Instagram has dramatically changed the beauty world as I know it. In fact, it’s a major piece of how I started to discover makeup. It’s so easy to find yourself lost in its depths by clicking between hashtag and user, discovering new products, brands and techniques. PatrickStarrr is the first beauty blogger that I ever followed and I was like, “woah, boys can wear makeup?” And as you can see, he wears makeup.
After that, I would frequently consult Instagram and YouTube before ever buying a cosmetic product. Bloggers often list “product details” on their Instagram accounts where the list all of the products that they used in the featured look. I always read them to see what they’ve used and this is one of the ways that products blow up on Instagram. It’s clear to see what products are used by who and how frequently. This drives the sales of brands and boosts the popularity of bloggers that are supporting a trending brand or product. The product details are also where discount codes can be found, which is just another way the sales are boosted through Instagram.
Instagram is also very trendy. Bloggers use various products and then everyone is buying them. First it was contouring, then it went to highlighting. Brands have to either stay on top of the trends or be left behind. Anastasia Beverly Hills has been on the top of the highlighting game. The first came out with single highlighting compacts and then releases “Glow Kits,” a pallet of multiple highlighters. They’re basically what everyone is wearing and are frequently sold out. Speaking of which, I need to get their new glow kit before it does sell out. But why do I need it, I already have four. And that is the power of Instagram. It’s gotten me to buy four glow kits and it’s the reason that I’m going to buy a fifth one. There’s absolutely no reason that I need to have that many highlighters, but I need them. I can’t really tell you why I need them. Maybe it’s the satisfaction of people asking me what highlighter I’m wearing and having that half a second bond with the person who asked as we internally orgasm over the ABH glow. But why? Instagram has allowed brands to create such an online reputation and everyone has accepted the fact that their products are bomb.