Life

BEAUTY: 'I turned my self-doubt into self-worth' says YouTuber Kaushal

With Kardashian-esque good looks and expert make-up skills, no wonder vlogger Kaushal has racked up millions of subscribers. The YouTuber tells Katie Wright how she overcame a crisis of confidence to become an online star

Vlogger Kaushal gives tips and advice from her online beauty column
Vlogger Kaushal gives tips and advice from her online beauty column Vlogger Kaushal gives tips and advice from her online beauty column

CHATTING away on her YouTube channel while trying out a new make-up technique or running through her latest shopping haul, Kaushal radiates confidence.

But it hasn't always been that way.

"My dad had a stroke while I was living in America for a couple of years. That got me really down because I was a daddy's girl," she explains on the phone, midway through a photo shoot.

"I used to think 'why do bad things happen to good people?' I saw the worst in every situation, in every person, and that really didn't help me with my confidence."

Talking to her boyfriend (now fiance) Vex, a mind coach, about the power of positive thinking, got Kaushal back on track.

"It really helped me change my self-doubt into self-worth, and actually say to myself, 'I am worthy of happiness and I am worthy of anything good that comes into my life'."

But then came another rough patch, when an extremely demanding job in fashion PR left her stressing out every night and dreading work the next day.

"My fiance said, 'Why don't you start a YouTube channel? It'll give you something to do, it'll take your mind of work', so I started [vlogging] that way."

A few months later, a Kylie Jenner make-up tutorial that the newbie vlogger filmed in her bedroom in Northamptonshire went viral – it's now had more than 10 million views – and she decided to quit her job to become a full-time YouTuber.

"I didn't want to regret not doing it, so I thought, 'take a leap of faith, give it a go'. I'm sitting here now three years into it with 1.6 million subscribers and that is insane."

It helped that with her long, dark hair, pillowy lips and huge eyes, Kaushal (her name rhymes with social) could easily pass for a member of the Kardashian-Jenner clan, but her make-up know-how and easy-going manner are what keep her followers coming back for more.

The 28-year-old is sharing her story via L'Oreal and The Princes Trust's All Worth It campaign, alongside the likes of Helen Mirren, Cheryl and a host of online influencers.

"Even if it is just inspires one person, if someone else has gone through something similar to me and they've come out the other end as a better person, then I'd be over the moon," she says of the three-year initiative that aims to boost the confidence of 10,000 young adults.

Clearly, this is one in-demand vlogger, but these days it's the kind of pressure Kaushal can handle.

"I'm probably more busy than I was in my old job, but I don't mind because it doesn't feel like a job, which I'm super-thankful for."

Today, the rest of the photo shoot awaits, but not before I grill the beauty guru on the products she prizes above all others.

These are Kaushal's skin, hair and make-up must-haves...

MY THREE DESERT ISLAND BEAUTY PRODUCTS

"Firstly, the L'Oreal Paris False Lash Sculpt Mascara (£10.99, Boots). I get through one every four weeks. I'd definitely have to say some bronzer. I'm currently loving the Tarte Tarteist Pro Glow Palette (£41.50, QVC) because that's got a cream contour, a powder contour and loads of powder highlights. And on a desert island, I want to make sure my skin is protected. My skin is really sensitive. Lancaster is my go-to because that's the one SPF that protects my skin and doesn't make it irritated."

:: Lancaster Sun Beauty Velvet Milk (£24, FeelUnique.com).

MY FAVOURITE BUDGET BEAUTY BRANDS

"I really like NYX, which is really changing the landscape of high street brands. The Sweet Cheeks Blush Palette (£17, NYXCosmetics.co.uk) is fab, there's a colour in there for every season. I really like the Bourjois foundations as well, they're very glow-y, and the Healthy Mix Serum Foundation, (£10.99, Superdrug)."

LUXURY PRODUCTS I THINK ARE WORTH SPLASHING OUT ON

"I make my own foundation concoctions, so I love mixing the Giorgio Armani Luminous Silk Liquid Foundation (£36, reduced from £40, Debenhams) with the Urban Decay All Nighter Liquid Foundation (£29, UrbanDecay.co.uk). If I could mix a ton of that and bottle it up, I would. I really like Charlotte Tilbury lip products as well. I mix Hot Lips Kim K.W. (£24, CharlotteTilbury.com) into other lip colours to lighten them."

MY HAIR HERO

"I love using coconut oil in my hair as a mask. I've got Indian heritage and my grandma used to use coconut oil on her hair all the time. That really helps to nourish my hair."

:: The Body Shop Rainforest Coconut Oil, £7 (www.thebodyshop.com)

MY SKINCARE REGULARS

"I love the Body Shop for skincare, it's very affordable and very natural. I love the chamomile range, the Sumptuous Cleansing Butter (£10, TheBodyShop.com) is one of my favourites. And I love the Liz Earle Gentle Face Exfoliator (£16.50, LizEarle.com)."

THE MAKE-UP TOOL I CAN'T LIVE WITHOUT

"I can't do my base without a Beautyblender (£16, BeautyBay.com). I have tried, but even if I've used a brush, I'll always go over with my Beautyblender on top."

:: www.youtube.com/kaushalbeauty

TRIED AND TESTED

:: Can a serum really revolutionise your skincare regime? Claire Spreadbury tests No7's new multitasker to find out...

When a new Boots No7 serum is released, the beauty world goes into overdrive. With so much research, experience and an array of tried and tested products in the range, you can rest assured the results are going to be good. After using their Restore & Renew Face & Neck Multi Action Serum for just two weeks, results are definitely visible. I had a tricky start because annoyingly, my skin is prone to spots, so when I change anything in my skincare regime, a breakout happens. But after persevering, the change in my skin tone is really noticeable. It's much more even and the skin on my face and neck feels firmer and smoother. It's a definite point-scorer on the neck front as well, as there are so few products aimed at 'crepey' necks, yet it's such a bugbear of ageing women. It's definitely a keeper.

:: No7 Restore & Renew Face & Neck Multi Action Serum, £28 (Boots)

BUY IT NOW

When it comes to beauty gadgets, you can count on Iluminage to deliver salon-level results and easy-to-use devices. Next up from the tech pros comes the Youth Activator, which uses radio frequency alongside red and infrared LED lights to activate the production of collagen. With trials showing 94 per cent of women saw a reduction in fine lines and wrinkles over six weeks, this is a 15-minute treatment that's worth working into your daily routine.

:: Iluminage Youth Activator, £240, CurrentBody.com (available in June)

BEAUTY BULLETIN

:: POLISHED OFF FOR GOOD?

Nail varnish sales have taken a shellacking recently, so much so that brands including Gosh, MUA and Revolution have decided to stop producing nail polish in the UK altogether. Superdrug reports that polish sales have dropped by seven per cent over the past year, as impatient customers show a preference for long-lasting gel manicures and stick-on false nails.

:: KATE TAKES THE TOP SPOT

Sister Pippa may have hit the headlines this month thanks to her lavish wedding, but Kate Middleton remains the woman most people want to look like. The Duchess of Cambridge (35), has come top in a poll of the UK's ultimate beauty icons, ahead of pop star and new mum Cheryl (33), and 47-year-old actress Catherine Zeta Jones. Here's the top 10:

1. Kate Middleton

2. Cheryl

3. Catherine Zeta Jones

4. Angelina Jolie

5. Holly Willoughby

6. Michelle Keegan

7. Rosie Huntington-Whiteley

8. Audrey Hepburn

9. Emilia Clarke

10. Keira Knightley

STEAL OF THE WEEK

Can't be bothered to decant all your usual toiletries into little bottles, ready for your holiday? Neither can we, which is why we'll be snapping up the Sanctuary Spa Take Me Away Gift Set, which includes seven travel-size essentials (face wash, exfoliator, body butter, and more) plus a manicure set, and is only £18 until June 6 (usual price £25; available in larger Boots stores while stocks last).