You're Not Pretty Enough

     There are always posts nowadays on Twitter talking about how girls are starting to turn into pre-mature adults.
     Young girls are starting to wear makeup at ages well before middle school. I'm not saying I wasn't a part of this makeup movement, as I was introduced to products like mascara, foundation, and eyebrow pencils as I went through 6th, 7th, and 8th grade. Subconsciously, this was most likely due to the fact that I felt I needed to fit in with the other girls that were wearing mascara to school everyday in 5th grade, and also due to the fact that media told me that I wasn't pretty enough. 
     But that was 3 years ago, and at the rate media is evolving, there must be a new source driving young girls to think they're not pretty enough. So what's this new and improved marketing device? The Instagram makeup bloggers.
     This diverse mix of artists post makeup videos and photos on their profiles on the daily. People like Bretman Rock, Patrick Starr, Nikita Dragun, NikkieTutorials, and more are taking the Instagram world by storm. With the aid of the explore page, people (not just little girls) are constantly exposed to the content put out by these social media influencers. These people are often sponsored by big name brands like Benefit and Simple, and get access to special event for A-listers only. This sends the message that wearing makeup will get you places and allow you to do big things. 
     With the age at which children receive phones getting younger and younger, children are exposed more and more to beauty bloggers and their glitz and glam life. The result of this is Instagram just adding to the classic and well worn message put out by the media that you are not pretty enough and that you must change the way you look in order to be accepted and beautiful.

Comments

  1. UnknownMay 21, 2017 at 10:35 PM

    I agree that social media heavily influences people and girls in this case. Instagram and other forms of media, ranging from social to business advertisements, have pictures and videos of girls in makeup, which can lead to the message that girls 'need' makeup' to look beautiful. Apparently, this was a successful message the media sent across to its audience and now, many girls feel the need to be beautiful via makeup. In addition, it's similar to a cycle that we've discussed: that teenage culture fuels advertisements which reinforces the stereotypes and perceptions of teenage culture, again and again.

    ReplyDelete
  2. UnknownMay 21, 2017 at 10:36 PM

    I have also seen these makeup gurus and many, many more all over my Instagram feed. I do agree with you that the message is getting out to younger generations that they need to wear makeup in order to be pretty, as it makes them look older, and looking older makes you prettier. I was in fact a victim to this my 7th grade year. i have even seen tutorial videos of girls that maybe range from ages 4-7 doing heavy makeup with the help from someone in the background. But honestly i do not think that the ultimate goal of these people is to teach young girls that they are not pretty enough. It definitely sends the message that doing makeup can get you places but i believe that the main reason all of these people do it so much and try to make themselves from it in a way is because they see makeup as a type of art form. I think they do it because they genuinely enjoy doing their makeup. I do agree with the messages that it can send out, even if i do not think they are intended. It is so very unfortunate that something people do can have such a bad message to so many different people.

    ReplyDelete

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

Hayleyhom started a live video.

Image
                   Many of us millennials were well aware when Instagram released a new feature on their app called Instagram Live toward the end of 2016. This added feature allows people to live stream video of themselves that their followers can watch and comment on. I believe the success of this feature is due to the fact that Instagram has now made everyone who uses the app a famous person.          Before live stories, a lot of internet famous people used an app called YouNow to live stream. These included YouTube stars like Dan Howell and Connor Franta to vine stars like Matthew Espinosa. By allowing normal people to also have the option to perform this action that was formerly dominated by those who are famous, Instagram is essentially making you a cool, famous person.          Also, the way the feature works just adds to this famous feeling. When someone starts a live vi...
Read more

Dress to Impress

Image
     I find that there when it comes to how you choose to dress yourself, there's a fine line to balance. When you wear something because it makes you feel good and or because you simply like it, then I believe that's a valid reason to be wearing that outfit. However, the flip side of the situation is wearing dressing a certain way because you solely want to please others.       Miss Representation  talked about how the image of a woman has been shaped by the standards of men and how the appearance of a woman is what people take note of first. Contradictory as it may seem, the fashion bloggers that I choose to follow are  my way of countering these two unfortunate realities of our current world.      One of my favorite bloggers is YouTube star Stephanie Villa , also known as soothingsista. Her style, although occasionally girly, tends to be more androgynous. She mixes menswear into her outfits normally. She isn't the stereo...
Read more