How to become a full-time creator, according to makeup influencer Samantha Harvey
Samantha Harvey may have over 1.2 million followers across TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube, but her journey hasn't been all brand trips to Paris with Huda Beauty and London staycations with Nars. Originally from Edinburgh, Harvey only went on her first brand trip — to Los Angeles with Sephora Collection sprinkled with a few Dolce and Gabbana beauty events — just six months ago.
She launched her social media channels during the COVID-19 pandemic in 2020, and, as she puts it, “things took off pretty quickly.” Since then, she’s built a loyal global following with her makeup tutorials, dramatic beauty looks, and extremely online personality. Below, Harvey answered some of our biggest questions about how she grew to this point, how she monetizes her content, and how she turned her makeup passion into her dream career.
Mashable: Where do you find inspiration or ideas for your videos?
Samantha Harvey: There’s honestly so much that inspires me! I know it sounds kinda cliché, but I’m such a makeup girl at heart — it’s seriously my happy place. Whether it’s a new product drop, a celeb makeup look, or some iconic pop culture moment, I’m always soaking it all in.
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Like most of us, I’m chronically online, so I’m always scrolling TikTok to keep on top of trends. And Halloween!! It’s basically the makeup influencers' Olympics. I’m that girl who starts planning her Halloween looks in July or August!
How long did it take before you saw significant growth in followers, and what strategies helped you get there?
I was honestly super lucky to start my page during lockdown, so things took off pretty quickly for me! I didn’t have a job at the time, so I just threw myself into it completely. I’d be doing creative makeup looks like three to four times a week, jumping on every single trend and viral audio.
I've always tried to get the most out of each look, like I’ll film a bunch of content in one go so I can post more consistently. That definitely helped with growth early on!
What was your first viral video or post, and how did it change your approach to content creation?
My first viral post was actually a makeup transition video on TikTok! That kind of became my thing after that — it’s what people started to recognize me for, so it really helped me figure out what type of content I should lean into.
At what point did you realize you could turn your content into a full-time career and generate income from it?
When I first started, I had no idea how to actually make money from the content I was posting. I was literally just doing it for fun for, like, the first year! So when a management team reached out and told me this could actually be a real career, it was such a game-changer. It seriously changed my whole life!
How did you get your first brand deal? How did that differ from how you come by brand deals today?
I still remember how excited I was when a small lash brand DM’d me offering free lashes in exchange for content—it felt like such a big deal at the time! Now, all my brand deals either come through my management or directly from brands wanting to collaborate. My manager and I have a long-term strategy where we focus on working with brands I genuinely love and already use, so everything stays super authentic.
How do you make money from your content, and what monetization methods do you use?
Most of my income comes from brand deals and partnerships, but I also make a bit from YouTube AdSense and the TikTok Creator Fund on the side.
When did you feel like you "made it" as a content creator, if at all?
Being part of the first-ever Huda Beauty influencer campaign was majorrrr, like such a surreal moment!! I’ve looked up to so many of the creators in that space since I was a teen, so being recognized and actually working alongside them was literally a dream come true.
And honestly, there are days I’m doing my makeup, filming content, and I just stop, like… OMG, I really get to do this for a living. I get to play with blush and lip gloss and call it work?! It’s kinda iconic.
Which platforms have been most crucial in growing your audience and why?
TikTok was 100 percent the platform that helped me grow the fastest — it’s just so much easier to go viral and reach new people on there. But honestly, I feel like Instagram is just as important for me. The audience there feels a bit more loyal and consistent, like my real day-ones.
I’ve also just started branching out into some long-form YouTube content, which has been so nice. It gives me space to actually chat and lets people get to know me on a more personal level, not just the glam side!
Can you walk me through your workflow from ideation to publishing a post?
Not gonna lie, I’m definitely not the most organized content creator out there. But I do try to sit down at the start of each week and update my list of ideas, whether it’s new trends, products I’m loving, or requests from my followers.
I’m not really into scripting my content either. I feel like I work way better when I just sit down, vibe, and go with the flow. I try to batch-film when I can, but I’m not the fastest when it comes to filming, so that part can be a bit of a struggle sometimes.
I edit everything on CapCut, and if I’m being really on top of things, I’ll actually schedule my posts ahead of time. But let’s be real — most of the time I’m scrambling to finish editing so I can post at a good time.
What advice would you give to someone starting out in content creation today, looking to build a career and grow their following?
Find what you love doing and just go for it! Practice, stay consistent, and please don’t stress over likes and views. And seriously, don’t let the fear of being "cringe" stop you!! I’ve definitely felt that way, but trust me: it’s totally fine to feel awkward in front of the camera (I still do sometimes). Pushing through that cringe is literally what helps you grow!
Christianna Silva is a senior culture reporter covering social platforms and the creator economy, with a focus on the intersection of social media, politics, and the economic systems that govern us. Since joining Mashable in 2021, they have reported extensively on meme creators, content moderation, and the nature of online creation under capitalism.
Before joining Mashable, they worked as an editor at NPR and MTV News, a reporter at Teen Vogue and VICE News, and as a stablehand at a mini-horse farm. You can follow her on Bluesky @christiannaj.bsky.social and Instagram @christianna_j.
