Michelle Phan
Michelle Phan | |
|---|---|
| Born | April 11, 1987 Boston, Massachusetts, U.S. |
| Occupation(s) | Entrepreneur, YouTube personality |
| Known for | Creator and proprietor of EM Cosmetics; co-founder of Ipsy |
Michelle Phan (born April 11, 1987) is an American entrepreneur and YouTube personality. She is the creator and proprietor of EM Cosmetics, a brand she revitalized in 2017.
Early life and education
Born in Boston, Massachusetts, Michelle Phan grew up in Tampa, Florida alongside her older brother and younger half-sister. She has candidly discussed her family’s financial difficulties, including her father’s struggle with gambling and her mother’s separation from her stepfather.
Phan attended Tampa Bay Technical High School before enrolling at Ringling College of Art and Design, which she eventually left due to monetary challenges. In recognition of her achievements, Ringling College awarded her an Honorary Doctorate of Arts in 2014.
Blog and YouTube career
Phan began sharing makeup tutorials on a personal blog in 2005, quickly attracting an audience. Prior to launching her YouTube channel in May 2007, she posted tutorial vlogs on Xanga under the username "Ricebunny."
Her "How To Get Lady Gaga's Eyes" tutorial series gained viral attention through BuzzFeed in 2009 and 2010, significantly increasing her subscriber count to over one million. In 2010, she became the first Vietnamese-American spokesperson for Lancôme, serving as their official video makeup artist.
In 2015, Phan was featured on the Inc. and Forbes 30 under 30 lists. That same year, she secured $100 million in funding that valued her company Ipsy at more than $500 million.
Phan took a sudden break from YouTube in 2015. She made a comeback on June 1, 2017, revealing that legal disputes, the initial setbacks of EM Cosmetics’ launch, and personal issues were factors behind her hiatus. She officially resumed regular uploads by September 2019.
Business ventures
In 2011, Phan co-launched MyGlam, a subscription service for beauty products that debuted in September 2012 and was later rebranded as Ipsy. Ipsy sponsors the Generation Beauty conference and achieved $150 million in revenue by 2015. Additionally, Phan became a partner for YouTube advertising and established FAWN, a multi-channel network (MCN) on YouTube, in 2012.
On August 15, 2013, L'Oreal unveiled EM Cosmetics by Michelle Phan, a makeup line dedicated to her mother. By April 2015, Phan acquired L’Oréal’s stake in EM Cosmetics through Ipsy and assumed full control by 2017. She then relaunched the brand and stepped down from Ipsy to concentrate exclusively on EM Cosmetics.
In May 2014, Phan collaborated with Endemol Beyond USA to develop the ICON network aimed at millennials with content spanning beauty, lifestyle, and entertainment. The network launched online and via Roku in March 2015. Later that year, in September 2014, she partnered with Cutting Edge Group to establish Shift Music Group. Furthermore, Phan authored a book published by Random House in October 2014 titled Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success -- Online and Off.
Phan was represented by attorney Michael Avenatti, who was accused of misappropriating $4 million from her.
Additional professional pursuits
In 2017, Phan introduced the webtoon titled Helios: Femina. Later, in 2021, she provided the voice for the character Blackberry Cookie in the video game Cookie Run: Kingdom, although this role was not credited within the game.
Personal background
Phan advocates for alternative medicine and has endorsed products and ideologies associated with pseudoscientific claims.
Legal dispute over copyright
In July 2014, Ultra Records filed a lawsuit against Phan in Los Angeles, accusing her of copyright violations related to music featured in her YouTube content, demanding damages up to $7.5 million. Representatives for Phan asserted that she had obtained authorization to use the music and responded with a countersuit in September 2014. Both parties reached an out-of-court agreement in August 2015 under confidential conditions.
Recognition and accolades
| Year | Nominee | Award | Outcome |
|---|---|---|---|
| 2014 | Michelle Phan | Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star: Fashion/Beauty | Template:Nom |
| Michelle Phan | Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star: Female | Template:Nom | |
| Michelle Phan | Streamy Award for Inspiration Icon Award | Template:Win | |
| Michelle Phan | Shorty Award for Best YouTube Guru | Template:Win | |
| 2015 | Michelle Phan | Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star: Fashion/Beauty | Template:Nom |
| Michelle Phan | Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star: Female | Template:Nom | |
| 2016 | Michelle Phan | Teen Choice Award for Choice Web Star: Fashion/Beauty | Template:Nom |
Published works
- Make Up: Your Life Guide to Beauty, Style, and Success -- Online and Off (Penguin–Random House, 2014) – a guide combining beauty knowledge with entrepreneurial advice for both personal and professional growth.