Makeup Guru Manny Gutierrez (a.k.a. Manny MUA) Is The Only Male To Make PEOPLE's Most Beautiful List

Beauty influencer Manny Gutierrez is having a standout year.

The social media star, (known as Manny MUA online), became the first male featured in a Maybelline campaign, and now is the only man to make PEOPLE’s Most Beautiful List.

So, what does the 26-year-old think of his trailblazing status?

“It been crazy because I never thought of myself as a pioneer. It’s been pretty cool.” says Gutierrez, who now boasts over 3 million Instagram followers. ” I was one of the first male influencers in the beauty world, and I had to fight tooth and nail to get any brand to recognize me as someone in [that world]. It was hard to get my name out there, but luckily I have an awesome following who would not stay silent and helped me get to where I wanted to be.”

And, his passion for makeup is more than just skin-deep. “I always thought makeup was a beautiful thing, the transformation of it,” says the San Diego native. “If someone felt insecure about something, they could put on concealer, and it would change their entire day.”

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With all of the makeup tricks he’s learned over the years, does Gutierrez have a favorite? “I love using blotting paper when people are oily in the T-zone,” he says. ”

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And of you forgot the handy beauty tool at home, not to worry, Gutierrez has a genius tip: “You can always use a toilet seat cover from the stall. It will absorb access oil, and if you add powder on top, your makeup will be completely refreshed even if you’ve been wearing makeup for 6 hours. It’s a cool trick to get your makeup looking perfect all over again.”

This article was originally published on PEOPLE.com