An unforgettable force in beauty, YouTuber MannyMUA has fought for years to be the premier male makeup guru on YouTube. In his mid-20s, his primary focus was medical school until he found his footing in the beauty industry working at Sephora and MAC cosmetics counters. 

With newly learned makeup tips, Manny opened a YouTube account, offering affordable and readily available advice. Quitting his day job when he reached 100K subscribers, the “boy beauty vlogger” and YouTuber quickly realized his new venture could become a lucrative business.

.@MannyMua733, the “boy beauty vlogger” quit his day job when he hit 100K subscribers on @YouTube. #contententrepreneur #creatoreconomy Click To Tweet

The launch of Lunar Beautyfor men, women, and everyone in between” in May 2018 and breaking ground as Maybelline’s first male ambassador seismically shifted the YouTube content creator’s career. Months following the makeup line’s big reveal, Elle Australia reported Manny brings in at least $7.9K per Instagram post and has generated close to $436K from his channel, which now has 4.86M subscribers. 

Why we’re a Stan: With an oversaturated market of female makeup artists and lovers, Manny found his content tilt and jumped at the chance to be YouTube’s go-to male beauty expert. For years, cosmetics was strictly a women’s game, but Manny is at the forefront of an industry makeover stemming from the rise of Gen Z and increasing interest in busting traditional gender norms.  

About the author

Shameyka McCalman is a wordsmith whose work often centers around fashion, art, and other creatives of color. She earned her communications degree from the University of Massachusetts Boston and enjoys sifting through clothes in local vintage shops, frequenting nearby plays, and gazing at exhibitions on view in museums.