Stila, Dior Lead Beauty Brands In Online Tutorial Trend

Since the launch of Stila's tutorial-based website, stilabeautytube.com, other beauty brands haven taken notice and are now following the makeup brand's lead.

Dior Beauty is creating an entire site, complete with instructional videos, on how to properly apply the company's products. Though Stila and Dior started the trend by launching branded tutorials on YouTube, labels including Smashbox and MAC have created channels as well.

With so many beauty vloggers on the Web, the UK's Independent wrote that the channels allow large corporations such as Stila and Dior to differentiate themselves from the competition and “regain control over the vast amount of tutorials on the web and re-establish authority in beauty.”

Interestingly, some cosmetic industry personalities, such as writer Lauren Luke, have garnered legions of fans. In fact, Luke's videos are so popular -- watched hundreds of thousands of times -- she was given the opportunity to design a makeup collection with Sephora.

Stila took the idea one step further with its Makeup Player, which is essentially a makeup kit and iPhone dock combined to merge real life beauty needs with modern technology. The electronic makeup case enables tips to be downloaded from any mobile device and transferred onto the attached “player.” It also comes complete with starter products needed for the first few tutorials -- a veritable makeup classroom.

Creating a new internet-based project can be expensive, however, which is why brands continue to find YouTube, a free platform, such an appealing option. Brands then can employ makeup artists to showcase their products online and teach viewers the nuances of creating a variety of looks.

Just in time for all those holiday parties.