We all know that excessive exposure to the media can lead to unrealistic ideologies, which lead to low self-esteem and increased body dissatisfaction. When people, particularly young girls and adults, are consistently exposed to images that do not reflect them, feelings of being inadequate can begin to arise. These ideas of the ‘beauty standards’ are all around us, on the TV, billboards, magazines, adverts and on social media.
The use of social media can also contribute to a deterioration in body image, particularly amongst young girls, but they can do something about it.
It is no secret that beauty brands have made a lot of money through social media platforms. The industry has been able to take advantage of consumers endless scrolling and they have used their platforms to build awareness and create loyal communities. For some smaller, online brands, social media is their only communication with their consumers so it pays to get it right, and to get it right, they need to appeal to ALL of their consumers.
Why is social media having a positive impact on the world of hair and beauty?
Brands are showing us more models and influencers with different hair, skin, cultures and ethnicities. We’re getting a variety of beauties popping up on our screens to show us the latest hair or beauty trends for their hair type or skin complexion. Gone are the days when all black girls only had Scary Spice as a point of reference. Now, our social media is flooded with girls showing us how versatile our hair really can be and how to create the right beauty look for our complexion.
If we follow their socials, we can even catch our favourite celebrities and presenters such as Candice Brathwaite and Rochelle Humes showing us how they created their latest looks and proving that we don’t need a full glam team to look like an A-Lister.
As a consumer the best thing that you can do is to follow, like, and comment on the content of your favourite hair and beauty brands, this will allow their social media team to check on who is viewing their content and cater accordingly. Better still, drop them a DM… “I love your products and I’d love to see how they work on tighter curls similar to mine,”. When used correctly social media can allow brands and companies to tailor their content and reach a wider audience. So, the next time you’re on your explore or for you page, check to see how many of your favourite brands are catering for you.
PS. Let's not forget the real MVPs of social media - the DIYers and the Tutorial Queens who are willing to help us recreate 'that look' for free.
Here are some of our favourites:
NEFFYFROFRO
JOYJAH
MAE HUNTER
Happy Scrolling,
The Hair Sanctuary x