Los Angeles has been the creator economy’s actual headquarters for close to two decades now, but “LA influencer” covers wildly different jobs. Some of the names on this list are bloggers who started before Instagram existed and built real, standalone companies. Some had one video change their entire career overnight. A couple of them barely make content anymore and are more accurately fashion figures the internet still can’t stop discussing.
This list covers creators who built their careers and businesses in Los Angeles. Aimee Song and Camila Coelho built their careers here before moving elsewhere, Song out of Los Angeles and out of the country in August 2026 and Coelho to Miami at the end of 2021, and they are included on that basis. We picked these 17 because each one has a real, documented story behind the follower count, not just a ranking on an agency’s growth chart.
Here’s the full list, organized by what actually connects them rather than alphabetical order, plus a quick-reference table if you just want the facts.
The Full List at a Glance
The table below lists all 17 creators on this page, what they are best known for, their main platforms, and a link to their full profile.
| Creator | Best Known For | Main Platform(s) | Followers | Full Profile |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Emma Chamberlain | Redefined casual YouTube vlogging; Chamberlain Coffee founder | YouTube, podcast | YouTube @emmachamberlain, 12M (as of Oct 2026) | Emma Chamberlain |
| Addison Rae | TikTok’s first breakout star turned Grammy-nominated pop artist | TikTok, music | TikTok @addisonre, 88M (as of Oct 2026) | Addison Rae |
| Devon Lee Carlson | Wildflower Cases co-founder; model and Marc Jacobs collaborator | Instagram, modeling | Instagram @devonleecarlson, 1.57M (as of Oct 2026) | Devon Lee Carlson |
| Sofia Richie Grainge | Popularised “quiet luxury” after her 2023 wedding; SRG founder | Instagram, TikTok | Instagram @sofiagrainge, 10.9-11.1M (as of Oct 2026) | Sofia Richie Grainge |
| Aimee Song | Original Song of Style blogger since 2008; Amiya knitwear co-founder | Instagram, YouTube | Instagram @aimeesong, 6.6-6.9M (as of Oct 2026) | Aimee Song |
| Chriselle Lim | Fashion/beauty blogger; Creative Director of Phlur | YouTube, Instagram | TikTok @chrisellelim, 2.7M (as of Oct 2026) | Chriselle Lim |
| Nikita Dragun | Beauty YouTuber, Dragun Beauty founder, trans visibility advocate | YouTube, Instagram | TikTok @nikitadragun, about 14M (as of Oct 2026) | Nikita Dragun |
| Laura Lee | YouTube beauty guru; founded Laura Lee Los Angeles and MinimLA | YouTube, podcast | YouTube @laura88lee, 4.58M (as of Oct 2026) | Laura Lee |
| Jenn Im | One of YouTube’s longest-running fashion vloggers since 2010 | YouTube | YouTube @clothesencounters, 3.2M (as of Oct 2026) | Jenn Im |
| Camila Coelho | Beauty/fashion entrepreneur behind Elaluz and a Revolve line | YouTube, Instagram | TikTok @camilacoelho, 1.4M (as of Oct 2026) | Camila Coelho |
| Patrick Starrr | Prominent male beauty creator; One/Size Beauty co-founder | YouTube, Instagram | YouTube @patrickstarrr, 4.77M (checked Oct 25, 2026) | Patrick Starrr |
| Bailey Sarian | Beauty x true crime, Murder, Mystery and Makeup | YouTube, podcast | YouTube @BaileySarian, 8M (checked Oct 25, 2026) | Bailey Sarian |
| Desi Perkins | Beauty founder, DEZI / DEZI Skin | YouTube, Instagram | YouTube @DesiPerkins, 3.1M (checked Oct 25, 2026) | Desi Perkins |
| Guy Tang | Hair color, #mydentity | YouTube, Instagram | YouTube @Guy_Tang, 2.29M (checked Oct 25, 2026) | Guy Tang |
| Jackie Aina | Beauty and lifestyle, FORVR Mood | YouTube, Instagram | YouTube @jackieaina, 3.4M (checked Oct 25, 2026) | Jackie Aina |
| James Charles | Makeup, Painted | YouTube, Instagram | YouTube @JamesCharles, 23.6M (checked Oct 25, 2026) | James Charles |
| Manny MUA | Makeup, Lunar Beauty | YouTube, podcast | YouTube @MannyMua733, 4.82M (checked Oct 25, 2026) | Manny MUA |
The Originals: Bloggers Who Built Real Businesses
Aimee Song
She started Song of Style in 2008 as an interior-design blog while she was still a college student, years before “influencer” was a job title anyone recognized. Nearly two decades later, she runs Amiya, a knitwear label made in Italy that launched in April 2024, alongside her Revolve-exclusive clothing line. She built her career in Los Angeles before moving out of the city and out of the country in August 2026. Her full profile covers how she made that longevity actually work.
Chriselle Lim
She followed a similar arc from a different angle, styling editorial shoots before launching The Chriselle Factor blog in 2011. Her biggest swing paid off in a way most creator-founded brands never manage: Phlur, the fragrance brand founded in 2015 by Eric Korman, was acquired by TSG Consumer Partners in July 2025, with Lim staying on as Creative Director and a stakeholder, and 2026 sales projected at $175 million. Her profile breaks down how a blogger became Creative Director of an acquired fragrance brand.
Jenn Im
She has quietly outlasted almost every fashion YouTuber from her generation. She launched ClothesEncounters in February 2010 with Sarah Chu, and later renamed the channel Jenn Im, building her name on consistency rather than scandal or a pivot away from the platform that made her. Her profile covers why that longevity has lasted.
Camila Coelho
She built her entire career from a Dior counter job at a Macy’s in Natick, Massachusetts, into Elaluz, a clean beauty brand launched in August 2020, and a Revolve-exclusive clothing line. She’s one of two names here who have since relocated, to Miami at the end of 2021, but she built her business after years based in LA, so we’re covering her regardless, with that fact clearly noted in her full profile.
The Beauty Founders
Laura Lee
She turned a makeup channel launched in 2013 into Laura Lee Los Angeles, a cosmetics line founded in 2017, survived a 2018 controversy that briefly tanked her subscriber count and brand deals, and later saw the cosmetics line close in 2025, with customers directed to her sister brand MinimLA, the 2022 rebrand of her fashion line Nudie Patootie. Her profile covers both the fall and the follow-through.
Nikita Dragun
She built Dragun Beauty as the first major trans-owned beauty brand, and became one of beauty media’s most visible trans advocates in the process, including a viral December 2018 response to Victoria’s Secret that she has said was the big push to create the brand. The business has been on hiatus since early 2023, with no confirmed relaunch as of October 2026, but her cultural footprint isn’t. Her profile covers the real, sourced version of her story, controversies included.
Patrick Starrr
He worked a MAC counter in Orlando in 2012 before building one of the biggest platforms among male beauty creators, then co-founded ONE/SIZE Beauty in July 2020. The brand now sells at Sephora, across Sephora Europe, and, as of January 2026, Boots in the UK. His profile covers how he built it.
Bailey Sarian
Bailey Sarian is an LA-based makeup artist, formerly with Sephora and Urban Decay, who built her name on Murder, Mystery and Makeup, the series in which she does her makeup while retelling a true crime case. The series pairs a makeup look with a single case, and it is the format she is best known for. Her full profile covers the series and the business behind it.
Desi Perkins
Desi Perkins is an LA-born and raised makeup artist who built her following on YouTube tutorials before founding DEZI, her eyewear line, and DEZI Skin, which reached Sephora in 2025. DEZI Skin is based in Redondo Beach, in LA County. Her full profile covers her move from creator to founder.
Guy Tang
Guy Tang is an LA-based celebrity hairstylist who left Oklahoma for Los Angeles in 2009 and built his name on hair color education and transformations. He went on to found #mydentity, his own professional color line. His full profile covers the move to LA and how the brand grew.
Jackie Aina
Jackie Aina is an LA-based makeup artist and beauty entrepreneur who has been on YouTube since 2009, building her name on honest reviews and collaborations with Too Faced, Anastasia Beverly Hills and e.l.f. She went on to co-found FORVR Mood, her own lifestyle brand. Her full profile covers the career and the brand.
James Charles
James Charles is an LA-based beauty creator who became the first male CoverGirl ambassador in 2016 and went on to found Painted, his own makeup brand. He bought a $7 million six-bedroom home in Encino, Los Angeles, in February 2020, and no move out of LA has been reported since. His full profile covers the rise and the brand.
Manny MUA
Manny MUA is an LA-based makeup artist who became the first male Maybelline ambassador in 2017 and founded Lunar Beauty in 2018. His company, Manny Mua Inc, is active with an Encino, California, address on a filing updated in March 2026. He also co-hosts the Fool Coverage podcast with Laura Lee. His full profile covers the career and the brand.
The Culture Movers
Sofia Richie Grainge
She didn’t set out to launch a fashion movement, but her April 2023 wedding to music executive Elliot Grainge did exactly that, making her the defining image of “quiet luxury” and reshaping an entire generation’s approach to getting dressed. She’s since launched her own Revolve-backed label, SRG, which debuted in October 2025. Her profile covers the wedding, the trend, and what she’s actually said about it herself.
Devon Lee Carlson
She turned a chance encounter into Wildflower Cases, asking Miley Cyrus for a photo in an LA restaurant in 2012, only for Cyrus to notice her handmade gold-studded case, post it on Twitter and send it viral, with the family launching the brand the next day. She has since built a modeling career alongside it, including a design collaboration with Marc Jacobs, and in 2019, New York Magazine’s 100-teen poll called her “the most popular influencer, according to our teen-shopping survey.” Her profile has the full timeline.
The Reinventions
Emma Chamberlain
She built her name by rejecting the polished influencer aesthetic entirely, then turned that following into Chamberlain Coffee, founded in 2019 and now sold at retailers including Whole Foods and Target. She made her live-action feature acting debut as Pickle in Forbidden Fruits, which premiered at SXSW in March 2026, a first step into acting rather than a full pivot. Her profile covers the YouTube era, the coffee business, and what’s actually confirmed about where she’s headed next.
Addison Rae
She went from TikTok dance videos to a Grammy-nominated pop career with Columbia Records, after launching ITEM Beauty in 2020, a brand that was discontinued in 2023. She was nominated for Best New Artist at the 68th Grammys in February 2026 but did not win, and her debut album Addison reached No. 4 on the Billboard 200. She’s the clearest example on this list of a creator who used platform fame as a launchpad rather than an endpoint. Her profile sorts out what’s real about her music career versus what’s just fan speculation.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is the biggest fashion or beauty creator based in LA?
There’s no single answer, since “biggest” depends on whether you’re measuring follower count, cultural impact, or business size. By followers, Emma Chamberlain (about 14-15 million on Instagram and 12 million on YouTube) and Addison Rae (about 88 million on TikTok and more than 34 million on Instagram) have the broadest reach, while Sofia Richie Grainge has had the largest measurable cultural impact through the “quiet luxury” trend and SRG. Counts are approximate as of October 2026.
Do all of these creators still live in Los Angeles?
No. Aimee Song moved out of Los Angeles and out of the country in August 2026, and Camila Coelho moved to Miami at the end of 2021. Both are included because they built their careers and businesses in Los Angeles. Emily Mariko is Bay Area-based and Alex Warren is Nashville-based, so neither is on this list. The rest are LA-based as far as we could verify, including Chriselle Lim, Sofia Richie Grainge, Devon Lee Carlson, Emma Chamberlain, Addison Rae and Laura Lee, plus Bailey Sarian, Desi Perkins, Guy Tang, Jackie Aina, James Charles and Manny MUA. Jenn Im is presumed to be LA-based, with no move found, and Nikita Dragun and Patrick Starrr are LA-based according to older profiles we could not re-confirm for 2025 or 2026.
How was this list of 17 creators chosen?
Each creator needed a real, documented career story beyond a follower count, verified across multiple independent sources. We avoided names that only turn up on influencer-marketing agency rankings with no actual press coverage or business history behind them.
Who owns Phlur now?
Phlur was founded in 2015 by Eric Korman, not by Chriselle Lim. Lim joined as co-owner and Creative Director in 2021, when The Center acquired the brand, and led its relaunch. In July 2025, TSG Consumer Partners agreed to acquire Phlur, with the terms undisclosed, and Lim remains Creative Director and retains a stake. We found no credible controversy involving Phlur’s owner in the reputable coverage checked on October 25, 2026.
What is Phlur’s 2026 sales projection?
$175 million in annual retail sales in 2026, according to the brand, as reported by Glossy on March 11, 2026. The $150 million figure was the 2025 projection, given by CEO Elizabeth Ashmun at the July 2025 acquisition announcement.
Is Maya Lanez a real person?
No. Maya Lanez is an AI, or virtual, persona. Her Instagram carries Instagram’s “AI-generated profile” label, and her YouTube states that everything is AI-generated and the character is fictional, not a real person. She has no real name, no LA connection, and is not on this list.
Is Kate Karsyn a real person?
That cannot be confirmed. No reputable source verifies her as a real person, and the evidence points to an adult-content or AI virtual persona: her TikTok account, @katekarsynxx, has about 1,451 followers, and leak sites give mutually inconsistent claims about her Instagram. She has no verified LA connection and no documented fashion or beauty content, so she is not on this list.
Why aren’t Zozosfits, Overspray Jay, or Milabu on this list?
All three are notable, but none of them fits this list. Zozosfits is a Boston-based modest fashion creator whose real name is not public. Milabu is a Florida-based beauty YouTuber with more than 1.5 million subscribers. Overspray Jay is a FragranceTok creator with about 873,000 TikTok followers, but his real name is not public and his LA base is unverified.
Did Addison Rae and Alex Warren win Grammys?
No. Both were nominated for Best New Artist at the 68th Grammys on February 1, 2026, and neither won. Olivia Dean won the award. Addison Rae was nominated on the strength of her debut album Addison, released June 6, 2025, and Alex Warren was nominated on the strength of “Ordinary” and his debut album You’ll Be Alright, Kid.
Is Dragun Beauty still running?
No. Dragun Beauty has been on hiatus since early 2023, with no confirmed relaunch as of October 2026. The brand launched in 2019 as the first major trans-owned beauty brand, and its revenue reportedly fell sharply before the hiatus. Nikita Dragun has since focused on social media and OnlyFans.
Is ITEM Beauty still running?
No. Addison Rae launched ITEM Beauty in 2020, it entered Sephora in August 2021, Sephora dropped it at the end of 2022, and it was discontinued in 2023.
Is Laura Lee Los Angeles still running?
No. The cosmetics line, founded in 2017, closed in 2025, and customers were directed to her sister brand, MinimLA. MinimLA is the 2022 rebrand of her fashion line Nudie Patootie, not the brand that absorbed the cosmetics line.
