On the downside, this laptop is undoubtedly very expensive. Compared to the function and power you can get from the DELL XPS 15, it’s hard to justify paying nearly $2500 for the Surface Book 2. Its detachable screen, supported by a fulcrum hinge, also comes at a price. It makes the laptop a bit bulky at one end when it’s folded. This in turn can make day-to-day handling a bit more tricky than it has to be.
CONCLUSION
If you’re searching for a good laptop to help you improve the quality of your videos in 2018, look no further than these 3. They have all the power, function, and storage capacity you need to handle any project with ease. Just be mindful of your budget and consider which extras are worth the expense. Go for the MacBook Pro with Touch Bar if customizing your workflow is a priority. Opt for the Dell XPS 15 if you want the best combination of display quality and graphics processing. Finally, consider the Surface Book 2 if you need the flexibility of a 2-in-1 device.
What do you think is the best laptop for video editing?
Equip Your Laptop with the Best Video Editing Software
Richard Bennett
Richard Bennett is a writer and a lover of all things video.
Follow @Richard Bennett
Also read:
- Achieving Profitability on YouTube Average View Count for Success for 2024
- Anime Gems on YouTube to Light Up Your Day [New List 2023]
- Emulating Old Hollywood Style in Modern Videos
- Mirrorless Evolution Overshadowing Traditional DSLR Videography
- 2024 Approved Boosting Income with Effective Youtube Short Strategies
- Creating Engaging Stream Content Shorts for 2024
- [Updated] A Step-by-Step Manual on Repetitive Watch Experiences in YT
- [New] 10 Power Players YouTube's Ladies in Gaming
- [Updated] 2023'S Standout YouTube Music Playback Gems
- [New] Discovering if Quick YouTube Subscriptions Really Work
- 2024 Approved Decoding Video Thread Embellishments
- In 2024, Amplify Video Impact Leading Trackers for YouTube Ranks
- 2024 Approved Discover the Leading YouTube-to-WebM Converter Tools
- Secure Approach Verifying Your YouTube Login Details
- PixelPie Editor
- [Updated] Channel Connectivity Made Simple Easy-to-Use YouTube Buttons
- Enchantments of the Video Edging Wizardry for 2024
- In 2024, Digital Download King Comprerante Video Acquisition Guide
- [New] Discovering & Perfecting Your Individual Style
- [Updated] Efficient Fortnite Imagery Design Quickly
- 2024 Approved Crafting Splitscreen YouTube Videos A Guide to Creativity
- The Ultimate Playlist for Amazing YouTube Music Videos
- Crafting Spectacular Unboxing Content Step-by-Step for 2024
- [New] Become a Youtube Gif Wizard Your Complete Online Transformation Tutorial
- Growth Hurdle Cleared 500 Subscribers Win
- 2024 Approved Channel Charm with Cost-Free Visual Aids
- Elevate Your YouTube Channel Perfecting Video Scriptwriting Skills
- Boosting Your Channels Free Tips for YouTube Video Popularity
- [New] Epicurean Envoys The Best Food Vloggers to Watch
- YouTube Thumbnails Revamped Creative BG Ideas Unveiled
- The First-Time Filmmaker's Guide to Gear Selection
- Enhance Listening Pleasure Constructing a YouTube Playlist for 2024
- Navigate the World of Tags for Superior Content Performance
- 2024 Approved Cut Beyond Youtube Unveiling the Top 5 Video Editor Options
- 2024 Approved Essential Collection Top 9 Premium Wedding Movies Online
- [Updated] Defending Your YouTube Profile
- A Dive Into the Premium List of Top 10 Budget-Friendly YouTube Designers
- In 2024, Ensuring Long-Term YouTube Success with Creative Commons Mainteninas
- Jumpstarting Your YouTube Dreams Setting Up Personal/Business Channels on Mobile
- 2024 Approved Capturing Attention From Content Creation to Commerce
- The Foundations of a YouTube Venture A Comprehensive Guide
- Capture It Right Essential Camera Lenses for Video Blogging
- Mastering Channel Promotion YouTube's Featured Channels Guide
- [New] Elevate Thumbnails Fantasy Elements Added
- Dive Into 360 Videos IPhone Edition for Facebook Posts for 2024
- In 2024, 6 Ways To Transfer Contacts From Asus ROG Phone 7 Ultimate to iPhone | Dr.fone
- Edit Like a Pro A Comprehensive Tutorial on MP4 Video Editing for Mac and Windows for 2024
- In 2024, Best 3 Honor X50i Emulator for Mac to Run Your Wanted Android Apps | Dr.fone
- [Updated] How to Unlink Lively Logos From Your Profile (Mobile/PC) for 2024
- In 2024, How to Transfer Data from Poco C50 to Any iOS Devices | Dr.fone
- [New] Pioneering Strategies in InstaVid World Design an Optimal Marketing Approach for 2024
- 2024 Approved Achieving Auditory Perfection Zooming Up Your Sound Quality
- [Updated] In 2024, Synergy of Sounds Crafting Seamless Integration with PowerPoint
- In 2024, Unveiling the Subtleties of Whistle Auditory Signatures
- [New] Ranking the Finest Windows 11 Video Grabbers
- [New] In 2024, Acoustic Data Recording Sounds & Speech
- Essential Websites Offering Lofi Audio Sets & Wallpapers for 2024
- Organize Your Videos Best MP4 Metadata Taggers for PC and Mac
- In 2024, Everything You Need to Know about Lock Screen Settings on your Infinix Smart 8
- Updated Next-Level Siri Sounding Board for Mac & Microsoft Systems for 2024
- [Updated] In 2024, Twitter Jokes Unveiled 3 PC-Based Methods
- Updated Streamlining Sound A Look at the Best 5 Directional Microphones and Windshields
- [Updated] Top 10 Games Just Like Stardew Valley
- [New] A Practical Approach to Zoom Meetings
- [Updated] In 2024, Farming Fiesta with Pals The Ultimate Agritainment Guide
- Title: "In 2024, Crafting Chic Looks The Ultimate Cosmetic Compendium"
- Author: Steven
- Created at : 2024-05-25 19:37:23
- Updated at : 2024-05-26 19:37:23
- Link: https://youtube-clips.techidaily.com/in-2024-crafting-chic-looks-the-ultimate-cosmetic-compendium/
- License: This work is licensed under CC BY-NC-SA 4.0.