If there's one guilty Internet pleasure that I have, it's watching beauty and fashion vloggers on YouTube. That pleasure grows even stronger when the vloggers have an understanding of positive body image and make it a point to be inclusive in their videos and don't practice body shaming. In the past few years, it seems that YouTube personalities have turned into bona fide celebrities on and offline, making watching and subscribing to internet personalities a completely normal activity. If I say the names Shane Dawson, Michelle Phan, and Bethenny Mota, you probably know exactly who I'm referring to without reference.
I've found that most of us all know the popular YouTube personalities that exist and I wanted to take an opportunity to highlight some smaller creators who deserve just as much recognition as the big YouTube stars, but haven't yet built up their fan base. I also see the same 20 or 30 YouTubers on these sorts of listicles over and over again and I want to spice things up! I also appreciate the fact that you might be looking for some new content creators to follow or want to know about some smaller channels that you might otherwise not find, like a diamond in the ruff. So without further ado, here are seven up and coming YouTubers to follow whose channels focus on body image, who all have less than 100,000 subscribers.
1. Sincerely Savannah
Savannah Monet's channel Sincerely Savannah offers a refreshing take on body positivity, as she is very open about her own struggles with body image, but also provides a space of support and encouragement for her viewers. She is fairly new to YouTube and has only been making videos for a few months, but is definitely someone who is making an impact through her work.
2. Claudia Norris
Claudia Noriss' YouTube channel has something for everyone, as she makes videos doing everything from performing her music, to creating makeup tutorials, to even venturing into the world of body positivity. I love that Norris gives you all of the fashion and beauty content that we all love, but does it through a lens of empowerment. "I believe in empowering girls and women to be the best they can be. I hope to inspire anyone who stumbles across my music & videos to believe in themselves!" she writes on her channel page. She is definitely succeeding in her mission.
3. Don't Be A Sad Panda
Adria Killin's YouTube channel Don't Be A Sad Panda is all about having fun, loving life, and embracing who you are. She frequently talks about body image and self-confidence and I personally find the way Killin relates to her audience to be refreshing. She's very authentic and candid, while also not being afraid to be who she really is, which makes for some pretty amazing content. This is one YouTuber you will definitely want to subscribe to!
4. Stylish Bre
Ambrea of YouTube channel Stylish Bre makes videos about plus size fashion and beauty, along with content that touches on natural hair and health — with a body positive twist, of course! Her content is refreshing, fun, and she has great taste to top it all off. There is nothing not to love about Ambrea and her videos, so make sure to subscribe.
5. TerrCacilia
Junior Editor of SKORCH Magazine, Terr Cacilia is a fashion and beauty YouTube guru whose videos range from plus size look books, to vlogs, to outfits of the day, to topical sit-downs, like the video featured above, which questions whether or not we should drop the label of "plus" size. All in all, Cacilia creates high quality content that is also engaging, fun, and super body and fat positive!
6. Learning To Be Fearless
Alexandra Airene's channel Learning to Be Fearless combines body positivity and fashion in the best way possible! She brings such a fun, free spirit to her channel and draws you into her videos with her light-hearted personality and gorgeous aesthetic. Seriously, I bet you'll have watched at least 10 of her videos once you get to her channel. Her channel name very accurately describes her attitude towards life and YouTubing, which is always fearless.
7. Kat Blaque
Last but not least is YouTube personality Kat Blaque, who frequently vlogs about politics and social issues and is very body positive. As a part of her intersectional feminism, she discusses the challenges of sizeism and fatphobia, which is what you'll find in her body image based videos. She's smart as a whip and I can promise you that she brings no shortage of the whit you see here to all of her YouTube videos.
Who needs Netflix when you have these positive vloggers to keep us occupied and inspired?
Image: LearningToBeFearless/YouTube
