In a departure from their usual content, TikTok beauty influencers are “de-influencing”, telling viewers what not to buy. Offering uncharacteristically critical product reviews, many are directing their criticism at products that they believe have been overhyped by other influencers on the platform.
The recent interest in de-influencing began with a controversy over a product recommendation. Viewers accused TikTok beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira of secretly applying false lashes to exaggerate the effect of a mascara that she had been paid to promote. The video and its backlash sparked wider debates surrounding influencers’ authenticity, prompting a deluge of “de-influencing” posts.
