You've Been Doing It Wrong
Is it possible to do skincare the "right" way? College students discuss their journey with skincare and how social media has changed the landscape of self-care.
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"Apparently, I've been doing…wrong my whole life!" We've all seen the videos that begin with some variation of this message, the line designed to hook viewers in before revealing the hack or product that "revolutionized my skincare," or "totally upped my hair game," or the ever-popular "changed my life." As brands–especially beauty and skincare– shift their marketing strategy to feature more online content creators, it can be hard to tell what is a genuine recommendation and what is product placement.
"I was 14 during the COVID lockdown, and that's when I first downloaded TikTok and started consuming beauty content," said K, now a second-year at university. "It made me feel like I needed a bunch of products when I used to just splash water on my face, and now I feel reliant on those products."
Young audiences are especially susceptible to this marketing strategy, as many influencers can act as "cool older sisters," giving advice to viewers who may not have others in their lives to answer their questions.
"I've been on social media since middle school, and I always wanted to be part of the trend," recalls 20-year-old E. "Now, I am more reluctant to listen to advice online because everything is an ad."
With multi-step skin/hair care routines rapidly becoming the norm, young people have begun to invest in dozens of products to achieve a flawless look. The clean girl aesthetic and the "no-makeup" makeup look started to dominate in late 2021. This emphasized clear skin and minimalist makeup compared to the late 2010s, which was all about heavy eyeliner, contour, and bold eyeshadow. While having a chiseled face and long lashes is definitely still part of the beauty standard, it is now supposed to be achieved through a nightly gua-sha and lash serum. The desired outcome for influencers and consumers alike is investing in personal wellness with positive long-term effects. However, the vast array of supposedly necessary products to achieve this look has severe environmental impacts.
"I'm definitely an over-consumer," 21-year-old C admits, "If I see a product from one of my favorite influencers, I want to buy it even if I already own something similar." This sentiment is echoed through influencers and consumers alike, eventually snowballing into the staggering 120 billion units of beauty packaging ending up in landfills every year (Zero Waste Week). Beyond just the packaging, the beauty industry has been criticized for animal testing, destroying natural forests to harvest plant-based ingredients, and polluting the oceans with chemical run-off (TRVST). This is not to say that buying a serum equates to destroying the planet, it just means being conscious consumers. This can be very difficult in a world of greenwashing, as no product will be 100% sustainable. This begs the question, is there a "right way" to skincare?
The short and most infuriating answer is that it depends. If consulting with a dermatologist is not a viable option, purchasing based on influencer recommendations might be the right choice for you. However, feeding into every turn of the trend cycle only serves the brands that thrive on overconsumption. Chances are you haven't been doing it wrong, and that $40 moisturizer won't change your life.
