18 Instagram Influencers Who Made it Big

13. Wendy Nguyen

When you look at the countless stunning people on Instagram, it can be easy to forget they are real people with real lives. They may have mastered the art of taking incredible pictures, along with artful editing. They could also be worth their weight in gold when it comes to their fashion and travel advice. These people are so good at what they do on social media, it has become a career for them.

Wendy has such a successful Instagram account that she has amassed more than 1 million followers and it is estimated that she is earning almost $1 million a year from this account alone. She is also popular on various other platforms such as YouTube and Facebook. It is on these sites where she shares her much sought-after fashion advice.

Before becoming famous in this arena, she was a student at UC Berkley. There, she earned a degree with a major in psychology. It is possible that this understanding of the human mind aided her in her social media success.

If the name Wendy Nguyen itself does not ring any bells, you might have at least seen her video regarding the versatility of scarves. This video is only 4 minutes long and yet it delivers 25 ways to wear a scarf. This may seem like a simple idea, but it was successful and accessible enough that it was viewed a shocking 25 million times. With numbers like this, it is safe to say that this is just the beginning for Nguyen.

14. Bryanboy

What makes for a brilliant Instagram post? Is it the composition or the venue? Is it the person in the picture or the clothes they’re wearing? For Bryanboy, it’s a combination. To be precise, the overall personality that radiates through his posts that has made him so famous.

Bryanboy has a unique style. This is evident in each one of his posts. This allows for a sense of continuity on his page. The pictures he posts are very distinctly him, there is no doubt about that. This means  his followers feel an odd sense of connection to the person behind the pictures.

While his posts are mostly focused on fashion currently, this was not always the case. When he first started out, this blogger from the Philippines was primarily focused on travel. Once he had gained some popularity, he shifted his sights to fashion.

Each of his outfits are works of art. They have compiled in such a way that the result is something that has never been seen before. This unique brand of creativity could be due to his abilities, or spurred on by the fact that he is close friends with many fashion designers. When looking at the number of followers he has, apparently it helps to have experts in your very own social circle. Quite the feat for someone so young.

15. Antoinette Kulas

The internet, combined with social media, has become a rather considerable force. It can turn ordinary people into celebrities overnight. These people go from being utterly anonymous to having millions of followers. If one tried to map out the secret to success via this route, chances are they would come up at a loss. There doesn’t seem to be a secret.

It just sort of happens to some people, most of the time when they are least expecting it. This appears to have happened to Antoinette. For quite a while, she posted on Instagram for fun. Granted, the photos she posted were good. But at a glance, there was nothing in them to suggest that they were better than every other post out there.

There was, however, something special in them. There must have been, because in the space of three years, she has managed to gather more than 1 million followers. These kinds of numbers translate into a paid account. She does not merely post things for fun; she gets paid to post on sight.

While this kind of success may be enough for some, Antoinette has her eyes on an even bigger prize. She has used this new-found fame to get connected to the world of fashion. She plans on using these connections to launch her very own clothing line. With such a flooded market, it is not clear whether she will be successful. But having her name out there is sure going to be helpful.

16. Viki Odintcova

There are basically two types of famous people on social media. Some are famous already, and therefore when they create an account, they immediately are inundated with followers. Some people become famous because of social media. Viki is not one of these. She is a bona fide model and a prevalent one at that.

The company she works for is Mavrin Models. This is a Russian agency, which suits Viki just fine as she is actually from St. Petersburg. But what makes Viki special? Why is she more popular than other models? Is she merely more attractive, or does something else set her apart? This thing is, sex sells.

People can wax poetic about how this is not right and how advertising should not sexualize men and women. Unfortunately, until society changes the marketing world is not going to, and they will continue using provocative images to boost sales.

Viki has used this to her advantage to get ahead in a very competitive field. She has been a part of advertising campaigns that include anything from underwear to weight loss products to fitness programs. Anything that is fitting for her beautiful figure. This has also landed her on countless adult magazines, which produces a type of fame and recognition itself. Whether Viki will use this fame in the future for something else remains to be seen.

17. Amra Olevic

If you took a quick look at Amra Olevic’s page, you could be forgiven for thinking that she is a long-lost Kardashian. But unfortunately, she is not. So, then what do they have in common? How do they look so alike without being related? Could it be their underlying facial structure? Or maybe it is the dark and exotic features? While these may play a role in the resemblance, they are not solely responsible.

The key is in the makeup. Amra is a wonderfully gifted contourist. She is so good in fact that she has made herself famous. So brilliant that she is one of the most famous makeup artists the site hosts. Every day, she posts a picture that depicts a new masterpiece. Her pictures are flawless, having drawn so much attention that she has more than 5 million followers. That makes for a whole lot of eyes on her makeup skills.

She has used this fame along with her considerable talent to launch a line of products that are primarily focused on eyebrows. This line is currently being sold by Anastasia, and it is only just the beginning.

While her eyebrows are the focal point of a lot of her pictures, they are not the only thing that draws attention. The eyes are the window to the soul, after all. Amra is particularly skilled at making her eyes pop and is willing to share this secret with the world. She will do this by launching a line of makeup that features an eye shadow palette that is uniquely designed by her.

18. Jessica Stein

Have you been bitten by the travel bug but do not have the time or resources to deal with it? Do you long to see the world but are perpetually stuck in the same city? The Instagram page of Jessica Stein could help you out. By following her, you won’t magically be able to hop on a plane the next day, but you can live vicariously through her.

Jessica may only be 23 years old, but she has already visited 27 countries. That is more than most people will see in a lifetime. While in these places, she takes photos that depict the feel and landscape of a country. Her pictures do not showcase only her with a tiny bit of skyline in the background.

Her pictures are enticing. They transport you to the location and let you know exactly what it would feel like to be standing in that exact spot. She shows you the world without you having to leave your life.

Her posts are enjoyable to many different types of people; this might be why she has become so popular. She can show you places you never knew existed and maybe help plans your future holidays. She can even help you escape for a couple of minutes. Whatever the case, Jessica’s pictures are always a treat. Her story is by no means close to over, and while her passport already has a considerable number of stamps, she has plans to visit 229 more places in the coming years.

Again, while some aspects of social media are loathsome, other aspects can be quite positive and enriching. At the end of the day, it all comes down to what we do with it. Most of us just post useless nonsense and drivel. Sure, pictures of the kids or the dogs or that drunk friend that passed out on the floor might seem entertaining or cute at the moment, but is your life better for posting it? Did it make the world a better place or help someone achieve something?

At this point, we already know our friends’ political views, so seeing another Trump meme or something politically charged is just grounds for an immediate eye-roll. It’s gotten old. To say social media has gotten out of control with respect to our daily lives would certainly be an understatement. But here are some examples of people who, for the most part, had no particular influential or celebrity status until they started to use social media to their advantage, instead of just posting the same old crap. Maybe an example for the rest of us…