YouTuber Bailey Sarian On Murders, Mysteries, Makeup, and More

Welcome to Favorite Follow, a brand new sequence highlighting NYLON’s favourite creators and the tales behind a few of their most memorable content material.If there are two classes of content material which can be assured to get views on the web, it’s true crime explainers and make-up tutorials. At the intersection the place the 2 meet is Bailey Sarian.Sarian’s channel has only recently hit 5 million subscribers, however the progress of her channel and her most profitable sequence, Murder Mystery & Makeup, happened organically. Sarian has been doing make-up for about 12 years. She was first employed at Sephora when she was 20 years outdated, the place she labored for 5 years earlier than happening to work at Urban Decay and then as a contract make-up artist for movie star clientele and brides. She first began her YouTube channel in 2013 with traditional make-up tutorials. “Around 2016 is once I began taking YouTube extra significantly and began importing persistently,” she says. But retelling the tales of serial killers whereas mixing and contouring didn’t begin till three years later. “2019 is once I formally began the Murder Mystery & Makeup sequence. Now it’s full time. It’s so enjoyable – it’s the dream,” she explains.Below, Sarian shares about her ardour for researching true crime, her favourite magnificence merchandise, participating along with her subscribers, and extra.On Starting the Murder Mystery and Makeup Series “I began on Youtube again in 2013 and it was all make-up associated content material. Then, in 2018, that’s when the Chris Watts case occurred. He murdered his complete household and it was actually terrible. I couldn’t cease watching all the interviews and every little thing about it. I had all of this constructed up information however I didn’t have anybody to speak to about it– none of my household or pals adopted it. With all the data I used to be gathering I assumed I ought to make a video about every little thing I discovered. At first I used to be hesitant as a result of it didn’t slot in my channel anyplace, so I assumed I might do my make-up on the similar time, that manner it made sense with what I used to be doing [on my channel]. I sat on the concept for a few months. I assumed it wouldn’t be obtained very nicely. But in January 2019 I used to be like, I’m simply going to do it. Within the primary day the suggestions on it was so good, I had about 60,000 views inside the first 24 hours. For me was groundbreaking as a result of on the time I used to be averaging about 10,000 views. So once I noticed that, I assumed I’m onto one thing right here.”On the attraction of true crime and make-up“I don’t spend an excessive amount of time fascinated with why folks like my channel as a result of I do not know. My solely assumption is like lots of people who’re interested by true crime are girls and many ladies additionally get pleasure from make-up. But once I take a look at my viewers, I’ve lots of males watching, too. I get lots of feedback the place it is like a husband and spouse are watching my movies collectively, or boyfriend or girlfriend. I believe it could be as a result of I’m not lecturing in my movies. I’m extra like, ‘Oh my God, let me let you know about this story actually fast whereas I mix out my eyeshadow,’ like we’re going out to the membership collectively or one thing. I believe my complete method is preserving it easy. It’s like speaking to a girlfriend. I don’t make it a lot in regards to the make-up, but it surely provides everybody one thing to look at.”On her earliest experiences with true crime“My mother was a 911 dispatcher and she would take me to work along with her once I was a child. I might sit in and pay attention in to the 911 calls. We snigger about it now, however on the time I don’t suppose it was very sensible of her to take me to work along with her as a toddler and for me to be listening to a few of these horrific calls. But I bear in mind pondering that this was so fascinating. It had me so curious. Why is that this occurring? Why are there unhealthy folks? After that I used to be at all times .”On her course of“First I discover a story to cowl. Sometimes it’s from the remark part, everyone is at all times recommending them to me. Sometimes I begin Googling and I attempt to discover a story that I’ve by no means heard earlier than. That can take a complete day. Then, I often spend about two to a few days researching. I do as a lot analysis as I can, whether or not that’s watching documentaries, interviews, or studying biographies. I like the library, you’ll find so many books on completely different serial killers. I absorb as a lot data as I can, then I do a script. I kind out the story from begin to end – the background, what lead as much as the individual changing into a assassin, the occasion, and then the aftermath. Then, I reference that script every time I’m filming. That takes 5 to 6 days from begin to end, from doing the analysis and writing the script, to filming and then enhancing.”On discovering her tone“One of my greatest issues was to by no means add spooky music. I didn’t need anybody leaving my movies feeling worse. True crime could be so intense and brutal that it ruins your complete day. I felt like I might share these tales however I don’t want to enter graphic element about what occurred. I not often ever do this, I pass over lots of morbid stuff. I preserve it extra straight ahead in regards to the crime. I don’t have to let you know each graphic element about the way it’s completed.I believe we’re all making an attempt to determine how somebody wakes up and decides they’re going to kill at some point. What are the purple flags? I believe the upbringings and troublesome lives of those killers typically go ignored. At least for me, getting that background helps it make sense how they turned out the way in which they did. I like displaying each components. Let’s have a dialogue about that.I believe there are issues we are able to be taught from these tales. Number one, how your upbringing is a humongous a part of who you develop into. And quantity two, what can we do to guard ourselves. But generally it’s like ‘lady, I don’t even know what we are able to take away from this’, as a result of the crime simply got here out of left discipline. That’s why I additionally look the the remark part. That’s the place folks come by with their very own recommendation and what they suppose we are able to be taught from the tales as nicely.”On her on-line neighborhood“My neighborhood is actually engaged with each other. I sit up for that probably the most. I’ve such a detailed relationship with them although I don’t actually know them. But I form of do and I actually respect them. Without the neighborhood and with out the viewers I wouldn’t be doing what I’m doing. So I need to ensure that I allow them to know they’re acknowledged and that I respect them and that I see them. It’s actually necessary to me.”On make-up“When I put on make-up, I put on make-up. I let the make-up put on me. If I’m going to put on make-up, I don’t need to look pure. I need to seem like a plastic goddess. I prefer to look caked up. I believe that’s my aesthetic: cake.I actually favored the look I did within the Jeffrey Dahmer video. It was a inexperienced eyeliner look and it was tremendous glittery. My eyeliner was uneven and everybody within the feedback needed to remind me. But I liked it, it was so fairly. Maybe I’ll recreate it and do it higher subsequent time.When I movie movies, the make-up is at all times an afterthought. There’s been a few instances that I’ve practiced a glance earlier than hand. But for probably the most half, it’s no matter I’m within the temper for for the day. Makeup is so second nature to me. It’s one thing that I might simply zone out and begin doing and subsequent factor you understand, it is completed.”On her favourite magnificence merchandise“Concealer is my favourite. I’m at all times utilizing the Jouer Essential High Coverage Concealer and the Tarte Shape Tape Concealer. Everyone at all times makes enjoyable of me as a result of I take advantage of a lot of it. I do. I’m not going to behave like I don’t. I’ve an obsession. I preserve layering it in hopes that it hides all of my secrets and techniques.Right now, I’ve been utilizing Melt Cosmetics nonstop. Their eye shadow palettes are my favourite. Urban Decay and ColourPop additionally make nice eye shadow palettes. I get lots of feedback at all times saying, “Oh, I want I might pull this off”. It drives me nuts as a result of my complete motto is, it is simply make-up. It washes off, so have some enjoyable. Try the blue eyeliner. You actually don’t have anything to lose. If you hate it, wash it off.On her favourite true crime story to share“Lots of horror movies and folks in horror movies are based mostly off of Ed Gein. He was a physique snatcher. He would dig folks up out of their graves and make stuff out of it, like chairs, lamps, belts. He made a full physique go well with out of pores and skin. It’s simply wild, however he was form of artful. How do you even consider that? Then you suppose Oh my god, what a psycho? I’ve but to return throughout anyone who has completed one thing that’s so excessive. The DIY king over right here making lampshades.”On what’s subsequent“I by no means anticipated Murder Mystery & Makeup to be so massive. I at all times consider what can come from this– I simply hit 5 million subscribers so I believe I might do some good with it. I need to do extra unsolved mysteries. Maybe somebody’s watching and there’s some form of manner to assist.Also I’ve been engaged on the brand new podcast referred to as Dark Histories which is like Murder Mysteries & Makeup, however specializing in darker American historical past tales. That might be coming again this month.”Follow Bailey Sarian on YouTube, Instagram, and TikTok. New episodes of Murder Mystery & Makeup come out each Monday.