I recently a read a tweet that said, "Everyone's getting into skincare now to make a quick buck" (or something along those lines) and my first thought was
deletes every skincare post ever
But seriously, it got me thinking about my own intentions with my content and how it's portrayed to my audience.
I've mentioned in my first post about how much I've always loved and cared about skincare (and beauty and everything under that umbrella). Even though I just recently started posting about it publicly, it's something I invested in in my personal, regular life - experimenting, researching, and giving my friends advice.
Funnily enough, I posted my first "review" on Tumblr about a Neutrogena face wash ten years ago, when I was 15 (deleted it two days later because I was embarrassed lol). Looking back, I wish I'd kept up with these mini reviews and tracking my journey online, at least for myself.
2017 was when I started posting things on my IG story here and there about products I was using (and becoming more confident about posting selfies and showing off my makeup). Friends started to ask me about skincare advice and I was elated. Sharing information and research I've done was my favorite thing to do, especially for other BIPOC because we've grown up with some pretty terrible "remedies" and mindsets about our skin and beauty. Still, I wasn't confident enough to post about it more regularly on my feed, or announce that this was my "thing." It felt like a little secret club that only a few exclusive friends had access to.
When I started working at Deciem in 2018 and started learning about ingredients and formulations properly while working alongside chemists, estheticians, and the like, I grew more confident sharing knowledge with my friends. I also worked with a lot of people who were content creators and bloggers and liked the same things I like and I thought, "if they can do it, why can't I?" Again, I didn't want to share all of this for clout, I wanted to do it because I wanted to help not only my friends but a community of people who are traditionally overlooked in the wellness space. BIPOC deserve to be taken care of as well.
I, very slowly, started to make more "official" posts about skincare on IG. I initially made a separate page for it after running a poll asking whether a separate page or combining my "regular" life + skincare was more ideal. I kept up with the page for a couple of months, but eventually ended it. I started reposting most of that content onto my main page, but even then I felt like I couldn't commit for some reason. I felt like I didn't have it in me to be a skinfluencer, or people would think I'm a phony who's doing this for clout.
Anyone who knows me can tell you that I would do this for free (I guess I still technically am lol). Even if I didn't have an audience, even if I didn't start collabing with brands, even if I didn't make posts or start this blog and I only stuck to giving advice in my friend's DM's or posting things occasionally on my story, I would still continue to share my love of skincare and beauty. It took a lot for me to realize that I have something worth sharing to people beyond my friend group. Quarantine as just been the catalyst to make me start posting about it regularly and be more consistent with content (I realize the privilege I have here of being able to do this).
I think a part of me was also kicking myself in the butt hard about committing to this because I wasn't able to commit to other interests growing up, so maybe it was coming from a place of insecurity. I grew up singing and drawing, and I still regret not continuing to do so in high school beyond. Again, I don't mean in a clout-chasing way, but in the way people share their interests and likes and things they're good at with people or with a crowd. While at Deciem I thought "beauty is the only thing I have left and if I don't do something with it now, whatever it is, I'm really gonna regret it." I overcame a lot of anxiety to start posting videos and writing reviews and posts, and I'm quite proud of myself for doing so. I guess the next step is to continue this productivity after quarantine is over and things get back to "normal."
That said, I do understand what the poster of the original tweet was trying to say: skincare is in and the market is becoming oversaturated with brands and influencers trying to get in on the self-care game. I completely understand what the user (who is an actual licensed professional) is saying about phonies only doing this for the money because it's the next new thing people are paying attention to and willing to invest in at the moment.
I was thinking about the content I've been posting during quarantine and my IG becoming business-like, thus alienating my friends who perhaps aren't interested in my beauty posts. Obviously, I haven't had much "regular" things to post, but skincare and beauty IS a part of my regular real life - it always. has and always will be.
I just had to remind myself that I'm doing this for the right reasons and my goals are achieved with intention.