There are positives to this industry when thinking about new skincare or makeup to make us feel more confident. However, can we really trust that all beauty influencers will give an honest review when marketing these products? And should we be wary when purchasing influencer-advertised makeup and skincare products?
There are many examples of influencers recommending a product that they have either not tried or simply isn’t that effective. One of the most famous examples was when TikTok beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira was called out in 2023 for using false eyelashes to recommend a mascara product. This controversial paid partnership with L'Oréal left her 14.4 million followers at the time in outrage, as the influencer had allegedly cut the video where she was recommending the brand's 'telescopic mascara' and put false eyelashes on to exaggerate the product's effectiveness.
Unfortunately, influencers are often paid to promote these makeup products, so they may fail to show their actual opinions or the true reality of the product. Society is so easily influenced, especially in the modern day with such a huge social media dependency amongst the general public. Influencer product placement can become dangerous when someone people look up to recommends beauty products that don’t deserve that much praise or, in some cases, even work.
Following this trend of false perception amongst the influencing community is the use of filters and their damaging effects on younger generations in particular. In recent years, figures such as reality show contestants and even larger beauty influencers like James Charles and the Kardashians have been caught out for editing photos with filters to appear a certain way and for using glamour filters that completely change the shape of their faces.
Many beauty influencers don’t understand the impact they have on their audiences...
This is extremely dangerous, particularly for younger audiences. They are compelled to look up to these individuals, thinking it is normal to have completely clear skin and no blemishes, even though influencers often don't look this way in reality either. Filters not only create a false image, but they also showcase why beauty influencers cannot always be trusted.
To coincide with this, many beauty influencers don’t understand the impact they have on their audiences; promoting luxury, and often extortionate, products from brands like Drunk Elephant or Glow Recipe. This excessive promotion of skincare online has become so mainstream that younger children now believe it is normal to have a full-fledged routine at the age of 10 or younger. Not only could this damage their skin due to the artificial ingredients and strength of some of the products, but the products are also often accompanied by a hefty price tag,
Over time, it has become hard to trust any beauty influencers, especially with the industry growing (along with their bank accounts). Therefore, we should be careful who we trust, and be wary of which recommended products actually work.
