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EXCLUSIVE: Beauty guru Abby Roberts is starting a YouTube show!

Barbie, Darth Maul and Coraline are among the transformative makeup looks in Abby Roberts' portfolio. With 1.9 million Instagram followers and over 9.8 million followers on TikTok, Abby's creativity is carrying her to new heights, and her next step may just be her biggest one yet: Abby is starting a YouTube show.

Fans of Abby, rejoice: the beauty star is finally following in the footsteps of great beauty influencers like NikkieTutorials and Manny MUA who practically run the digital landscape with their platforms on YouTube.

The beauty star will be working with KYRA, a youth entertainment network that works with Internet stars across the board. 

"I've been doing Instagram for so many years now; [for] TikTok, it's been a year," Abby said. "It's constantly changing, but still, I've got into a format of how I make my videos on TikTok, so it's going to be interesting to try and approach making videos in a new and interesting way and see how my platform is going to develop." 

The series will feature the unique, out-of-the-box looks that helped to put Abby on the beauty influencer map, and there will def be special guests - but you'll have to watch to find out who! Viewers can also learn how to do some of Abby's looks IRL, as the channel will include tutorials that showcase some of the best glam looks.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 

@itsjojosiwa i hope i did you proud queen! inspired by @trinsmakeup

A post shared by Abby Roberts (@abbyroberts) on

Having a team on her side is exciting for Abby, who said she has tried to balance YouTube among all of her other v exciting responsibilities, but hadn't found the time.

"It was impossible for me to find the time to do videos and stuff like that," Abby said. "... doing all your emails is not an easy task whatsoever! But also partnering with a production company gave me access to brand connection, I'll get to work with a lot more companies that I would have never had contact with before as well as people to collaborate with other influencers and celebrities."

Creating such an expansive platform has given Abby the opportunity to grow, and her looks have evolved significantly since she first took on the Internet, which she described as "starting small." 

"The types of looks that I've done has changed quite a lot," Abby said. "I would do a lot of insane looks trying to catch people's eyes... And then as my following started growing a lot more, I've started to do some more glam looks as well. People started requesting for me to do looks that they could recreate themselves. Obviously, not everybody [wants to do] these insane looks where I'm turning myself blue."

Along with the evolution of her looks, Abby's life has taken a turn as well. Abby met all of her closest friends (and her BF!) through her platform on TikTok, so it's safe to say that the experience has been a transformative one.

"It's been completely life-changing," Roberts said. "It's given me so many opportunities to work with all the brands that I love and meeting so many new creatives, as well, and really finding my community on TikTok."

But becoming an influencer undoubtedly comes with pressures, especially to become a role model, and Abby explained that online communities can pack a *lot* of drama. For her, it is about rising above that conflict and setting a good example for her followers.

Most recently, that has taken the form of promoting petitions and donation links for Black Lives Matter on her social media. Abby posted a TikTok in May explaining why she would not be creating a performative makeup look based on the movement, instead giving her followers action items in her bio and on Twitter.

@abbyrartistry

please listen, justice must be served, resources on how YOU can make a change in my bio & on my twitter ##blacklivesmatter ##justiceforgeorgefloyd

♬ original sound - abbyrartistry

"I just wanted to use my platform for good because it didn't feel appropriate at the time to carry on posting like nothing was going on," Abby said. "I decided to share petitions, the numbers that you could text to try and help out and donating as well. I've been sharing those links across all my platforms; I was trying to get as much awareness raised about it as possible but also doing that in a respectable way."

If you are interested in donating, signing petitions and more, click here

Whether it is working to create social change, becoming a role model or pursuing a passion, Abby wants her followers to ensure they take success one step at a time.

"It's also important to take things at your own pace," Abby said. "I've been doing this [on TikTok] for over a year now, and I'm so glad that was the way that things played out. Especially with TikTok, you can blow up so quickly, so easily and just not have a clue how to handle that success and that pressure whatsoever. Be prepared and take your time with it; don't pressure yourself too much."

Abby will still be doing her usual IGTV videos - you can check out her morning routine right now! - and TikTok content, but we are *so* excited that she is making even more strides in the beauty world with the drop of her new YouTube show. 

by Logan Potter | 7/8/2020
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