In the salon pro industry, the official “holiday season” is more like organized chaos –– you know, countless cups of coffee, phones ringing off the hook and losing your sanity –– than a cheery celebration. But, Halloween has a special place in our hearts. October brings an opportunity to tap deep into those creative roots and develop otherworldly looks, such as with makeup artist Bailey Sarian’s viral YouTube series: “Murder, Mystery and Makeup.”
Stay Safe (And Scared) At Home
It’s no surprise that in quarantine, we’ve taken to new levels of at-home entertainment, including the always-popular true crime genre. While starting her series in January of 2019, Bailey has gained huge momentum throughout 2020. She’s been covered in publications like allure and even had the Nancy Grace appear as a guest on her channel.
She’s covered big names like Son of Sam, Jim Jones and Ted Bundy –– as well as urban legends like Moth Man and lesser-known criminals all across the country. In each episode, she combines her diligent research from court documents, news coverage and interviews to give a detailed account of some of the most heinous, bizarre crimes in modern history.
Wait…Is This A Thing?
Even to Bailey, combining true crime and beauty seemed an unlikely pairing. You can see it as she introduces the first Murder, Mystery and Makeup episode –– which, ironically, discusses the case of Chris Watts, the criminal featured in Netflix’s recently released “American Murder: The Criminal Next Door.”
However, after polling her Instagram following and creating her first video, the combo proved to be a supercharged force of entertainment. Now, Bailey has nearly three million subscribers and 1.4 million Instagram followers. Whether you come for the crime stories or for the makeup, the content is engrossing for both types of aficionados. And for MUAs, Bailey’s videos give inspo and satisfy a guilty pleasure.
Giving Victims A Voice
And despite criticism, it’s not all for clicks. Bailey has made it clear, through multiple videos and interviews, that respect for victims and their stories is a top priority. She limits photos and grotesque details and, instead, uses her platform to inform her audience on the unbelievable tragedies that have been committed in our country.
If you’re looking to get into Spooky SZN mood this weekend, definitely play “Murder, Mystery and Makeup” as you don your own Halloween look. The content is riveting, the stories are jarring and the host is down-right hilarious. What do you think? Will you be tuning in this weekend? Let us know in the comments below!
