Michelle Phan Quotes & Sayings

Your YouTube channel is your show. I think it's a wonderful platform for anyone who wants to have stronger creative control over their content, their message, their vision and their branding. — Michelle Phan

When you're eating a bowl of pho, you're eating everything you need. — Michelle Phan

Just like hair frames our face, brows frame our eyes. I see so much potential in harmonized beauty whenever I see a woman who's not filling in her brows, and I just want to go in with my brow pencil and just be like, 'Filling in eyebrows, OK, done - look in the mirror and be inspired.' That's one of my pet peeves, but beauty is subjective. — Michelle Phan

If light is a place, then darkness is the way. — Michelle Phan

Seven years ago, in my first semester at college, the professors handed out MacBook Pros. With mine, I filmed a seven-minute tutorial on 'natural makeup' - just me, my laptop, and a cup of coffee. When, a week later, it clocked 40,000 Web views, I knew people were connecting with it, so I kept going. That moment changed my life. — Michelle Phan

Makeup is no different than clothes and accessories - it's embellishments for your face. And it also gives you creative freedom. You get to have that moment in front the mirror every morning and give yourself self-love. You're making yourself up beautiful, which is essentially self-love. — Michelle Phan

I know I'm a storyteller at heart, and if there's a platform that needs stories, I'm going be there. — Michelle Phan

When you read about the real history of where feminism comes from, it came from a very political point of view. I don't believe in bringing any politics to an idea like feminism. I love the idea that women should be celebrated, but I also believe men should be, too. We need both - yin and yang. — Michelle Phan

I want to be able to leave behind an infrastructure and a road map for any of my dreamers to follow. So that they can again take care of their family, pursue what they love and live a fulfilling life. Everyone is called, but not everyone answers. I was called, and I answered. — Michelle Phan

So many of my followers who just graduated can't get jobs; they're hundreds of thousands of dollars in debt, and they don't know what to do. My dream is to see a new generation of entrepreneurs who are creating and having more meaningful jobs than the day-to-day grind. — Michelle Phan

I believe if religion brings you to a sense of peace, that's beautiful. But I also believe if religion's not your thing, that's fine, too, just so long as you're a good person and you find that one thing that leads you to peace and teaches you to have harmony with yourself and other people around you. — Michelle Phan

We're living in an age where we should be collaborating. Because it's the Internet now. It's hard to say who owns what. — Michelle Phan

Part of having a social media strategy is being smart about whom you follow. Ask yourself who is important to your company or brand. Figure out who needs to know you exist. — Michelle Phan

I didn't start wearing makeup until I was in art school, and many of the techniques I learned on canvas, I applied to makeup. — Michelle Phan

If I can find time to play games, it's console gaming. I don't want to be plugged into my phone all the time. I'm waiting for the new Mario Kart to come out, but I've been playing Donkey Kong and Mario 3D World on the Wii U. — Michelle Phan

As a young girl, I loved having stories read to me. There is something magical about narration and voiceovers. Recording a voiceover is an art form in itself. — Michelle Phan

My production style is all about imagination. I want my audience to use their imagination when they watch my videos. My goal is for my voice to be that little hope of encouragement in your head when you walk out your door. — Michelle Phan

The Manuka honey face mask is another favorite of mine that I actually do. I know there are these people that recommend crazy masks, and I'm like, 'There is no way you're putting that on your face!' But I do put Manuka honey on my face. I take a teaspoon and warm it up. — Michelle Phan

I'm used to everything digital - the pictures, the avatars of the person, the profiles - so when I get to see someone in the flesh, it's really nice. — Michelle Phan

I'm grateful that L'Oreal believed in me and helped me bring my dream of creating a beauty brand to life. I'm excited to be working with Ipsy to bring Em home to my community, the original inspiration for the brand. — Michelle Phan

As one of the first creators on YouTube, I've been fortunate to sit in the front row, witnessing the remarkable evolution of digital media. The experiences and knowledge I've been afforded are invaluable, and I'm excited to take that skill set, together with Endemol Beyond, to build a reliable, reputable business. — Michelle Phan

I really believe in giving tools and resources to other creators so that they can create beautiful videos. — Michelle Phan

I am first a creator, but my ongoing objective is to leverage my personal success to help mentor new and existing talent and further help them achieve their goals. Endemol Beyond shares this vision, and together, we will drive the future of original content for generations to come. — Michelle Phan

Honestly, what I have the most fun with, I just hang out with my cat, and I go online, and I talk to my followers, and I have real conversations with them. — Michelle Phan

I see videomaking as an art - it's not a process for me. — Michelle Phan

Robust activity on one site is so much better than halfhearted activity on multiple sites. — Michelle Phan

When I smell pho, I just automatically think of my mom. All these nostalgic feelings and memories come rushing through my head. — Michelle Phan

One day, you have a father who's always around, and then the next day, he's gone. I was too young to comprehend that. I actually thought he was going to come back. — Michelle Phan

I always secretly loved the art of makeup as a child. I would come up with stories and characters and try on my mom's Maybelline eyeliner when she wasn't home. It was a very old-school pencil - you had to burn the tip to make it smudgy enough to use. — Michelle Phan

I love liquid eyeliner - it's just easier. It doesn't melt, fade, skip, or smudge. It's tougher to use because it's not as forgiving. The brush for my em michelle phan Scribble Calligraphy Liquid Liner was inspired by a calligraphy brush, so you can get a very thick or thin line, depending on how you flick it. I use it in Tattoo Black. — Michelle Phan

It's a deeper connection when you meet someone online and talk to them every day. — Michelle Phan

My mother would work 14 hours, and she'd come home, and she'd just get right into cooking ... she wanted to make sure my brother, my sister and I had food in our bellies. — Michelle Phan

I've colored my hair so many times, and nobody tells you the damage it's going to do! I went blonde and lost all my baby hairs. I'm not coloring it anymore. Never again. — Michelle Phan

I'm platform agnostic. I've been platform agnostic ever since I went online. — Michelle Phan

I glance through the pages of all the top magazines every month just to see if there are any colors that are trending. I'll also go on Instagram and look at the 'popular' page to see what people are liking, what's cool. I'll check it at different times of the day; for example, if it's really late in L.A., you'll see a lot of posts in Asia. — Michelle Phan

What inspired me to work so hard and to maintain my determination was seeing my mother. She was an immigrant and was struggling in America to make it by; that inspired me to work hard. — Michelle Phan

Every day is different. I am constantly creating, whether that be for my own YouTube channel and social networks or my businesses like FAWN (For all Women's Network) - a women's lifestyle network on YouTube that I founded/produce; em michelle phan (my cosmetics line with L'Oreal); or Ipsy (a beauty sampling service I co-founded in 2011). — Michelle Phan

It's no longer the older paradigm of, 'I want to own this market, and no one else can own this market because I own this market.' The Internet has made the market limitless. — Michelle Phan

I now have 10-year-olds asking me about how to become successful, how to become a business owner, which is crazy - at 10 I was trying to figure out which Barbie I wanted. — Michelle Phan

Don't trust everyone, especially if they say, 'Trust me.' — Michelle Phan

If you go on my Instagram, you're not going to see the same content you'll see on my YouTube. Instagram has become the new magazine. It's much more editorial and about perfect moments that are captured. Snapchats are funny, real moments that you want to share. On YouTube, it's more structured, more storytelling. — Michelle Phan

Flipboard is really fun because it's like a digital magazine that lets you curate your favorite things and follow your favorite people. I do Instagram but not Vine. I love Vine, but I don't have time to browse through it. So when I'm on YouTube, I'll look up the 'best of Vine' compilations. — Michelle Phan

I listen to a lot of Tibetan music before I sleep. I'll just type in 'Tibetan meditation music' on YouTube, and within 15 minutes, it knocks me out. I sleep like a baby. — Michelle Phan

My dad and I had been close - he called me Tuyet Bang, Vietnamese for 'avalanche,' because of my nonstop energy. I took a lot from him, like being a risk taker, and I know how much he loved my mother. — Michelle Phan

I call 2015 a year of deconstruction. I needed to deconstruct myself, my businesses, and find all of the holes in my empire. I had to find holes and fill them with people who could do it better. — Michelle Phan

My best advice for anyone out there that feels like, 'I don't have a million followers so why should I even give it a shot,' is that it's not about the numbers - it's about the engagement. That's how you can build influence. — Michelle Phan

I use sunscreen every single day, even if I'm not going outside in the sun, because I'm near a window. I can always get those UV rays on my face, so I always apply sunscreen on my face and neck. It's like brushing my teeth: I feel weird if I don't apply sunscreen. — Michelle Phan

I believe that rejection is a blessing because it's the universe's way of telling you that there's something better out there. — Michelle Phan

I had a blog and was documenting my life as a college student in an art school. I had a few comments left by a few girls asking if I could do a tutorial on how I did my makeup. I didn't think my makeup was all that special, but I try my best to share whatever I can with my viewers. — Michelle Phan

I am so inspired by the people watching my videos and responding to them. I have learned so much from my community over the years and always love reading their feedback and their own personal stories that they share with me. — Michelle Phan

Whatever happens, I'll just keep moving forward. Like an avalanche. — Michelle Phan

Ipsy's goal has always been to create a community that inspires women around the world to express their own unique beauty. — Michelle Phan

The Internet is where you can find people who are authentic. — Michelle Phan

I'm motivated by my love to share and teach. I love sharing things that inspire me, and I love connecting with people. Being a part of a community is in the millennial DNA. — Michelle Phan

I'm homemade. I upload my videos in my living room; I edit everything, and I upload on my laptop. And my viewers love that about me, and they get inspired and do it themselves. — Michelle Phan

Every video I've made has an inspirational message behind it. Since day one, I thought, 'Okay, I want my audience to be, like, Disney members.' So if that's the case, I have to keep everything rated G. — Michelle Phan

Growing up, before my mom would cook our rice, she would rinse the rice out and pour it out three times. And after the fourth pour, she'd pour it into a little bowl, and she'd rinse her face with that. It's known to help whiten the skin and nourish it because essentially inside the water you have all the essential nutrients from the rice. — Michelle Phan

I was inspired by many teachers when I started my channel, Bob Ross being one of them. His voice was so soothing, almost like hypnosis. He was that great of a teacher, even the casual viewer could learn how to paint from watching his show. Growing up, I just remember him being so mesmerizing on screen. — Michelle Phan

I was 16 years old and wanted to help my mom with the rent. There was a restaurant called China Buffet in Tampa that hung a 'Help Wanted' sign outside, so I went in and ended up hosting every Friday and Sunday for $6 or $7 an hour. — Michelle Phan

Art was a way for me to express myself and for me to also escape because it was tough growing up as a child. We didn't have a lot of money. I was always creating. I was writing stories. I was doing comic books. I made my own universe. — Michelle Phan

What if someone created some sort of eyebrow pencil that was revolutionary and that was made specifically to help eyebrows look more realistic? — Michelle Phan

I don't want to make videos where people are always happy and they're agreeing. It's boring! Do something where people can talk about it. — Michelle Phan

I got an apartment for my family so they can move out of this one-room that they were renting out from a family. — Michelle Phan

As my YouTube following grew, I was soon earning as much from advertising revenue as from waiting tables, so I quit my job. My boss thought I was crazy, which just made me more determined. In 2012, four years and 200 videos later, my channel was so successful that Google offered me $1 million to create 20 hours of content. — Michelle Phan

I don't believe that if one door closes, that's the end. You're in control of that, but you need to seek opportunities and prepare for them. — Michelle Phan

All of the development I do is with the help of business advisors who are more like my best friends than just business people. They helped me as I created Ipsy back in 2011, which is a beauty community that ships out sampling bags to subscribers. — Michelle Phan

I'm a creator at heart. — Michelle Phan

Makeup is not a mask that covers up your beauty; it's a weapon that helps you express who you are from the inside. — Michelle Phan

Platforms - they come and go, but storytelling is forever. — Michelle Phan

When Google reached out to me in 2011, they wanted me to build out their female lifestyle vertical. When they were starting with that initiative, they were giving each production house a million dollars to produce content. — Michelle Phan

I am passionate about finding undiscovered and talented artists. I want to help those artists get to the next level and provide existing artists with a new way to reach fans. I wanted to partner with the Cutting Edge Group because they share my vision and have a proven track record in innovation in the music business. — Michelle Phan

You need interesting content that entertains or informs - preferably both. You want people to look forward to your posts and come back for more. People want to follow you. They want to hear your words and see your vision. — Michelle Phan

Eight years ago, if I wanted to do a YouTube video, I broke out my camera and filmed everything myself and learned how to edit and kind of become a one-woman studio. But we're living in an era now, thanks to ICON, where any creator who is online, they can create in their own space. — Michelle Phan

Social media is an ever-changing world. You want to be ready if a certain platform becomes red-hot, and you don't want someone else taking your company name as his or her handle. That does happen! — Michelle Phan

It's very easy to make a viral video, but longevity and consistency, that's hard. — Michelle Phan

Western beauty is considered the dominant beauty in the world. Tall, blond, blue eyes. I always felt a little self-conscious because I wanted to be more Caucasian. I tried to get bigger eyes ... I would dress preppy. — Michelle Phan

So many of my friends have 200,000 subscribers, and they make around five to six K a month, which is completely cool. — Michelle Phan

The Internet opens a lot of doors to those who are passionate. — Michelle Phan

There's definitely more to me offline than what you see online. Because what I show online is what I want to show to my followers ... If I showed everything I did offline, it might not align with some of my other followers around the world. — Michelle Phan

That's the beauty about beauty; it's not like a tattoo. You can just wash it right off, and your skin is your canvas, so you can do something new the next day. — Michelle Phan

The first videos I uploaded on my own personal channel were videos of dogs. — Michelle Phan

Influence is the new power - if you have influence, you can create a brand. — Michelle Phan

I have one room dedicated to just meditation. — Michelle Phan

I don't believe in that term 'self-made' - not to be offensive, but I believe everything happens for a reason, every single person you meet. Even if it's one single person giving you advice, that person helped you get to where you're at today. — Michelle Phan

You know how it is in L.A. At times, it's a dog-eat-dog world. There's a lot of sharks. I think with YouTube, we're anti that. We're anti-competitive. We're all about collaborating and supporting. — Michelle Phan

For me, money is a tool. — Michelle Phan

Most people think of me as a makeup guru, but might be surprised to know I'm also a trained artist and a huge comic book fan. — Michelle Phan

I love Fredorator and what they produce and the storytelling of 'Adventure Time' ... There's such a dark, adult underlying theme underneath the whimsical, magical children's aspect of their storytelling element. — Michelle Phan

You know when you're a child and your imagination is limitless and you really believe in magic? I thought I had super powers. — Michelle Phan

I always wanted a family environment, a community where a creator like myself could connect and vibe with other creators without feeling competitive. — Michelle Phan

I'm a total nerd, so I'm on my telescope, or I read a lot. I'm very inspired by ancient history. — Michelle Phan

Anyone can wear glitter, even a woman in her 60s. It's all about techniques. Instead of applying glitter all over the face, you can just add a little to the inner corner of your eyes or on your brow bone, or even on your Cupid's bow. It just adds this magical element to your makeup. — Michelle Phan

I always had that yearning, that hunger, to one day be independent and be my own person and build my own world. The most fulfilling thing is to live a life where you have freedom. — Michelle Phan

The beauty of the Internet is there's a niche market for everything, and if you can focus on it, you can build a sustainable and viable business of it. — Michelle Phan

Success is like a lightning bolt. It'll strike you when you least expect it, and you just have to keep the momentum going. You have to strike when the iron is hot. So for me, I just kept striking and striking to polish out the sword that I was making. — Michelle Phan

When I first started, there really was no beauty guru community. I didn't have the right production resources. I had to learn how to edit. I didn't even have beauty products. I had to go out and buy them myself because beauty brands didn't even know what a beauty guru was. — Michelle Phan