Kayla Lashae of Akaydoll: Beauty Blogger of the Moment
Kayla Lashae leaves no (beauty) stone unturned on her YouTube channel, Akaydoll. She talks about her favorite beauty buys, does extensive product reviews, creates tutorials of looks you'd use in your everyday life, and even filmed a full bedroom tour. This college student is so fun and feisty, it's easy to see why thousands of people flock to her channel.
Kayla's reviews, hair and makeup tutorials, and shopping trip hauls mix designer and drugstore finds, resulting in beauty looks that are both natural and wearable. In addition to her vlogs on all things beauty, the guru also dishes out her favorite recipes to cook at home, fashion tips, and awesome DIY projects.
Read on for Kayla's secrets on creating a successful YouTube channel, while still balancing on school, friends, and fun.
1/5The YouTube vlogger shares tutorial inspiration, her nearly disastrous six-hour DIY project, and why she thinks girls should rock their natural hair.
Photo: courtesy of Kayla Lashae2/5When and why did you first decide to start your channel?
I started Akaydoll back in 2008 because I was bored of just going to school and coming straight home. I wasn't involved in too many clubs or sports in high school, so YouTube replaced that for me. It gave me a place to express myself while interacting with thousands of people everyday!
What is your beauty philosophy?
Everyone has beauty, but not everyone sees it.
Photo: courtesy of Kayla Lashae3/5Where do you get ideas or inspiration for your tutorials?
I get a lot of inspiration from magazines, TV shows, and my favorite celebrities like Lauren Conrad and Kendall Jenner.
Besides vlogging, what’s a typical day like for you?
Since it’s summer, I sleep in until 10 AM, grab lunch with friends, or going out for a fun dinner date. You can also find me stopping by the mall to do what I do best—shop! I also enjoy blogging on my website. When I’m not sitting down to film a video, I love to write up articles!
Photo: courtesy of Kayla Lashae4/5What's in your makeup bag right now?
You'll find my Laura Mercier Silk Cream Foundation, Urban Decay De-Slick Powder, Jack Black Lip Balm, tarte LipSurgence in Pouty, and my Benefit Instant Brow Pencil. I like to carry around the basics so I can touch up during the day. You never know who you might run into!
**What three beauty products do you find yourself buying over and over again? **
I am constantly replacing my Jack Black Lip Balm, NARS Laguna Bronzer, and L'Oréal True Match Powder. These are some of my all-time favorites that I cannot live without!
What is your favorite hairstyle to create?
I can honestly say I love my natural hair. I like how crazy and curly it can be, and I love to embrace that. Plus, it's super low maintenance which makes it easy for me to style. I think more girls should rock their natural hair!
Photo: courtesy of Kayla Lashae5/5What was the hardest tutorial you've ever filmed and why?
The hardest tutorial I ever created was my DIY Acid Wash Denim Jacket. I do a lot of Do-It-Yourself projects on my channel, but this one took more than six hours to film. On top of that, I ran out of bleach and I had to rush out to the store to get more. Luckily, the video turned out great and so did the jacket!
How do you balance school, a social life, and your channel?
During the college semesters, I do find it a little harder to keep up with videos because of the heavy work load, but filming videos on the weekends really helps! I will pre-film a few videos and then post them throughout the week so I can focus more on my school work and spend more time with my friends.
Do you have advice for a reader that wants to start a channel?
It's always hard when you're first starting a beauty channel—I was there once. The biggest tips I could give would be to have a good quality camera so your viewers can see clearly what you're doing and get editing software. Editing your videos can really make them more enjoyable to watch. Also, just be yourself! Post videos that you would want to watch and have fun doing it!
