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Want Lady Gaga's eyes? YouTube beauty gurus teach how to do it yourself

By Stephanie Chen, CNN
At 23, Michelle Phan is the No. 1 self-made stylist on YouTube. Her quirky, well-produced videos offer viewers beauty tips from looking like Lady Gaga to getting kissable cheeks. She signed on with beauty giant Lancôme to become a representative.
At 23, Michelle Phan is the No. 1 self-made stylist on YouTube. Her quirky, well-produced videos offer viewers beauty tips from looking like Lady Gaga to getting kissable cheeks. She signed on with beauty giant Lancôme to become a representative.
STORY HIGHLIGHTS
  • Michelle Phan, 23, is the No. 1 self-made YouTube beauty stylist
  • YouTube officials say do-it-yourself beauty videos have become more popular
  • Some styling mavens say they are working on launching their own beauty products
  • Phan recently signed on with Lancôme to be a representative
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(CNN) -- The techno music thumps in the background, but Michelle Phan's voice is a contrast, soothing like a lullaby. In precisely seven minutes and 33 seconds, if you follow Phan's meticulous instructions, she can transform you into the wide-eyed Lady Gaga from the "Bad Romance" video.

Nearly ten million people have watched this florid romance-inspired makeup tutorial produced by Phan. Some tried to emulate Lady Gaga's dramatic eyes defined by creamy white eyeliner and fluttering lashes. Others clicked on the video just to catch a glimpse of Phan, a self-made styling sensation who reigns as the No. 1 beauty stylist on YouTube.

"I love how one thing can transform the face," said Phan, who lives in Los Angeles, California. "I'm an artist, so I love how just one medium can transform a canvas. Eyeliner can really make a woman's eye more accentuated. A red lipstick can make a woman look sexier."

YouTube officials estimate there are thousands upon thousands of self-made beauty tutorials on their site since its inception in 2005. The company says these beauty videos are revolutionary in many ways -- connecting with millions of viewers, redefining the role of social media and changing the way some novice stylists launch their careers.

"YouTube has become a video encyclopedia of make up," said Sadia Harper, a YouTube manager who oversees the how-to and styling videos.

At just 23, Phan's YouTube popularity has even landed her a gig as a representative at beauty giant Lancôme. Before her videos debuted, Phan recalls applying for a sales job at a Lancôme makeup counter in Florida in 2007.

They told her she didn't have enough experience.

After the rejection, Phan returned to her college apartment, where her first do-it-yourself styling video was born. She relied on a relatively simple combination of her Macbook Pro and basic film editing programs. Phan appears in all her videos as the instructor: a petite, soft-spoken young woman with a versatile face that effortlessly pulls off the wide range of looks she teaches.

"I'm really passionate about makeup, and I shouldn't let one person who said no not let me achieve my dreams," she said. "I thought: 'What do I have to lose?' It was summer vacation, and I didn't have a job."

Three years later, she now boasts about 100 videos on her channel MichellePhan. They are neatly documented, easily searchable and the best part: They are free.

Viewers can learn how to achieve seductive, smoky eyes and kissable cheeks. They can even copy the "Avatar" look by using blue and lavender eye shadows. If it sounds hard, there are no worries. Phan guides them, step by step.

On average, she receives at least a million views for each video.

"These days, social media is a really important place for personal expression of body image and for circulating new ideas on what can be done with body," says Victoria Pitts-Taylor, a professor of sociology at the City University of New York. She has studied how people think about their bodies and the web.

These days, social media is a really important place for personal expression of body image.
--Professor Victoria Pitts-Taylor

Similar to successful blogs about cooking, dining and interior decorating, YouTube videos with styling and makeup advice can be a way for professionals, especially women, to build their entrepreneurial skills, Pitts-Taylor said.

Samantha Maria, who declined to give her last name for privacy, is an aspiring stylist who hopes her videos will help her strengthen her beauty career. Better known as BeautyCrush on YouTube, she considers herself an ordinary 20-year-old student studying in Southampton, England.

Her makeup and beauty videos are inspired by what she sees on the streets, she says. With her charming British accent, she narrates dozens of videos. She says she was recognized once by a stranger who followed her videos.

"I was so shocked, but it was great as the girl was lovely," she said. "I shouted her out in a video because I was still excited about it."

And it's not just how-to tutorials on make up that have garnered the attention of viewers.

Patricia Otegwu specializes in hair and fashion on her channel, BritPopPrincess. She is a 23 year old with an affable smile, who lives in her parent's London home. She had difficulty finding a job in rocky economic times, so she's continuing with her video ventures hoping they will help her launch her own hair products.

"It's an exciting but daunting experience," Otegwu said.

Jonah Berger, assistant professor of marketing at the Wharton School at the University of Pennsylvania, said social media can be a creative and promising way to launch career.

"Before social media, you either worked your way through the ranks or you had to know the right people," Berger said. "Social media democratized the progress to some degree."

But Berger points out most self-made stylists don't become famous.

Before social media, you either worked your way through the ranks or you had to know the right people.
--Professor Jonah Berger

For Michelle Phan, standing out from the pack online hasn't been a problem.

Phan laughs when she talks about how her mother wanted her to become a doctor in college for the lucrative salary. But Phan told her mother she'd rather follow passion for makeup. Now, her videos and skin care line allow her to help financially support her mother and siblings.

Despite her internet fame, she still finds time to connect with her fans. She has Twitter and Facebook pages, where she writes back to as many fans as she can each day.

"Michelle you are such an amazing artist you have inspired me in so many ways, to be more creative in everything. thank you for everything :) xx," writes Facebook user Becky Wyburn on Phan's wall.

Sometimes the comments aren't so kind, but Phan, like many self-made stylists online, have learned to take the good with the bad.

"It's like art," she said. "Of course not everyone is going to like a Picasso painting, but at the end of the day, I know I put a lot of thought through the process."