Insta beauty – at what price?
Social media is a learning ground. It abounds in beauty tips, including skincare advice. But adopt with care, is what the experts say
Interest in skincare is increasing among beauty beginners and enthusiasts alike, but the problem is, people are just putting random things on their face because they read about it in a magazine or have watched their favourite Instagrammer do it.
“There’s no denying that Instagram is the best place to discover the latest and greatest skin care trends (one glance at the #igtopselfie hashtag introduces you to a plethora of options),” says Vandana Luthra, founder of VLCC Health Care Ltd, a beauty and wellness conglomerate. But it is not without dangers.
Influencers like celebrities are changing the face of the beauty industry, attracting cult-like followings on social media. Earlier, social media marketing was limited to branded posts and content. Then came the era of influencer marketing. With the addition of more innovative communication formats within social media platforms, e.g., Stories and IGTV, brands and influencers have found another channel to market themselves.
“Social media has emerged as an important platform for online selling. And it’s not just limited to brands adding direct buy links to their product posts. There is an entire community of online sellers that sell exclusively on this channel,” says Vandana, adding, “The consumer is liberated from the idea of buying from the local stores by the growing trend of online shopping, breaking the barriers and giving access to unlimited options.”
However, as we go global and follow the trend setters and influencers, we often forget that sometimes, these remedies do more harm than good. “Skin or hair care cannot be compared with window shopping for clothes or use-and-throw items,” points out Vandana. “Every known skincare brand creates brand value by years of research and development and strict quality control, keeping the targeted consumers in mind.”
On the other hand, social media sets off trends like snail mucin creams, cellulite creams, CBD product lines, jade rollers, dark spot remover serums and black head strips.
Vandana talks about a few such potions.
SNAIL MUCIN:
This is reported to have high amounts of hyaluronic acid, which acts as an excellent skin moisturiser. But it can be found in many trusted certified skincare products, and does not need to be harvested from a snail!
JADE CRYSTAL ROLLERS:
They may seem holistic and soothing, but there is no real data to support their purported benefits of reducing swelling or puffiness of the skin. As per dermatologists and research scientists, reducing your intake of salty foods is more likely to produce the desired results. A soothing cold compress or manual lymphatic drainage by a trained therapist might bring better results.
The same applies to CBD (cannabidiol) -infused products. Though CBD has anti-inflammatory properties, there are several other products with similar ingredients, available at a much lower price.
DARK SPOT CORRECTOR SERUMS:
A flawlessly smooth skin is what everyone dreams of. Dark spot serums can prove beneficial for uneven skin tones, but hyper pigmentations like melasma, liver spots and solar lentigines cannot be erased by them. These need prescription formulation and FDA approved targeted treatment regimens.
BLACK HEAD STRIPS:
Pore strips can help draw out the dirt and grime but it has been proven that such strips don’t have the capability to remove any deepseated impurities.
Social media has emerged as an important platform for online selling. And it’s not just limited to brands adding direct buy links to their product posts. There is an entire community of online sellers that sell exclusively on this channel - Vandana Luthra, founder of VLCC Health Care Ltd