A conversation with Manny Gutierrez, the trailblazer and YouTube makeup maven

Growing up in a traditional Mormon household in San Diego, Calif., Manny Gutierrez was not always the glamazon and social media maven his fans (aka Mannyacs) know today. At 25 years old, he is now Maybelline’s first male ambassador and has over 2 million subscribers to his YouTube channel but that’s only part of his story. We spoke to Manny about his decision to not go to medical school, being a trailblazer … and of course, the celeb he’d most love to glam:

Q: How did you initially get your start on YouTube?
Manny: I started on YouTube because my followers on Instagram were asking for it! I was like, wait, you want me to make longer videos than the ones on Instagram? So when I hit 50K followers on Instagram, I started my channel.

Q: You were planning to go to medical school but decided to pursue makeup artistry full-time … was that a scary decision to make?
Manny: YES, that was an extremely scary decision to make. Whatever I did I wanted to be the best at it and be successful, and I thought I needed to go to med school and be a doctor to be successful ... so once I decided to stop pursuing that dream and plunged into makeup, it was like jumping into a black hole. I had no idea what to expect but luckily I was met with open and caring arms in the beauty community.

Q: Your coming-out story has been viewed more than a million times on YouTube! What do you hope others take from your story whether they are struggling with something similar or not?
Manny: I think that what people can take from my story is that I haven't always had it "easy." I still don't! I struggled when I was younger finding who I was, and it wasn't until much later on that I became comfortable in my own skin. I wanted to convey the message that it doesn't matter what other people think of you; what matters is how you view yourself.

Q: It's not easy to be a trailblazer and break stereotypes … we even saw your dad come to your defense recently with someone trolling you. Was there ever a time when you questioned whether being a trailblazer was worth it? What got you through?

Manny: Honestly, I never really thought of myself as a trailblazer. I just thought, hey, I'm doing what I'm doing ‘cause I love it and I have some awesome supporters ... until recently it's blown up so much I'm actually like, whoa ... maybe I really am helping pave the way for other boys in the beauty world or breaking down gender norms in general. I have never thought of stopping or quitting. I am a go-getter, and once I find something I love, I am going to see it through to its fullest potential and I won't let anyone stand in the way of that.

Q: What has been the value of YouTube for you?

Manny: The value is indescribable, to be honest. I have no words. I can support myself and my family and reach millions of people and touch their lives DAILY! There really are no words, the value is immeasurable.

Q: Who is your ultimate beauty icon?

Manny: My mother is my ultimate beauty icon.

Q: If you could do any celebrity's makeup, who would it be and why?

Manny: Honestly, it would probably be Lady Gaga ... 'cause I want to meet her SO BAD!

Q: Do people still recognize you when you aren't glammed up?
Manny: ALL THE TIME, and I love it! Makeup is what I love and what I do, but it's not ALL of me. I don't mind not being glam at all! I love my skin in and out of glam.