What I’m Watching When I’m Tired of Being Sold To
Where inspiration meets integrity (and affiliate links aren’t the whole story)
My guilty pleasure? Binging frivolous fashion and makeup YouTube videos. It’s the perfect way to switch off after a long day—no strategy decks, no client emails, just someone talking me through why they love a cream blush or how they’re styling denim this season.
But lately, the YouTube algorithm seems to think all I want is hauls. Influencers showing off piles of “must-have” pieces… that you never see them wear again. Content that feels more like a sponsored QVC segments than a reflection of personal style. No wear, no repeat, no story—just links, codes, and an endless churn of consumption dressed up as inspiration.
So here’s my antidote: the creators I actually watch. The ones who don’t talk down to you, don’t try to sell you a new identity every month, and who remind me that personal style can be intuitive, reflective, and joyful.
These are the creators I keep coming back to—and if you have your own list of faves, I’d love to hear them!
Fashion & Style Creators
Christina Mychas
I originally found Christina through her low-buy content, and I stayed for her grounded, no-nonsense approach to personal style.
She’s not trying to sell a minimalist fantasy—she’s navigating the real-life push and pull of desire and discipline. She’s not trying to curate an identity through clothes—she’s building a wardrobe that makes sense for her actual life.
Her content lives in that in-between space: where impulse meets intention, and style becomes a way of making peace with yourself. Christina talks openly about shopping triggers, impulse spending, and the emotional weight of our closets, which makes her style advice feel refreshingly human. Her outfit formulas? Game changers.
Hannah Louise Poston
Hannah is the only person who could make a 30-minute video about decluttering a lipstick drawer feel meditative and interesting!
Her channel feels like a personal essay unfolding in real time—thoughtful, layered, emotionally intelligent. I came for the low-buy experiment, but I stayed for her poetic, analytical way of approaching beauty and style, like it’s a language we’re all still learning. (And her brilliant inclusive inspiration images!) She doesn’t offer tidy solutions; she gives you her questions, her hesitations, her half-formed thoughts—and that’s exactly why I trust her.
Alyssa Beltempo
The queen of “shop your closet.”
’s content feels like a balm after hours of trend cycles flashing across your screen. She’s a quiet rebellion against the constant newness of fashion media.She has a way of making creativity sustainable. She’s deeply thoughtful and endlessly practical, breaking down street style looks into wearable inspiration without ever suggesting you need to buy something new.
Her love for slow fashion doesn’t feel performative—it feels lived-in. There’s a warmth and intelligence to the way she teaches that always makes me want to go back to my own closet and start fresh—with what I already have.
Allison Bornstein
Her wardrobe editing method genuinely changed how I think about my wardrobe!
brings structure to the chaotic feeling of having “nothing to wear,” and she does it without judgment. She brings clarity without rigidity, warmth without fluff.Her content feels like therapy for your wardrobe—gentle, clarifying, and totally doable. Now that she’s back on YouTube, I’ve been soaking up every video like a thirsty plant. This was the original video that made me fall in love with her.
The Anna Edit
I first found
on Substack and then fell head first into her YouTube archive!There’s a steadiness to her content that I find grounding—capsule wardrobes, packing lists, beauty edits that actually account for real life. She’s practical without being boring, polished without being out of touch. Her capsule wardrobe and seasonable reset videos feel like actual tools, not clickbait. She’s one of the few who can talk about beauty and style without making you feel like you’re behind. She does liberally have affiliate links, but she’s honest about what she uses.
She’s aspirational in the most practical way: like a friend who’s figured some things out, but doesn’t pretend to have all the answers. I’ve been loving her recent vlogs! I play them while getting dressed or doing errands.
Makeup & Beauty Creators
Ali Andreea
Ali’s tutorials are so clear and elegant, they almost feel meditative. Her love for makeup is evident in every brushstroke, but what I appreciate most is that she doesn’t use her platform to chase trends. She shares what actually works, and every product she’s ever recommended that I’ve tried has become a staple (might have everything she mentioned in the video below… and they all work!!).
Her love of beauty feels intimate, never commercial, never hurried. Her videos aren’t about transformation, but refinement: small adjustments, subtle shifts. Luxury, yes, but always with a human touch.
Makeup by Nikki La Rose
Nikki is a masterclass in accessible expertise. Her tutorials blend professional know-how with a best friend’s warmth. She does a great job mixing high and low. Her reviews are INSANELY thorough and are the kind that actually helps you make decisions. You trust her because you can tell she’s done the work—years behind the scenes, real-world experience, no fluff.
Her content is about helping you feel good, not just look good, and that shows up in every single video. She’s not trying to dazzle you, she’s trying to teach you. And she does, every time.
Amanda Benko
A more recent find, and admittedly, one I was a little hesitant about at first. Her content can feel a bit filtered—visually and emotionally—but underneath the softness and the glow, her tips are sharp, specific, and surprisingly grounded. Her product recommendations are well-tested, and her approach to beauty feels practical and grounded, even if it’s wrapped in a more curated aesthetic.
She’s not trying to revolutionize your routine, she’s helping you refine it. Her tutorials work on both ends of the spectrum: rushed mornings, slow Sundays. When I want to feel put together without trying too hard, she’s who I watch. She brings a touch of elegance to everyday beauty, without making it feel like performance. A little aspirational, yes—but never out of reach. These hacks were honestly gamechanging!
What They All Have in Common
None of these creators are trying to sell me a new life.
They’re not performing productivity in the name of minimalism, or turning personal style into an endless upgrade loop. There’s no false urgency. No frantic reinvention. Just a steady invitation to return to what’s already there.
They’re thoughtful. They repeat outfits. They return to old favorites. They question trends.
They sit with their choices and speak openly about the tension between wanting something new and needing something real. They offer principles, not prescriptions. Curiosity, not commandments.
What draws me to them is a kind of integrity—not loud or self-righteous, but quiet and consistent. They’re not immune to desire or beauty or the occasional affiliate links, but they don’t let those things hollow them out. They consume (relatively) slowly. They care deeply. They ask how something feels, not just how it photographs.
And maybe that’s what I’m craving most right now: not just content that’s visually appealing and numbing, but content that feels like it respects my time, my budget, and my bandwidth. My longing to live more fully in the things I already have.
In a space engineered for clicks and conversions, these women remind me that style and beauty don’t have to be a performance. They can be a practice. A form of attention. A way of remembering who you are.
Because personal style isn’t about more. It’s about knowing—what suits you, what you love, what’s enough.
Who do you return to when the algorithm gets loud?
Drop your favorite YouTubers in the comments—I’d love to meet them!
Yes! I love Christina and the whole Sustainable podcast on YouTube. 🫶🏼🥰
You have nailed my favorite YouTube stylists to watch!! I would add Lani Ozark (a more Gen Z/thrift style) and Parisian Vibe!