Hello everyone. Welcome back.
Thank you so, so much for joining me.
So I'm just sitting here today.
I haven't done my brows.
I haven't done... I've got like a foundation on.
I'm trying like a tint.
My hair is a bit messed up.
I just wanted to... I didn't want to influence
today and I thought this is a good opportunity,
be like, you know what, let's talk.
Let's have a conversation about the space, the beauty community
is in, influences, all that kind of stuff.
So over on Instagram, I asked you, tell
me how you're feeling, how are you feeling?
Your popular/unpopular opinions about the
beauty space at the moment.
And that's literally what we're going to do today.
We're going to have a talk through them, see
how everyone's feeling, see the space we're in.
I feel like a lot has happened this year already.
So let's get into it.
First of all, if this is your first time here. Hi.
My name is Robert. I'm a makeup artist.
That's not what I say. I'm a professional makeup artist
here on YouTube and also in real life.
It's my goal is to help you become a pro
yourself or just someone who's really good at makeup.
So if that sounds like something you
are interested in, do please consider subscribing.
Let's get into it.
This one, I just had to put
first because it just simply says, exhausting.
And me and, I don't know those of you who
know me and my twin brother, we have a podcast.
It's called The Double Cleanse.
We talk a lot, very openly
about being influencers and the influencer space,
the beauty community, everything like that.
And we were saying on one of our episodes, it's
not out yet actually, we were saying, or is it?
I don't know.
How the beauty space
love to exhaust their followers and their audience.
They love it.
They love it. Emotionally, physically, money wise.
We go through these stages in social media where
it feels like we are in a good space.
Like, in my opinion, YouTube started off,
we never had anything like it before.
It started off, it was fine.
And then people were getting
sponsorships, not disclosing them.
And then people caught on.
People were catching on to filters and videos.
They were catching on to undisclosed sponsorships,
affiliate link, and in comes TikTok.
And it's a whole new audience having
to go through the same thing again.
And it is exhausting.
And then drama, it's like, you know what, no wonder,
no wonder everyone just gave
up on the beauty community.
When was it? 2020 or 2021?
Everyone was like, you know, I can't be bothered anymore.
And I can't be bothered.
I think I have lashes on my eyelashes still.
And even as an individual myself, I,
I don't consume much beauty content.
There are a very select handful of people I watch
when it comes to beauty and makeup in general.
And then I just can't be bothered for the rest.
And they're not like people
with millions and millions of millions, well...
maybe two or three, but.
I feel like it's really important,
I feel like we're in a really key moment where
it's very important about who we choose to support.
I feel like a place like TikTok, for example,
we can just follow thousands and thousands of people.
And because it's kind of an app where you
scroll through quickly when you're on the toilet or
whatever, or just before you go to sleep or
when you're waiting in line or wherever.
Because it's such a heavily, like, quickly consumed content, you don't
really give much thought of to who you're...
I can't even remember who I'm following.
But you don't give much thought to it because it's
a quick scroll and you don't see them pop up.
You don't spend 10-20 minutes with
them like you do on YouTube.
But I do feel like now, yes, it's exhausting.
And I think we can help ourselves in
a way by just ignoring the BS.
I'm really trying... it's hard not to swear.
And just sticking to those people who we really trust.
I do find it really strange as well.
I had somebody comment on a video a while back,
actually, maybe it was last week, and they made a
comment about my personality and like, oh, you can see
Robert's not like a nice person, which I am.
I'm just older and don't have time for crap.
My response to that person would be
then why are you following me?
Your subscription, you subscribing to me and watching
my video is quite literally supporting me.
So why are you following me?
If you don't like a creator, don't hate
follow them because you are supporting them.
Put people that you like in the higher places, you know?
This is a good one.
De-influencering is just a new... de-influencing, sorry,
is just a new term to mask consumption because
it's a lot like, don't buy this, buy this instead.
Very few creators are actually saying, consume less.
Yeah. So for anyone who doesn't know,
de-influencing, was like this movement.
I don't know if it's still happening because it's mainly on TikTok.
And you know, that happens every... new
trends every week, where they were like, you know what?
We're not going to sell loads of products,
we're not going to do this.
Basically, give bad reviews, which people should be
doing anyway if they don't like a product.
But what I found really funny about it is
that the people who are de-influencing are influencers.
It's just another content.
It's just another form of content.
So we're still influencering.
Now, let me be real.
I'm terrible with buying stuff.
I like to buy things and I know that's
really terrible, but, you know, I use them, I
use them in my job, my YouTube job.
I will use it in my makeup kit.
But de-influencing, I think it seemed like it
started out from one person who was like, there's
no need to have all this stuff. Which is very true.
There's absolutely no need to have so much stuff.
And also don't buy everything
that influencers are selling you.
But yes, it's very true.
In the case of people like,
don't buy this, buy this instead.
You're still influencing to buy stuff
and you're still going to buy stuff. Let's be real.
Influencer marketing and consumption in the beauty space
isn't going to change any time quickly.
A lot of people are
saying influencer marketing is down.
However, from speaking to people who actually work
in that industry, it's a billion pound/dollar
business and it's going to get bigger
even so, this year.
The beauty industry is worth billions and billions and billions.
It's a new part of that beauty industry
that is always going to be around.
Again, if we want to do this de-influencing or
being careful with how much we consume, that's on us personally, you know?
I don't think we're ever going to change
anyone's mind not to buy loads of stuff.
TikTok has made the online beauty community boring.
I miss long form YouTube videos.
You all know how I feel about TikTok.
I don't think reviews on there are the best thing.
If I do a review of a product, it's very quick.
And if it's a foundation, for example, something that needs more
going into, I will say, link to my YouTube channel in
my bio, because you need to see the full video.
You can't make your mind up on a three minute video.
But I think, again, that's where
this whole consumer thing comes in.
TikTok is very much constant selling.
Like you scroll TikTok.
This is a something, something thing, let's try it.
And then you go to the next one
it's like, everyone's buying this because they say this.
And then you go to the next one
and it's like, this has gone viral.
And it's like every single, depending on your algorithm, most
of the makeup places are quick videos like that because
that's all you can do in three minutes.
There's not many challenges you can do
or reviews on products or reviews on
something because it needs to be quick.
And what can you slip into a quick three minute video?
I'm trying this foundation. Oh, I love it. It's great.
This has gone viral.
Let's try this lip thing. Oh, it's great.
You know? Like it's...
There's only so much you can do within three minutes.
So I agree that it's added
something extra to the beauty space.
I just wish it was a tool that
was linked back to long form content.
Like, I'm trying this concealer for a whole day.
Let's put it on now.
Looks wonderful.
Go and check out my YouTube for the
full review, because we need that information.
And as somebody who likes education and likes
information, I prefer that longer form content.
But I do think it's ruined...
...the way we buy things in terms of it super quick now.
It's super sped up, where it does need
to be slowed down a little bit.
And I just wish some maybe new ideas
would come onto TikTok, like funner things.
I don't know, fun things.
I also don't think brands have yet realized that actually,
in long term, the sales from TikTok, having
one product go viral isn't actually that beneficial.
They might sell out of a product, but then...
Brands need to stop and slow down a little bit and
try and make their brand have a few iconic products
that people want to go back and forwards to.
These products that can always be
used alongside all your other products.
Something that can be used
in harmony with everything else.
We love this powder foundation, and that's
going to be our iconic product throughout.
Instead of trying to... it feels almost like
they don't trust their own products and they
want their next product to go viral
every single time. That's done, on to the next.
That's done, on to the next. You know?
I don't have faith in those products from
those brands because I feel like they will be onto
the next one in a few months time.
People love Charlotte Tilbury only because they send
PR gift to everyone, even under 3K followers.
Yeah.
I have to be honest with you, I
don't like Charlotte Tilbury products at all.
I was sent two of their highlighters recently and
I just instantly gave them away because I
don't like Charlotte Tilbury and Charlotte Tilbury products.
I think they're...
not as...
It's all hype. They're not as...
They're like, fine, they're fine.
I've used some of their products before.
That Hollywood filter, whatever it is.
That Hollywood filter glow, whatever
it is, not that great.
Their night cream is like putting
PVA glue on your face.
It's not that great. The eyeshadows,
I was so disappointed.
I bought the David Bowie palette a long,
long time ago, and it was awful.
The eyeshadow formula was terrible.
It's not the best brand, but they do
have their staples, like Pillow Talk, for example.
An iconic product, which a lot of brands don't do.
I am just so incredibly tired
of all the intellectual property collabs.
I want to see some innovation.
I 100% agree.
Colourpop do that, Hipdot do it.
Revolution.
And it's like, The Simpsons,
Care Bears, who else has been over done?
And then all these bands, which I don't...
That Evanescences and Korn Palette just didn't make any sense
to me in my mind, at all.
I thought they were really awful.
And the thing is, I like a good collaboration
when it's done correctly and when it's done...
not correctly, because that's a form of opinion.
But when it seems like there's more effort put into it.
I feel like just making, for example, the
Evanescence Palette, where it was like, these are the
colors on the front of the album.
So? What about, like, diving into
lyrics, taking colors from videos?
Surely there are more iconic moments.
And as well, I think I did a video about
The Simpsons palette, I believe. I can't remember. With Revolution.
I think it was in a video.
And it was just so underwhelm...
It's like, you've just put any color in these palettes
and given them names, and then just the design of
the palette is, just has The Simpsons on it.
There's no thought going into it.
When collections used to come out with a celebrity or
a brand like Barbie, they used to be really exciting,
and you could see the inspiration in them.
One thing brands do a lot is they'll bring out
this, again, The Simpsons, part one, part two, part three.
It's like, what else can you do?
You've done too much to a
point where it's like, it's boring.
You can't make a Homer Simpson
palette, and it be all neutrals.
It doesn't make sense.
Okay, this is exactly what I was saying earlier, but
this is put so much better than what I was saying.
"Beauty TikTok is ruined by constant QVC style videos."
Thank you. That's what I was trying to say.
It's a constant ad, ad, ad. And not paid ads either.
Well.
"Consumers aren't as influenced as influencers think."
I have to disagree, only because I don't
think influencers think they are that influential.
I think they think people like their content.
But when somebody says, I bought this because of you,
I do generally have a little bit of a surprise.
I'm like, oh, okay, that's good.
I hope it works for you, too.
I hope it's good.
But I've never been around influencers or talked to
influencers, and they've been like, everyone listens to what I say.
Like, that's never really happened.
Brands are more influenced by
influencers than consumers are.
100%.
Like, they know who is going to make money.
They know who to sell to.
If some becomes really popular, brands
will cling on to them.
Brands are the ones being influenced by influencers.
And then some people get influenced slightly.
But I think a lot of
people nowadays use their common...
Not common sense.
That's wrong word.
Use their own.
People are more wary of influencers
nowadays, and so they should be.
And influencers are aware of that, 100%.
Well, maybe the older ones are more aware of that.
And I mean older in age.
I do think there's a slight
arrogance that comes with younger influencers.
18 to 25.
Some of them, not all of them.
I've met really nice younger influencers.
And those ones, those people who I think
think they have influenced everyone, I don't think they're...
I think they will be arrogant because of the attention they
get, not because they think they influenced people.
As an influencer, I have never though,
I'm so good at influencing people.
I think I make content that people enjoy watching.
And if they happen to like a product within
that video, then they'll go out and try it
on their own accord, and that's it.
But part of being a beauty influencer is reviewing
products, but I've never come across an influencer.
Tell me if... oh, I'm not going to say they're name.
Someone who's like, everything I say is
correct or everything I say, people believe.
I don't see that. But I know why you would think that.
This is interesting.
"USA beauty community has completely lost it.
Very glad I still have UK creators I enjoy."
I have to say,
I've met... have I met any in real life?
US influencers?
Not like crazy amounts, they've always been nice.
But the UK, I've been to a few events
and they're just all really friendly and really nice.
I don't think it's very English or
British to have drama amongst each other.
We're very polite.
Yeah, we're very polite.
And I think it's just British
culture to be like, that's unacceptable, you know?
"[___] palettes, high prices." Yeah, I agree with that.
"I won't buy anything from Botox influencers. That's not real."
I have botox.
My face is still real. But I'm not claiming to
use anything that smooths out fine lines.
By the way, Botox is the stuff that stops your
muscles moving and contracting so much.
And filler is what plumps up
lips and everything like that.
I don't judge anyone if you're using filler
or Botox because I get it myself.
However, if they're claiming that a lip gloss makes their
lips magically plumped to a point where it's obviously filler,
then of course that's wrong, but I wouldn't say that
it's not real just because they get Botox, unless they're
claiming that their skincare has done that.
We need to understand the
difference between Botox and fillers.
And if somebody is... it's fine for someone to
get surgery, cosmetic procedures, as long as not claiming
that a product is responsible for the results.
You know what I mean?
I think people need to get over Botox and filler.
Like, it doesn't matter.
There's a lot about ads in this one.
And again, I get this, but I disagree.
"I don't believe any post that is sponsored ad
regardless of the influencer."
I will only take a job with products that I like.
So that's a shame.
But I get why you're thinking it.
I 100% get why.
And again, that is the influencer's fault.
Okay, I think we kind of get the idea of how the beauty
space and the beauty community,
where it is at the moment.
A lot of distrust, a lot of... I mean, that's
always been a thing, but I think it's definitely come
to this point where there's a lot of distrust.
Something's not right in here today.
A lot of distrust, a lot of...
That's it.
That's pretty much it.
People don't trust influencers. Which has been
an ongoing thing for a long time.
But I think it's got to this point now where they
have valid reason to, and it was valid before, but valid
reason to with evidence, you know what I mean?
And it's a shame.
And I think influencers have ruined it for everyone.
But listen, here's the deal with me.
I promise you, this isn't like an ad for me.
I will always be honest with you.
If I don't like something, I don't like it.
If I'm sponsored it's because I like it.
And that's all I can say and that's all I can ask you to
do is trust me, and only follow those people you do trust.
If you're watching this now, and thinking,
I don't trust him, please do unfollow me.
There's no point in you wasting your time following me.
And there's a lot of boredom within
the beauty community, but it's still thriving.
It's a very confusing place.
It's almost like this thing that has a hold on us, that people
can't quite get out of and people do still enjoy.
But I guess it's the sponsorship side of it
that we're all a little bit hesitant of.
Anyway, thank you so much for joining me.
I would love to know your opinions
below, your opinions on any opinions in this opinion video.
Do consider subscribing.
Give this video a thumbs up, and
I will see you very, very soon. Bye.