Influencers are tricking you into hyperconsumersim
The rise of social media came with the increase of our insight into other people's lives—notably people's personal care routines. On TikTok, skincare asmrs are a very popular trend. Usually, in these videos, an influencer will use between 6-10 skincare products. On the other side of the screen, you, the TikTok user, will see this and be swayed by the beauty of the video, the glamour, and the sound! All of this will make you reach one final decision:
"I need to get these products!".
Do you actually need all these products? Do the influencers who promote this product even use it?
As consumers, there are a few things we should consider before you try to copy and paste an influencer's skincare/or self-care routine. Considering these few points before buying a new product will allow you analyze to analyze the necessity of a product to you before you buy it.
1. Influencers tend to be hyperconsumers
Most influencers own more things than they use. As consumers we need to remember that influencers do not buy all of the products they use. Some of these products are bought, yes, and others are sent to them for free from a brand for advertising purposes or as a gift. Consequently, influencers tend to use and recommend skincare products or beauty tools in their videos that they probably wouldn't even use if they had to buy it on their own, or if they weren't being paid by a brand.
2. Do you really need this product?
One thing about influencers is they tend to use 10+ products in their routine. But when you analyse their routines, you realize that some of the products do the exact same thing.
Do I have another product that produces the effect? If yes, then you should probably not buy a second product that does the exact same thing, especially if the first one works just fine.
3. There's more to their beauty routine than what you see
These people often get botox, plastic surgery, fillers, and monthly or maybe even weekly facials that all contribute to the results you see. Before you rush to buy that product, remember that there is more to their routine than what you are being shown. The results may not even be due to the products being promoted.
Recently, with the launch of many celebrity skincare brands, we've seen this happen a lot. Celebrities who have always shown up on the Internet with flawless skin will try to sell us their new product claiming that it's the reason behind their flawless skin. But their skin has always been flawless, meanwhile the product they're trying to sell didn't exist 2 years ago. The results being shown to us, are simply not from the products being sold.
4. These guys have money
I know I'm not making as much as these influencers. They make money from views across different platforms, brand deals, and partnerships. These can pay well. Pay allows them to procure higher-end products that are off-budget for you, but that's okay. Many skincare brands on the market are efficient and cheap. You don't need to break the brand to have good skincare products. Brands like the ordinary’s, the Inkey list or the Minimalist give you simple, effective formulas at an affordable price. If you're comfortable spending a little more, you can opt for higher end brands like Ren or Sunday Riley. You don’t need to be spending 300$ on a cream to see results!
Remember to take everything you see on the internet with a grain of salt. No matter how great a product seems to be, do your own research on it to determine if you really need it. This will prevent you from ending up with a cluttered bathroom shelf with 100s of skincare products you don't use.
