Art by Alan López for Remezcla
The average 25-year-old is mostly just trying to figure out life. But Yuya, a Mexican fashion and beauty vlogger, is not a normal millennial. On a regular basis, her 9-to-5 involves talking to more than 30 million followers on social media and YouTube, attending sponsored events, and sharing her tips on how to look your best.
Yuya, a nickname she’s had since childhood, has vlogged for almost 10 years now and published two books. Her casual demeanor and peer-to-peer recommendation videos have made Yuya one of the most well-known and highest paid YouTube vloggers in the world, with more than 12 million Instagram followers.
The Cuernavaca-born vlogger is so famous she reportedly has a bigger security team than Manuel López Obrador, the president elect of Mexico. But lately, her fans raised alerts when they noticed that Yuya’s bodyguards cut off access to the influencer, often blocking followers from taking photos and media from interviewing her. It’s hard to say why a vlogger needs so much security, but she certainly has the bank to pay for it.
Here are five things you know about Yuya, whose monthly salary is an estimated $100,000.
By 2015, Yuya was the highest paid beauty YouTuber in the world with a monthly income of $41,000. In 2018, her net worth is an estimated $3 million, with a monthly income of $74,000 to $100,000. These numbers— as outrageous as they may seem— are normal for an influencer with such following. Fellow Venezuelan vlogger Lele Pons also has an estimated net worth of $3 million.
Yuya is not the vlogger’s real name. It was actually a nickname from her childhood that stuck long enough to become her YouTube name. Mariand is a combination of her parents’ names, Maribel and Andrés.
Yuya’s digital fame turned into two books. Her first book, Los secretos de Yuya, a beauty and fashion guide, was published in 2014, while her second, Las confesiones de Yuya, a self-care and positivity book, was released in 2015.
Yuya’s been on YouTube for nearly 10 years. She first started her channel as a 16-year-old high school student after she won a YouTube makeup competition. Since then, she’s amassed more than 20 million followers on the video platform. Her original username was lady16makeup.
This year, Yuya received a star on the Las Vegas Walk of Fame for her contributions to the Latino community worldwide. She shared the plaque on Instagram, saying, “This is a dream!”
