Jen of FrmHeadToToe Gives You A Behind-The-Scenes Look At Being A Beauty Vlogger
FrmHeadToToe vlogger Jen's tutorials are hypnotizing, and it only takes watching one video to fall under her spell. Filmed with near-perfect lighting that creates a soft glow, she speaks clearly as she effectively explains her beauty look of choice. Serene music plays in the background, making you feel relad and at home on her channel. Once you're hooked, you'll find yourself watching videos one after another, getting absorbed in her adorable nail art how-tos or helpful step-by-step explanations of tricky techniques, like applying falsies.
Though Jen's a super popular vlogger, she didn't wrack up over 400,000 subscribers overnight. She reveals how she got her start on YouTube, and how being a perfectionist can lead to video editing challenges!
Photo: courtesy of Frmheadtotoe1/6When and why did you first decide to start your channel?
I started my channel late in 2009 to supplement my beauty blog Frmheadtotoe.com. I wanted to share a lot of tutorials, so it made logical sense to show people how to apply makeup versus just taking photos and typing out instructions. To my amazement, YouTube ended up having an incredible culture and audience that I never expected!
What’s your beauty philosophy?
Real beauty comes from humility. It’s not just about looking physically better but really loving yourself at all stages of your beauty process from the sick, no-makeup days to the super glammed up nights where every lash is perfectly in place. Appreciating who you are gives you the confidence to play with makeup under the right mindset.
2/6The YouTube guru spills the inside scoop on what it's like to create tutorials for an audience of hundreds of thousands of viewers.
Photo: courtesy of Frmheadtotoe3/6Where do you get ideas or inspiration for your tutorials?
I have a background in art and design so a lot of my inspiration comes from details that I see in everyday life. If there’s a celebrity that has an unusual eyeshadow detail in their red carpet look, I might think of how I could adapt that concept to fit my eye shape. I also love nail art. My followers are also always ready to offer suggestions of what they’d like to see next, so that’s an inspiration.
Who are a few of your favorite beauty gurus and why do you love their channels?
I love makeup artist Lisa Eldridge because she’s such a wealth of information and has a lovely, easy-going way of teaching makeup techniques. Another channel I enjoy watching is Amari because she’s incredibly relatable and I trust her reviews. She’s like the beauty-loving best friend you always wish you had. Promise, of Dope2111, is another one who I can’t fail to mention since she’s the YouTube master of transformations. If you haven’t seen her Johnny Depp video, you absolutely have to check it out!
Photo: courtesy of Frmheadtotoe4/6What’s in your makeup bag right now?
Neutrogena Healthy Skin Foundation, Urban Decay Naked Basics Eyeshadow Palette, Tarte Amazonian Clay Blush in Blissful, Benefit Coralista Blush, Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner, Too Faced Shadow Insurance, Lorac Pro Palette, Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara, and Too Faced La Creme Lipstick in Spice Spice Baby.
What three beauty products do you find yourself buying over and over again?
Seche Vite polishes, Urban Decay Cannonball Mascara, and Eyeko Skinny Eyeliner.
Photo: courtesy of Frmheadtotoe5/6What's your favorite hairstyle to create?
I love natural beachy waves! It's great for everyday but also feels feminine and looks pulled together.
What was the hardest tutorial you've ever filmed and why?
The hardest was a tutorial that never went up. I had planned out this whole Halloween Cheshire Cat look in full costume and after attempting to record and re-record the entire thing multiple times, importing and editing the majority of the footage, I was so unhappy with the look that I scrapped the entire project altogether! That was hard to go through since nobody on the outside sees all the hard work that goes into a week's worth of content that ends up in the trash, but it definitely happens to all of us at one point or another.
Photo: courtesy of Frmheadtotoe6/6Do you have advice for a reader who wants to start a channel?
The hardest part is making that first video. You need to get over the awkwardness of being the weirdo who is talking to yourself in front of a camera and just try to be yourself. Make videos that you, as a viewer, would love to watch!
