Words by Alice Moore

Picture this: itÔÇÖs 2016, and youÔÇÖre watching your favorite YouTuberÔÇÖs two-part makeup collection tour. TheyÔÇÖve got the newest Urban Decay palettes, the cult fave Nars Sheer Glow foundation in 10 different shades, and a whole drawer dedicated to lip liners. YouÔÇÖre astonished. YouÔÇÖre mesmerised. And most importantly, you need every single thing.

This was the birth of the influencer.

Slim, tanned women in bikinis telling you to buy weight loss gummies littered your newsfeed alongside muscular men with perfect white veneers claiming that Invisalign fixed their smile. These ÔÇÿItÔÇÖ girls and boys of the late 2010s dominated social media and, whether you liked them or not, they were here to stay. They promised to make you the best version of yourself, and all it would take is the tap of your credit card. Although you knew that it would
never be that easy, the influencer coercion was just too powerful. Seeing an Instagram post without ‘#ad’ became alien to you, and consumerism became a sacred part of your daily life. It felt like we would be trapped forever…until 2023. The rise of the ÔÇÿDeinfluencerÔÇÖ is a recent TikTok phenomenon that advocates for minimalism and anti-consumerism.

This is in opposition to the influencer echo chamber that modern social media has become, as well as the effect that mass consumerism has on the environment. Many of these videos detail the lack of necessity for viral products, which typically fall into the beauty and fashion category. From bashing influencersÔÇÖ ┬ú1000 Shein hauls to deconstructing a celebrityÔÇÖs 10-step skincare regimen, ÔÇÿDeinfluencersÔÇÖ seek to change the dynamic of social media to eradicate the need
for money-hungry sponsorships and harmful micro-trends.

With #deinfluencing acquiring 21.4m views on TikTok in the past week, itÔÇÖs clear that the rampant sponsorships on our newsfeeds have become communally tiresome. Many videos under this hashtag consist of enjoyable review-style videos analysing whether viral products are worth the purchase. Similarly, some videos go a bit further, identifying alternatives that are either cheaper or more sustainable. Personally, I have been tempted to buy the viral ÔÇÿheatless curlsÔÇÖ headband for months, but ÔÇÿDeinfluencer-TokÔÇÖ has taught me that the belt of a dressing gown works just as well.
Ironically, the ÔÇÿheatless curlsÔÇÖ headband was introduced as a cheaper alternative to the Dyson Airwrap, which costs just under ┬ú500.

IÔÇÖm glad to see that the beauty community is coming together to save everyone time and money. However, as everything does, the ÔÇÿDeinfluencerÔÇÖ trend has come under great criticism. TikToker @arden_rose described the movement as ÔÇ£influencing with an accentÔÇØ, suggesting that telling viewers not to purchase an item, or to purchase an alternative, is still influencing. Instead of promoting a viral product, ÔÇÿDeinfluencersÔÇÖ are promoting dupes of the same item for people to buy as a substitute. Yes, they may save money, but did they really need the product in the first place? This may be well-intentioned, but this does not solve the initial issue of the dopamine rush we get
from participating in mass consumerism.

In all, I think that the ÔÇÿDeinfluencerÔÇÖ is productive in theory, but less so in practice. I completely share the sentiment that social media influencing and incessant advertising is exhausting, and I appreciate that this is something that the online community has acknowledged and is willing to fix. In 2023, I would like to make a point to make the most out of products that I already own before buying new ones, and the ÔÇÿDeinfluencingÔÇÖ trend has definitely (and ironically!) influenced me to do this. In extension to this, I would like this trend to transcend the realm of beauty and move into other areas to help people save money, especially within the cost of living crisis. For instance, recipe ideas to use up the remaining food in your cupboards instead of turning to Uber Eats for help would be beneficial in the current climate.

Ultimately, I hope that we can channel the ÔÇÿDeinfluencerÔÇÖ in all of us and work towards a more sustainable and less consumerist society, for the better.