Nikkie de Jager

Nikkie de Jager, a world-famous Dutch makeup artist better known as NikkieTutorials, recently came out as transgender in a video on her YouTube channel that–as of today–has amased over thirty four million views.

Jager gained popularity in 2015 with her video The Power of MAKEUP! wherein she describes her feeling that “lately, girls have been almost ashamed to say that they love makeup.” She says that society makes the assumption that women do their makeup “because [they] want to look good for boys, because [they] are insecure, or… because [they] don’t love [themselves].” Jager combatted these assumptions by doing her makeup on only half of her face, showing that she is the same woman both with makeup and without it, and that nothing about her has changed except the perceptions that society places upon her. She believes that makeup is an artform and a mode through which to express oneself, saying, “I just want people to know that makeup is fun, and there are no rules… and that’s why I love the power of makeup.”

Now, Jager’s role in the makeup community has changed. Jager is not only a proponent for makeup education and makeup equality, but she is also a voice for transgender and LGBTQ+ representation in the beauty community. She tells her audience that “we need to accept each other, we need to respect each other, but most of all, we need to hear each other and understand.” As her role develops, Jager continues to advocate for understanding of all people in all groups, both in and out of makeup.