Posted 3 minutes agoSubscribe to BuzzFeed Daily NewsletterCaret DownThese 15 YouTubers Ruled The Internet 15 Years Ago - Here's What They're All Doing NowLike, comment, and subscribe!by Ehis OsifoBuzzFeed ContributorFacebookPinterestLink Before there was TikTok, there was YouTube, and before there were TikTokers, there were YouTubers (some of whom have made the switch over to TikTok themselves)! Here are some of the most notable YouTube personalities and influencers who paved the way for the TikTokers of today, and what they're up to these days: 1. Shane Dawson: View this photo on Instagram Instagram: @shanedawson Then: One of the most prominent figures on YouTube, Shane Dawson started off doing comedy sketches (which were met with MUCH controversy). After the backlash, Dawson took some time off before moving on to longer-format videos around conspiracy theories and YouTuber deep dives, most notably, his series on Jeffree Starr, Jake Paul, and Tana Mongeau. Now: In 2020, Dawson's YouTube channels were demonetized by YouTube due to his past controversies resurfacing. In 2023, Dawson married long-time boyfriend Rylan Adams, and they welcomed twin sons via surrogacy later that same year. 2. smosh: Axelle / Getty Images Then: Founded by Anthony Padilla and Ian Hecox, smosh was one of the most prominent channels on YouTube in the 2000s and 2010s. The pair won numerous awards, including Webbys, Streamys, and Shortys, and have amassed over 11 billion lifetime views across their various channels. Now: Padilla left smosh in 2017 to pursue an independent venture - his own YouTube channel, which included the very popular video series "I Spent A Day With..." - only to return in 2023 to purchase smosh back from Mythical Entertainment (its parent company at the time) with partner Hecox, making smosh an independent production. In 2026, Padilla and Hecox will reprise their voice roles in The Angry Birds Movie 3. 3. Michelle Phan: View this photo on Instagram Instagram: @michellephan Then: Michelle Phan was one of the original beauty gurus on YouTube known for her makeup tutorials. In 2010, Phan became Lancôme's first ever Vietnamese-American spokesperson. Now: Phan took a hiatus from YouTube from 2015-2019. In that time she launched and relaunched her cosmetics brand, EM Cosmetics, and was also an original founder of the beauty subscription brand, Ipsy. 4. Bethany Mota: View this photo on Instagram Instagram: @bethanynoelm Then: Bethany Mota was a fashion and lifestyle vlogger known for her tutorials, recipes, and, most notably, her fashion haul videos. Now: In 2014, Mota appeared as a guest judge on Project Runway and also competed on Season 19 of Dancing with the Stars (she was partnered with Derek Hough and they placed 4th). She has also collaborated with JCPenney and Forever 21, and is currently in collaboration with Aéropostale. 5. Jackie Aina: Amy Sussman / Getty Images Then: Jackie Aina was one of the first - and remains one of the most prominent - beauty gurus on YouTube, most known for being a pioneer for Black and Brown women in the beauty industry by holding makeup brands accountable for their lack of accessibility to darker shades. Now: Aina still makes beauty content and has also branched out into lifestyle content. She launched LavishyJackie, an alt account to highlight home decor, cleaning content, organizational videos, and the bougier things in life. In 2020, Aina and her husband, Denis Asamoah, founded forvr mood, a fragrance brand specializing in perfumes and candles. 6. NikkiTutorials: View this photo on Instagram Instagram: @nikkietutorials Then: Similar to Jackie Aina, Nikkie de Jager was one of the first - and remains one of the the most prominent - beauty gurus on YouTube, most known for her bold eye looks, full coverage makeup tutorials, and the famous "Power Of Makeup" video/subsequent video trend.
Now: In 2020, de Jager came out as transgender and revealed that she's been transitioning since her early teen years. In 2021, de Jager launched her own beauty brand, Nimya. 7. Hannah Hart: View this photo on Instagram Instagram: @harto Then: Hannah Hart rose to fame with her comedy series My Drunk Kitchen, which consisted of Hart getting intoxicated and cooking various foods. She's also been known to collaborate with Grace Helbig and Mamrie Hart, with the three of them starring in both Camp Takota and Dirty 30. Now: Hart was a guest judge on Season 12 of Food Network Star. In 2017, her series, I Hart Food, premiered on Food Network. In 2019, Hart began hosting A Decent Proposal, a digital series that was part of The Ellen Network and featured on Ellen's digital channels. She currently streams on Twitch. 8. GloZell Green: Alberto Rodriguez / Getty Images Then: GloZell rose to prominence with her viral cinnamon challenge video and is known for her green lipstick. Her other videos consisted of comedy skits and lip sync videos. Now: In 2016, GloZell appeared on the YouTube Premium series Escape the Night. I