Once upon a time, women pored over monthly magazines like Elle and Vogue and Allure to get the latest on beauty. But today, in the era of Instagram and Ticktock, they don’t need to wait a whole month to find out about that new lip treatment or which celebrity has which kind of eyebrows. All they need is a phone and an internet connection and the respective apps (which, admittedly, everybody has!). Influencers on these social media platforms have made information, education and opinions on skincare so easy to come by. That is why they are famously referred to as ‘Skinfluencers.’ 

Let’s decode this era of 'Skinfluencers' and how they are helping in skincare.

Definition of a Skinfluencer

• This is Gen-Z, and they are all about following the latest trends on Instagram and Pinterest. 
• Skinfluencers are those people on these social media platforms who create content related to skincare and beauty, with a sizeable number of followers engaging with them. 
• These are social media celebrities of sorts as their followers look up to them to solve any skin problems or get tips. 
• Skinfluencers may or may not be certified in the business of skincare, but they may have experience in the field due to a lifetime of exposure. 
• Their pages also get the patronisation of many cosmetic and skincare brands that bring them on as brand endorsement partners. 
• Skinfluencers mainly create content around their daily skincare routines, special products that they use to solve certain skin problems like acne, dry skin, rosacea etc, and the kind of treatments they go for to keep their skin healthy.
• Many skinfluencers are renowned for DIY and home remedies, while others are all about experimenting and showing their followers the newest beauty trends like microblading, eyelash extensions, permanent makeup, microdermabrasion etc.
• These last sets of influencers are especially loved by the people because they take their followers through the Behind-The-Scenes of such treatments. Their experience may give a common woman the final push to go for a treatment she covets. 

How Did the Era of Skinfluencers Start?

1. With the exponential growth of Instagram, the influencer industry took off. And the fashion influencers ran the fastest in this race, travel influencers not far behind. Food and fitness caught up too. And then the vast world of skincare also found its way on Instagram with influencers starting pages dedicated to skin, skin health, cosmetics and treatments. 

2. TickTock was the next big milestone, where the term ‘skinfluencer’ was coined. It defined an entire generation of influencers who made videos and vlogs showing their skincare journey daily. A common girl could also share her experiences, her mom’s tips and her dermatologist's advice on TickTock easily. Hashtags like #skinfluencer #skincare #skincareroutine etc began to trend in millions and billions. 

3. Today, skinfluencers generate viral content on TickTock daily, with very trustworthy accounts on Instagram and Pinterest too. Cosmetic brands, skincare product companies, spas and salons are also on these platforms now, promoting themselves with similar content.

4. What also accelerated the rise of skinfluencers in the last decade is the fact that Gen-Z, unlike their previous generation, preferred skincare over makeup. This is a unique thought process that gave birth to the idea of taking care of your skin because you want it to look good, but keep it bare. You can invest in serums and expensive toners, and even get permanent makeup like microblading or permanent eyeliner… but applying a ton of makeup every day is almost taboo among the teenagers.

5. Sustainability also played a huge role in this new ‘era of skinfluencer’ because women were suddenly conscious of what they were using, how it was harming the environment and their bodies, as well as what they could do to go more natural. Women today are particular about the ingredients inside their skincare products, and even stress on environmentally viable beauty thanks to Insta and TickTock.

6. Pandemic was the final shove for the skinfluencers to fly off the cliff and soar high. As everybody was home and out of most of their skincare products, these skinfluencers helped them keep their skin healthy and glowing. 

Some Skinfluencers to Follow: 

Jenny Bauer

Where: TickTock

Followers: 346K

Profession: Skincare & Makeup Influencer

Recent Experience: Licensed Aesthetician, Makeup Business

Amy Chang

Where: TickTock

Followers: 1.3M

Profession: Beauty, Skincare, Haircare Influencer

Recent Experience: L’Oréal Paris Advertising Partner

Sierra Skye

Where: Instagram

Followers: 4M+

Profession: Beauty Influencer, Modelling

Recent Experience: Got Microblading

Jade Marie

Where: Instagram

Followers: 1.2M

Profession: Skincare & Makeup Influencer, Spirituality

Recent Experience: Facials, Body Treatments, Brand Partnerships

Isn’t this newest era of skinfluencers so interesting? If you already haven’t hopped onto the bandwagon then do it now. You may not listen to all the advice out there, and you may not consume all the skincare content out there, but it always helps to be following people who are more knowledgeable. As for getting services like microblading, facials, permanent makeup and other skincare treatments like your favourite skinfluencers, you can always walk into Savarnas Beauty Spa!