Within the TikTok realm, there are a multitude of subgroups. One subgroup on the rise has been BeautyTok, which has to do with all things “beauty” – makeup, skincare, haircare, bodycare – you name it. From viral skincare products to hair-styling methods, BeautyTok shows it all.
One of the more recent trends in the BeautyTok community has been layering scents. For example, if you have a vanilla-scented body wash, grab a vanilla-scented lotion and perfume, layer them on, and you will radiate a vanilla scent. This on its own is not problematic; body wash is essential to stay clean, lotion is essential to keep your skin moisturized, and perfume is a great addition to keep you smelling nice and fresh all day. If you or those around you do not suffer from a fragrance sensitivity, then there is no harm in matching your products to one signature scent.
However, recently certain BeautyTok creators have taken this ten steps further with whole bookshelves full of body washes, lotions, and fragrances. They use these products to show their audience how to take a “peppermint shower,” a “Dubai chocolate shower,” or a “root beer shower.” Followers will even comment asking creators to show more “scented shower routines” where they themselves request certain scents for creators to post their shower routine.
Another common occurrence on BeautyTok is influencers showing their unnecessarily long skincare regimens. Dermatologists recommend using face wash, moisturizer, and sunscreen, which will be sufficient for most; those who have specific skincare concerns can add more products as needed. Yet many influencers will do “get ready with me’s” where they use several toners, serums, and moisturizers all in one go, not because they need it for some specific skincare concern, but because they chase this glowy, glass-skin look.
What both of these trends have in common is the normalization of overconsumption, specifically the overconsumption of beauty products. When it comes to layering scents, having a few products to match a signature scent is simple fun; maybe even having two or three scents is acceptable. But posting content normalizing owning hundreds of products that will cover every scent imaginable is quite extra and very unnecessary. Similarly, practicing a 20-step skincare routine just to achieve a glowy look and not for the purposes of addressing skin needs is beyond what doctors themselves recommend. In both cases, the audience of such content tends to be impressionable, young children who are excited to engage with these BeautyTok creators. They are in awe of all the products these creators have – oftentimes not reflecting on how abnormal it is – and will even request the creators to post more products and more routines, unknowingly encouraging the overconsumption that is being promoted on the platform.
The truth is that the average person usually does not have more than one bottle of body wash or lotion at a time. It is unrealistic to have hundreds of these products all at once, and more than that, to normalize this to young children. In fact, with that amount of products, many of them will expire before even being used, creating so much unnecessary waste. It is okay to have a few products of one particular scent. It is okay to buy a new set of products with a new scent when the other products have been finished. What is not okay is spending money creating massive cabinets and closets overflowing with beauty items and promoting this to young impressionable minds. It is not normal to use 20 products on your face, both day and night, for the sole purpose of wanting unattainable glass skin. It is not trendy to be wasteful, nor is it trendy to disguise overconsumption as beauty.