The beauty community has been in shambles ever since the cancellation of top-tier influencers Manny MUA and Laura Lee back in August. After this scandal, Pandora’s box of influencer scandals opened and there hasn’t been a week where someone hasn’t been exposed for lackluster behavior, yet the same people who bring these scandals stay at the top of the mountain with many collaborations and brands who back them up; and, worst of all this isn’t the most problematic thing that goes on with the community.
Source: Tea Spill’s “EVERYTHING WRONG WITH LAURA LEE’S APOLOGY” (I use this as an example of “hate” comments to influencers in the community)
When was the last time we saw a beauty boy of color thrive and become an influencer with a large amount of followers/subscribers? When was the last time we saw a black girl get praised for her talent, and thus grow exponentially? Never.
We see the same three faces in front of brands with the same three collaborators. The “tea” is that this community isn’t a community at all anymore. It’s a battleground arena, where every artist and non-artists fight for a spot at attention and a career only achievable by being the most charismatic, not the most talented or artistically driven. In order to be a successful beauty guru you have to be white, charismatic, and absolutely in love with warm eyeshadows. The truth is the community has given a love to beauty boys that look all alike. Blonde hair, green eyes (or contacts), and a thin demeanor. They have become clones of each other, bringing no diversity in a community built on creativity and self love and acceptance. The community has become so ugly, yet we pride ourselves in being beautiful.
Source:NYX Cosmetics
(The ad shows, both incredibly popular influencers who are featured time and time again in brand’s campaigns)
We see again and again the trendy “cancel culture,” we see someone make one mistake and they are immediately cancelled; then, rather than giving them a chance a redeeming themselves, this influencer is forced into social exile for a month until the public forgets the mistake they’ve made.
Tea Spill’s “THOMAS HALBERT EXPOSES HIMSELF AGAIN?” (This screengrab is to show what “cancel culture” does to an influencer)
How about we start bringing an era of positivity with our influence? As an amateur makeup artist and baby influencer, I want to bring positivity and acceptance into this community. I want us artists to accept each other and build a strong foundation (yes, pun intended) for the next generation to come.
XOXO, D.