While my activity on other social media has ebbed and flowed in the last 5 years, my time on YouTube has stayed relatively consistent. This is because there are some personalities I follow that I really connect with. I treat watching YouTube videos almost like a hobby. I go on when I'm on break, when I need to relax, and when I'm looking to be inspired.

I'm subscribed to about 117 channels currently. I've listed my 16 top favorite channels below. These are the ones where I watch pretty much every video they come out with. They all have different areas of focus, but I think the thing that each of these personalities have in common is that they each have depth to them. They are authentic, intelligent, and I've gained a little something from each of them.

Healthy Eating

Channels with a nutrition theme

Pick Up Limes

I follow a lot of YouTube channels having to do with health, nutrition, and fitness, but there is only one that I really wanted to include on this list. Pick Up Limes offers fantastic advice on being healthy with a plant-based diet. Sadia, the founder, is amazing at clear, eloquent explanations. She formerly worked as a dietician. She's always posting something a little different and her editing is top notch. This is one of my more recent finds of this list (I've only been subscribed for around 11 months), but I think she is the top channel in this category.

Adulting Topics

Channels I watch to get better at being an adult

The Financial Diet

When I'm watching channels on adulting topics, I'm looking for videos that are informative without being boring or condescending. The Financial Diet delivers. They focus on money topics, but that isn't just investing. They cover grocery shopping, whether marriage is right for you, and dispelling financial myths. I think my favorite segments have been where they sit down with YouTube celebrities (like Anna Akana) and discuss awkward money questions. I also like that one of the founders, Chelsea Fagan, is very upfront about her own money mistakes. She comes off very authentic despite the professional nature of the videos.

Tech

Channels with a relatable tech industry veteran

Mayuko

I wish I had more favorites in this section, but it is really hard to find tech channels that are welcome to female audiences and are also not for beginners. Mayuko posts about topics that are still relevant and interesting to me as a veteran in the tech industry. She is always calm, cool, and collected. She's the kind of person that I'd love to be friends with.

Makeup

Channels I watch for makeup tips and product recommendations

From Head to Toe

So I put her under makeup, but I love watching her with her family! She has 2 adorable kids and a husband who was her high school sweetheart (Side note: he posts the most adorable Instagram stories on his account that always make my day a little better). She's currently taking a bit of a break because she recently gave birth, and I miss her! She's fun and has great style. Her favorites videos are my favorites. I usually end up picking up some of makeup recommendations from those videos.

Samantha Ravndahl

Oh, this girl! I never click on makeup look tutorials (because, let's be real, my makeup is always various versions of the same look), but I watch hers just because I like listening to her talk. She's authentic and, I think, really trustworthy. She's just so real. You always know what she's thinking because she will straight-up say it. I really look for that kind of trait in influencers because I don't want to waste my time buying things that aren't top quality. I've never regretted a purchase made that was influenced by one of her videos.

Wayne Goss

He's a newer find for me. I've only followed him for around 3 months, but I really enjoy his makeup application tips. He's an absolute pro. Plus his personality is friendly and adorable. I definitely suggest checking him out if you're interested in learning small ways to tweak how you apply your makeup that make big differences in coverage and wear.

Skincare

Channels I watch for skincare tips and product recommendations

Gothamista

Hands down, she's the only skincare channel that I like and trust. She's thorough, unbiased, and a touch scientific with her approach to reviews. Not to mention her skin is amazing. I love her practical approach to videos. Skincare is something I consider to be one of my passions, yet, the only skincare channel I follow religiously is Gothamista. I think that says a lot about the high bar I carry for this category and the high quality of her channel.

Fun

Channels I watch when I want to smile

Anna Akana

I really didn't know what category to put her in. I just knew I had to include her. She does short, fun, amazingly edited videos covering some really heavy topics. Although the topics are pretty serious (i.e. mental health issues, the psychology behind your relationships, etc), I always leave her videos feeling better than when I started. She's crazy clever and super funny. Also, her obsession with cats and fun cartoon editing really speaks to me. If you end up liking her videos, I also suggest her book: "So Much I Want to Tell You: Letters to My Little Sister". It was one of my favorite books that I've read this year.

Simon's Cat

Speaking of cat obsessions… Simon's Cat does cute, little cartoons with super relatable kitty storylines. There isn't really much to say about these except that they're absolutely adorable.

Vlogs

Channels with personalities I follow

Lydia Elise Millen

I only started getting into vlogs in the last 2 years, and I'm pretty picky about the ones I watch. I like Lydia because I find her relatable to my life. She got married around the same time, and she recently bought a house when I'm currently prepping to do the same. She has luxury taste, so she isn't great for people on a frugal budget. Her vlogs are long… like close to an hour. My favorites are her at home vlogs. Most recently, I've really liked seeing her dressing room come together.

Kalel

I really love how authentic Kalel is. She is honest about what's going on with her life, her mental state, and the work she's had done. She has a plant-based diet, which I've been slowly incorporating into my own life. I like watching her 'What I Eat in a Day' vlogs. I also like just listening to her talk. She's never boring.

Homemaking

Channels I watch to create a cleaner, cozier home

Pretty Neat Living

This category has 2 of my longest subscribed to channels. I originally followed Pretty Neat Living for her planner videos. She's recently transitioned into more homemaking videos. She's currently on a similar journey of transitioning her diet to be more plant-based, so I love following her updates on that. I also really love her favorites videos. She also has a beautiful home (I think in Chicago?) that I love to see, and usually does a lot of fun seasonal videos. She introduced me to December Daily from Ali Edwards which I'll be doing for the first time this year.

Rachel Talbott

Her videos are beautiful, her voice is calming, and her family is one of my favorites to follow. She has 2 young sons and a husband (who has a cooking channel on YouTube) that she's been married to forever. I have special place in my heart for this channel since I've been following since before she had her kids and before she moved into her farmhouse. She is another YouTuber I follow that has created a beautiful home. Her cleaning and spa videos are two of my favorites. If you love I got my all-time favorite recipe (veggie dip) from her channel. I also love following her Instagram stories.

Lifestyle

Channels I watch to feel inspired and keep my life on track

Muchelleb

Her aesthetic is absolutely stunning. Muchelleb has a super chill vibe with videos that get straight to the point. I pretty much love every topic she covers which are mostly about productivity and living a better life. Also, her Australian accent is great. She's always actively working on making her videos better, and it's very noticeable. I read everything under the sun when it comes to productivity, yet her channel is always sharing something new that I haven't learned or tried before. For the quality she provides, I'm so surprised that her subscriber count isn't higher. I feel like if she keeps up with her current schedule, this is the year she's going to explode.

Lavendaire

Another channel with a beautiful aesthetic. She also has a pretty chill vibe. I'd put her between the 'Homemaking' and 'Lifestyle' segments. I really like how her monthly favorites include highlights from her own life as well as typically product recommendations. Her videos never seem to repeat themselves, she's always talking about something new. Her creative background definitely gives an edge to her channel because she always has multiple projects going including creating her own planner each year.

Kalyn Nicholson

I've followed her for the longest out of anyone on this list. I feel like we've grown into adulthood together. She's bubbly and fun, and her editing skills are next level. I love how she films everything because she's always paying attention to the smallest details like lining up her video with the music or adding beautiful b-roll to even vlog style videos. Her channel is both inspiring and comforting. The topics of her videos range from homemaking to creating themed fashion looks to coffee talks on mental health. My favorite thing she does is YouTober where she posts a new fall-themed video every day of October. I also really enjoy her podcasts. Her channel is just very uplifting and it's very clear the amount of energy and love that she puts into it.