After quitting her day job last year, Lilian Tahmasian’s beauty vlog has gone from strength to strength. Now, she has packed up her make-up kit and video equipment and set her sights on the bright lights of Los Angeles.
Here, we speak to Tahmasian about being a beauty vlogger in LA, the highlights and lowlights, and being picked by US Cosmopolitan as part of the magazine’s Social Patrol team.
You've recently moved to LA. What was the reason behind the big move?
Since I was little, I always wanted to entertain audiences – whether it was acting, dancing or, like now, creating YouTube videos. Once I got the opportunity to move, I thought [it would be a good time] to get into acting. It’s always been a passion of mine, so I'm excited to see what the future holds! [Ultimately] I would love to stabilise my career in both the YouTube world and acting industry, [as well as] expand my brand and work with more companies and individuals within the industry.
Are you looking to stay there indefinitely?
You can never be certain. I'm going to be coming back and forth a lot to Sydney – especially for work and events. However, for right now, LA will be home!
Do you believe living in LA will help increase your vlog's success?
Living in LA has and will continue to bring more opportunities and different events my way, which is all exciting. I also think the opportunities I have had with collaborations here have been great.
What are the main differences about vlogging from LA compared to Australia?
The main difference is the places I can visit here, the different landmarks and events. The YouTube community here is massive, so I don't feel like much of an outcast when I talk about my YouTube career. Everyone here understands the whole “YouTube industry” and to them it’s completely normal.
Has the beauty industry over there been accepting of you?
I have been living here for a few months now and I couldn't be more grateful. So many amazing beauty companies and brands I never thought I'd work with have been so lovely with open arms. Not long ago, I was shooting with Smashbox Cosmetics in their iconic studios and they were all so lovely and nice. They LOVE the Australian culture, accent and lifestyle, so they keep asking me questions on how we live, our lifestyle etc. I think that's the cutest thing!
What has been the most exciting thing to happen to you career-wise since landing in LA?
There have been so many lovely opportunities, which I'm so grateful for. However, the one that stands out the most is being sent to Minnesota with Sigma Cosmetics. I had the opportunity to visit their factory and their HQ. I saw how their brushes were created, their design process and outcome. It was so amazing to see how many people and hours go into creating these make-up brushes and products! Their staff were one of the loveliest groups of people I had ever met. It was an experience I'll never forget!
Have there been any scary moments or lowlights?
Generally speaking, any move or change is scary and nerve-racking. I initially didn't want to move at all, however, thought if not now, when? I'm such a homebody and had grown up in my house in Sydney for over 10 years, so I hated the thought of change. Looking back now, I'm so glad I took that plunge! I think everything happens for a reason and we are all meant to be in a specific place at a specific time. There are definitely no complaints now.
Moving to LA coincides with your decision to take YouTube full-time. Was this a hard decision to make?
When I began my channel years ago, this was never something that I thought would come from it. I feel very blessed and grateful I was able to quit my day job over a year ago. I was working at a company as a marketing manager and now work the same role for myself. I think going into anything not knowing the exact outcome is scary. However, if you have a passion for something and want it so bad, you should take the leap!
On top of the move and going full-time, you were also recently selected as part of Cosmo's Social Patrol. Can you tell me a bit about this?
I was very excited to be picked as one of the top Cosmopolitan magazine's influencers in the US. I have become a part of their Social Patrol team. The opportunity allows me to review upcoming new beauty products and share my opinions on them, [as well as] attend events and meet industry leaders. Cosmopolitan has been such a lovely magazine to work with so far, I always read their magazine growing up, so it really is a dream come true. I'm excited to continue working with them!
Has this helped grow numbers to your channel?
Yes, it has also given me the opportunity to gain insight on how the beauty industry works. I have seen products do an amazing job and make consumers fall in love with them. I've learnt how to create staple pieces and how to market them. I think print media has evolved and has worked its magic via social media and I know the process will only continue to grow!
And lastly, where will you see the Lilian Tahmasian YouTube channel in five years time?
I only hope "Lilian Tahmasian" will continue growing and evolving. I would love to begin creating more personal videos on my channel. This will show the changes of my life and the process of going from A to B. I hope to create a brand from the channel and take it from there.
