DiamondsAndHeels14 Blogger Cassandra Shares Her Inspiring Road To YouTube Success
Cassandra of DiamondsAndHeels14 is the reason why some teens feel okay about going to school each day. The blogger is candid about being teased by bullies who made her feel so self-conscious about her acne that she spent most of her time alone. She turned to YouTube for its sense of community and seemingly endless supply of makeup tips. The self-taught beauty guru is now famous in the vlogosphere for perfecting a foundation routine that turns even the worst breakouts into flawless-looking skin. It wasn't easy going makeup-free in front of the world to share that routine with her viewers, but facing her fear paid off big-time, drawing enormous support from fans (and a whopping 16 million views!). But mostly, the thanks she received from girls everywhere made it well worth the struggle.
When Cassandra is not inspiring us with blemish-erasing beauty tricks on YouTube, she's doing shoots and strutting her stuff on runways. Teen Vogue catches up with the YouTube blogger turned model as she preps for her catwalk appearance at the fall 2013 Boy Meets Girl show to get the inside scoop on what it was like to film that life-changing video—and she even lets us take a peak into her makeup bag to see which products she's loving right now!
1/5When the vlogger faced constant bullying at school, she found an encouraging community in her fellow beauty gurus.
Photo: courtesy of DiamondsandHeels142/5**When and why did you first decide to start your channel? **
My mom was a bit of a tomboy in the sense that she didn't use makeup and didn't like to fuss with her hair. As hard as she tried, she wasn't much help in the beauty department and I was a teen looking for ways to cover my acne. That's when I turned to videos on YouTube to learn tips and tricks. Other vloggers would post their daily makeup tutorials, natural eye makeup routines, or even professional tips that I was able to learn and practice. When I started getting bullied at school because of my acne-prone skin, I became really anti-social and spent most of my time watching these videos at home since I didn't have many friends. When I got older, I started modeling and decided to post my own videos, reviews, and tips. For me it was just a way of giving back to this YouTube community that really sparked my interest, and helped develop my passion for beauty.
Photo: courtesy of DiamondsandHeels143/5What was the hardest tutorial you’ve ever filmed and why?
The most difficult tutorial I’ve ever filmed was also the easiest makeup-wise. I had been wearing my Foundation Routine For Flawless Skin look for years and knew the application process like the back of my hand. I wore it every day to cover up and conceal my acne, so that nobody could tell it was there. But it was so hard to film because I had to show my skin without makeup. My acne was by far my biggest insecurity, and showing that to the world was absolutely nerve-wracking. It definitely wasn’t something I was comfortable doing, but I felt if it helped one person to hide their acne, and prevent them from going through the bullying I’ve gone through, it would be worth it.
I was crying before I filmed the video, and it took an entire month for me to put it up online. That was when I abandoned YouTube for a good three or four months because I was afraid of what people would say. When I came back and found that people were so supportive online, I began loving myself for who I was with the acne. Thanks largely to their support, I started feeling confident and beautiful in my own skin. It was the video I disliked the most but has been one of the best decisions I’ve made.
Photo: courtesy of DiamondsandHeels144/5Do you have advice for a reader that wants to start a channel?
You need to ask yourself what makes a channel good. In my opinion, it's the helpfulness and individual quirks of each guru. Think about it this way: Why do you love your closest friends? Probably because they're unique, they help you when you're in need, and always have a way of making you laugh. The same thing goes for the beauty community. The knowledge gurus share helps everyone. If you're interested in creating a channel, film videos on the topics that you're genuinely interested in and be sure to let your personality shine through!
Photo: courtesy of DiamondsandHeels145/5Who are a few of your favorite beauty gurus and why do you love their channels?
I have too many! Hollyannaeree and DulceCandy87 are amazing reviewers—I can always trust their opinions and I love watching their hauls. Professional makeup artists Lisaeldridgedotcom, JoshCollierMUA, Lisaeldridgedotcom, and GossMakeupArtist have some of the best makeup tips out there and they keep me up-to-date on the latest launches from beauty brands. MichellePhan’s talents are crazy. She can transform herself flawlessly into Lady GaGa. And MissChevious is so fun to watch when uses she feathers, glitter, and color.
What’s in your makeup bag right now?
I recently got off a plane, so my makeup bag is currently TSA friendly! I have limited space when traveling, so I like to pack palettes instead of individual shadows. Urban Decay Naked is my current favorite since it has every neutral shade I need for day or evening looks. I have an e.l.f. Zit-Zapper and concealer that I wear under and over Hourglass Veil Primer. It feels like rubbing pearls into your skin! I have two foundations: Neutrogena Shine Control with SPF for everyday wear, and Make Up For Ever for more full-coverage situations. My Maybelline Fit Me Powder is my current favorite. I’m utterly obsessed with both Cargo and Nars blushes, and my favorite contour color of all time would have to be Benefit’s Hoola Bronzer. I have also a Too Faced Eyeliner in Pitch Black and Lancôme Hypnose Mascara. It has an amazing wand that never leaves clumps—I don’t have time to fuss with that while getting ready in the morning! As far as lips go, I’ve been using a Laura Mercier Stain in Shy Pink that stays on for ages, and a YSL Lipstick in Opera Rose. It’s a bright pink that looks great on any skintone, and the lipstick container itself is like a little work of art!
