How This Beauty Blogger Is Inspiring Smiles Through Quarantine & Chemo Treatments

When most of us were trying to wrap our heads around the upsetting new normal of a pandemic, 21-year-old beauty influencer Sasha Anne was diagnosed with Lymphoma. But the vibrant young YouTuber, makeup artist, and cosmetics guru has managed to uplift her over 29,000 followers (and one million viewers) through the collective hardships of quarantine and her own chemotherapy treatments. 

This summer, while grappling with the experience of only seeing masked faces in the hospital, she launched the “One Million Smiles” campaign, inspiring people across social media to share some joy with the world. Now, with viral makeup tutorials, a Shorty Award, and even a collaboration with Lady Gaga's makeup artist under her belt, Sasha Anne is continuing to build her brand and connect with fans with the launch of her new Sugar & Spice Nail Polish Collection, just in time for holiday gifting and stocking-stuffing.

We caught up with Sasha Anne to learn more about her journey, the importance of smiles, and a few of her favorite above-the-mask makeup tricks that help her feel her best.

How did you get started as a beauty vlogger?

As my YouTube channel became more popular, followers would ask me for advice about a range of topics from lipstick color to middle school angst. I love to try out new products and share them with my viewers on YouTube in fun video vlogs and more recently on my blog at SashaAnne.com. I realized a blog could address my struggles with so many common issues and passions I share with my followers. Communication is so important these days in light of our less social and much more isolating day to day life.

What have been some of your favorite moments as a beauty influencer?

Some of my favorite moments [have been] at events like Fashion Week or BeautyCon. There are so many amazing new product lines to see at these events and I get to meet so many amazing people as well.

With masks suddenly a part of our lives, why was bringing back smiles so important to you?

Bringing back smiles is important to me because even though our eyes are expressive, our mouths convey so much more of who we are and what we’re feeling. A smile can brighten someone’s day and with masks still being worn all of the time, that is taken away from all of us. Especially those, like myself due to chemotherapy treatments, who still have to quarantine. I wanted to do something to spread a little happiness to the world.

What are some of your favorite tips & tricks to use makeup above the mask to make a statement and feel your best?

Making certain eyebrows are perfectly groomed is always important. But, with the bottom 2/3 of our faces covered, our eyes and eyebrows become even more important. I have very light-colored eyebrows so I rely on Anastasia Beverly Hills Dip Brow to create the perfect arch and color. Mascara is a must as well and my favorite is Too Faced's Better Than Sex.

How have you been indulging in self-care during these difficult times not just for the world, but for you personally?

Baths!! I was always rushing to go out somewhere, either school or an event, so I never had the time to truly luxuriate in a bubble bath. A bath really helps soothe aching muscles and even more importantly, it gives you time to think without any distractions. I get my most creative ideas while sitting in a pumpkin spiced bubble bath.

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Sugar & Spice is now available to buy!! 💅💖 Get it directly on Instagram by clicking on the tag in this photo or you can get it on my website: https://sashaanne.com (link in bio) Stay tuned to my Instagram Stories all day today for my Nail-a-thon to celebrate the launch!⁠ ⁠ Big thank you for all of the support I've received from influencers, friends, and family and a huge shoutout to my team who helped make this happen! 💖❤⁠
A post shared by Sasha Anne (@simplysashaanne) on Nov 10, 2020 at 6:20am PST