By Lara Jadayel
The Insta Aesthetic. Go ahead and begin painting a mental picture…do you see women taking mirror selfies in their Rhode Lip Balm Phone Cover whilst holding a Stanley Cup? Perfectly painted nails, golden highlighted hair, and red tinted cheeks? Is it a ‘GRWM’ video of women getting out of bed looking so put together, getting dressed in super stylish gym wear, preparing perfectly-looking breakfast and green juice? Are you recollecting images of plumped lips, sleek hair buns, chunky gold accessories, and iced matcha lattes?
That, my friends, is The Insta Aesthetic.
One might say it is a super clean, modern, female-empowering direction that brands and influencers are taking. I, for one, thought it was inspiring to see such a ‘self-care’ approach through content (with a little bit of effort, and a whole lot of products, looking put-together is easy!)
So, whenever I got lazy, I would turn to instagram for aesthetically pleasing content to keep me on my toes, and to get answers to questions I didn’t know I had. What skin product should I start using, what makeup should I buy, what accessories are in, and what exercises should I try?
Well, that rhymed…
And that is the point of marketing… to make you want something you didn’t know you actually wanted! Brands have been marketing their products through influencers, jumping at the opportunity to market retinol, gym shorts, and reformer pilates classes. Many brands gained popularity through this marketing tool, instilling their name and image through instagram, first directly, then indirectly, turning into a non-negotiable for any aesthetic girly. Ever wondered why almost every other woman carries the same Alo Yoga bag? And how many times have you heard the “if you don’t pilates, you ain’t a wifey”? I’m assuming a lot.
Sure, The Insta Aesthetic has motivated proactive behaviors, like spending the day doing self-care rituals, pushing yourself to exercise more, and traveling around the world. Viewers scroll to be inspired, and that’s not at all a bad thing. It is a win-win-win situation…the associated brand benefits, the influencer benefits, and the viewer benefits.
But here comes the question: Is The Insta Aesthetic still working? And if it is, will it last for long? Are viewers still buying into the 10-step skin care night routine? And aren’t viewers actually recognizing that the “kept-together” approach is actually unrealistic, expensive, time consuming, and just unnecessary?
Though brands and influencers are outside the factor-of-control to this article, viewers, like me, can instigate change. With consistent access to social media comes the great responsibility placed on us, to:
Do your research: Before buying into products, services and procedures, do the research: What ingredients or techniques do they use? Is this actually good for my skin/hair type? What does the brand stand for? What is their funding agenda? Does the brand support the same values I do? Does the brand encourage the ‘buy & dump’ strategy, or will it maintain its usefulness in the long run? Not everything you see on screen is purchasable, especially when they conflict with your needs, desired outcome, and values.
Be aware: Not everything we see is true, and not everything true can be seen. For example, The Insta Aesthetic may encourage the “high maintenance things to do to be low maintenance” agenda; but eyelid tattoos, excessive lip fillers, and Acrylics need to be done mindfully and with precaution. The Insta Aesthetic doesn’t show it, but nail damage from excessive use of Gel Nail Polish is more common than you think. Before buying into it, be aware of the cons, because despite the appeal, things do go wrong no matter how lovely they seem on screen.
Develop self-control: Responsible consumerism is important. No one needs that many water bottles, and you do not need to have plumped lips and no forehead wrinkles to feel perfect. Having it all is a consumerist agenda; not a reality. Certainly, we desire to try pilates, and need to replace our dried-out mascara… and that’s not wrong. But to avoid a consumerist approach to life, ask yourself: What is a Need, and what is a Want, and will you regret that Want in the near future?
Lara Jadayel has been writing about women for as long as she can remember. She won’t stop until change becomes evident (or until writer’s block consumes her). To reach out, email her at larajadayel@gmail.com. Photo by Benyamin Bohlouli on Unsplash.
