How Beauty Advertisements Manipulate You Into Nonstop Consumerism

[@camrynviau]

The irony of a skincare ad playing before this video

[@flowerpower7065]

Biggest flex, never bought from an influencer or because of an influencer. 😮‍💨

[@luchirimoya]

W

[@SouthernBelleReviews]

Same 🎉

[@zabi_aka]

👏👏👏

[@amnabeg679]

SAME!

[@luchirimoya]

As a chronically ill young woman (I'm 23): I'm so excited to grow older, because that'll mean I was healthy enough to have lived til that age. Aging is a privilege, and health is something that most people take for granted. As long as I have a decent quality of life in the future, I couldn't give a rats ass about wrinkles or "crow's feet" or smile lines or whatever. I just want to be able to enjoy life. Being ill and in pain is a constant struggle, so value what you have while you still can because sooner or later, your body will fail you and you'll regret having focused on such vain and superficial stuff.

[@louisecampbell2628]

AMEN to that!!!!

[@Maxine1630]

I'm with you!!❤

[@bobbobbo5278]

Im trying to have this mentality, i love it

[@DS-ch1np]

I suffer from chronic condition too. I am always in fear if I will be able to age till I become mother and grandmother. I too don't give a ratass about wrinkles and whatsoever.

[@reneedennis2011]

Amen 🙏🏽!

[@itslatasha4726]

The crazy thing about the Julia Roberts’ post is that she didn’t even look bad. She looked refreshed, her skin was clear, her smile was great, the light in the photo shone on her nicely. So I really don’t understand any of the negativity.

[@CordeliaWagner1999]

Julia Roberts She never looked good to begin with in my opinion. Most of her movies are Toxic Romane trash and she helped to glorify prostitution. He has no Talent for acting, she is stiff like a piece of wood. I despise that person for all the right reasons.

[@lug358]

Like there are 50 year olds that look so much worse lol, she just looks like a very good looking mature woman. Can people stop being so stupid?

[@hcf4kd1992]

She looked good to me. People aren't Ready all the time.

[@luchirimoya]

Fr, she looked like a normal woman her age, social media has truly warped our perception of what mature women and overall people look like

[@TakenTook]

She's actually even older than 50, and she looks great! She is (in 2024) now 56 or 57 from what I recall about her age being listed in magazine articles back in the 1990s. So even though she is fighting back a bit against ageism, if she's describing herself as a 50-year-old woman when discussing the comments on this recent Instagram post, she is still clearly being pressured (perhaps by her publicist) into saying she's younger than she is. Because Hollywood is absolutely horrible to women.

[@l0st_illusi0n23]

Tbh, when influencers try to market to me, it makes me want a product less, I don’t trust them, they’re just trying to get a bag and generally don’t have me as a consumers best interest in mind. I’d much rather look at user reviews on a product before I buy it.

[@justinebailey5333]

Exactly

[@defsnotdevyn]

Yes its very off-putting

[@cristallikethechampagne8243]

I sit in beauty market meetings all the time and let me tell you THIS IS THEIR ENTIRE GROWTH STRATEGY- partnering with influencers. DO NOT TRUST THEM. 🙅🏽‍♀️

[@reneedennis2011]

Yup. Thanks for the info.

[@christiesanchez4013]

Thanks for the insider info! Straight from the horse's mouth. 🐎🐎

[@gracied.3599]

“How are you shaming someone for being alive” 😂 your content is so important and so engaging

[@ChocolatSunshine]

😂 Right?!!! I never thought of anti-aging this way. 😂😂

[@etinokundaye5537]

I literally burst out laughing

[@Cassie-xx5fb]

How dare you get old? We judge you based on your looks. That's all we care about. We don't value you properly, so you should value our opinion. 😌 Wait... what?

[@goblinpapi]

I lost a dear friend when she was 28. Ill never see her smile lines from our days filled with laughter and the wrinkles from how she would scrunch her eyebrows. Getting old is a gift. Love your content, it is a perspective that is very much needed.

[@starlight1818]

even as an esthetician, i don't believe in all the anti-aging marketing of every ingredient, just take care of your skin, wear sunscreen, and have a healthy lifestyle (whatever works for you). it's crazy to me how everyday consumers who work 9-5s are told by the influencers they "need" something when those influencers are not only paid to promote but gifted the products already. sorry but i'm not buying a $25 lip gloss when my hourly wage isn't even up to that amount!

[@LACHRYMA]

CLOCK ITTTT esp that last part like 😭😭

[@hopscotchkidsfunstation9134]

Esthetician here also. I agree with you. I quit doing esthetics due to ethics.

[@christiesanchez4013]

My Mom is almost 60, and she looks 40 - all because she wears sunscreen in the summer, avoids harmful beauty procedures, and tries to live healthy.

[@amandazplace5663]

I always tell my daughters, "if you're on a bus full of women; some wearing expensive products, some cheap, randomly across various beauty standards & ages...can you ACTUALLY tell who is wearing the more expensive products?" In real life, you can't tell 🇨🇦♥️

[@beatricerights]

Sorry yes you can tell.

[@randomlyswatching9481]

No😂​@@beatricerights

[@cr4ck3r58]

@@randomlyswatching9481you can tell, but only if the makeup is actually dirt cheap. Like, extremely dubiously sourced and pretending to be a more reputable brand. Otherwise it’s really hard to tell, especially considering the quality of drug store makeup being better than some high end brands.

[@vanessar9722]

The one thing I actually do is when a product says "90% of testers agree*"... I look for the * and check how many there actually were, cause usually it's an hilarious amount like... 20.

[@beatricerights]

And all of them were hired by the company except the ones who disagree.

[@sapphireblue4031]

​@@beatricerights Nah, the ones that disagree are also paid by the company. It's not believable if it's 100% or even 95%. They have to carefully plan out the exact percentage they want depending on the target customers

[@Cassie-xx5fb]

Lol I learned about statistics in college, and I'm always looking out for the number of participants for its credibility. Also, just be wary of confounding factors, and some of these studies can really be poorly planned.

[@harvestcheddar0]

I think they focus so much on aging because it’s something that is inevitable for everyone who is alive and it’s a sign of our mortality, which most people are insecure and freaked out about. Most people do not want to be reminded that they are going to die one day and feel like their body is breaking down. It’s such a sinister thing to latch on to. Aging is a privilege that not everybody gets to experience. I try to look at it like that now so I can feel ok when I’m older.

[@milantarika7219]

That's deep, I never thought about it this way

[@crowgrl13]

Also notice: anti-aging products are never marketed to men. You never see Olay Regenerist for Men, Neutrogena Wrinkle Release for Men. Men can use these products of course, but all the print ads and commercials are only showing women.

[@ingridaguero6460]

Men’s insecurities come from their hair. Facial, balding or graying. And also muscles. Society doesn’t care if men grow old but they do care if they grow bald or fat.

[@louisecampbell2628]

The beauty industry is HIGHLY manipulative

[@LydiaReneeDarling]

I was today years old when I realised Julia Robert’s and Emma Roberts were related

[@flowerpower7065]

Their big smiles give it away a bit too

[@luchirimoya]

Lmaoo same 😭😭

[@DarknessDust]

saaaaaaaaaaaame xD

[@tammystiletto]

I was like whaaa okay duh this makes sense I love this lol

[@tinywalnut6337]

Who the hell is Emma Roberts?

[@tessmoffett5512]

I love the informative and anti-mindless consumerist messages of your videos. Such a breath of fresh air.

[@aletheavanalstyne3747]

The beauty industry as a whole - including the rise in use of plastics by the everyday person, shows that as a society we value the way people look more than we value the way people act. If people put half as much effort into being kind as they do into their appearance, the world would be a much better place

[@reneedennis2011]

🎯

[@maddytalksmentalhealth]

It’s crazy! I feel like the collective like all of us are waking up to all the weird stuff and straight up lies we’ve been fed by all the huge industries-fashion-cosmetics-entertainment-our foods even! Like what?! It’s crazy!

[@thenamesilkmoon1366]

My two cent, people hate aging, and hate seeing wrinkles, because they associate aging with dying, a wrinkle for them means one step close to the grave, along with not being attractive anymore. These people don't want to die and they don't want to be "ugly"

[@Notnatasha]

Very true, the media puts out this narrative that older woman = ugly but older man = mature fine wine. I had to stop myself the other day as a woman in my 20s saying I’d date George Clooney after liking a TikTok calling Sam Johnson a predator… why is she different from him?

[@laylor4360]

He’s way too old for you and George is a decent looking man he’s not handsome like the media likes to lie, stick with guys your age. Men do not deserve grace and definitely not to be able to date much younger women whilst being sexist to the same women their age.@@Notnatasha

[@Jordan-db2og]

If only, it's because men prefer young women and corporations can capitalize on the insecurities women gain from ageism and misogyny

[@anyaaa2801]

@@NotnatashaRight? Why can men age like fine wine but women can’t….😬

[@aquatiger8]

for me, my goal in life is to become a silver fox of an old lady. so I'm actually excited to age and get wrinkles to frame my face 😊

[@AKbaby89]

Julia roberts looks amazing. People are nuts. Someone looking old is awesome, that means theyve lived a long life.

[@Hysteriette]

this is why i just CANT fck with "skincare" on tiktok. ITS. SO. FAKE. i hate it!!!!

[@littlepony3743]

Now I realise why I’ve been learning English for all these years. To be able to understand the content made by bloggers like you , many thanks 🎉

[@gabriellawaldi]

I am 45 yo and I get compliments all the time. Here ist my advice: I just use moisturizer. I wash my face with water and a minimum of a very mild soap. I use sunscreen every time I go out in the spring and sommer and sometimes also in fall and winter. That's it. Keep your money people!!!

[@itsjuicenotwine]

I find it highly suspicious too that a lot of beauty influencers pop out then had a huge following and they are managed by some agency right off the bat. *Suddenly* theyre meeting celebs too

[@almaskhateeb771]

Everytime I add something to my online carts, I come here, watch one of your videos, and then I clear my cart and close site/app.

[@bolboretadelume]

I agree, Ashley: aging is living. We're shaming people, particularly women, for living. Let's live, ladies! 😄

[@CordeliaWagner1999]

A healthy Lifestyle shows down aging. You can see who lives a immature irresponsible Lifestyle and who has dood habits

[@DaniL-hr9xo]

I just discovered your channel through this video, it's so great! I'm a scientist and I get so mad every time beauty companies use scientific terms to deceive costumers- it's harmful to both to customers and the perception of science. Also, if someone has their life changed by a mascara, they should rethink their priorities 😂

[@conniedaisy2278]

So true! The only way to truly avoid ageing is to die young. We should be grateful if we live long enough to get wrinkles. Also that’s funny about the foundation and concealer, I can’t believe I would wear both when I went out. I actually don’t use foundation daily so just use concealer but I guess I could just use my foundation under my eyes haha

[@MyLifeRefining]

Yes, so we need to start being wiser and not buy what they are selling. Aging is a privilege and once we see it that way, we break the mind control they clamped on us since girlhood. We have to stop buying what they are selling. I’m 43 and I practice what I believe as much as possible.

[@poisonvenom6689]

Great video ! Unfortunately, it will take years to undo what has already been done . A step in the right direction

[@grushdeva]

At age 18-20 I used to buy a lot of different and usually cheap (because I was poor) products. Now I just don't need it. I use 4 things for makeup and not wear it everyday. Those are from a local brand. They have a clear formula and not very expensive. I'm never ever gonna buy anything from mass market cosmetics. Love yourself and save your some money.

[@outi3852]

Lol at L'Oréal. I studied biology in the early 2000s, and remember laughing with fellow students at some anti-aging face lotion advertisement (not sure of the brand) that said it will "repair your DNA" thus preventing aging. Bold claim, especially since here (Finland and probably the whole EU), afaik things label as cosmetics were even then allowed to only affect the outer layers of your skin etc, anything deeper faced different requirements for safety testing.

[@kalle-demos]

Not only do beauty ads and toxic beauty standards frame signs of aging as "bad", they frame them as a MORAL failure. That's why you see those posts about celebrities that have supposedly aged "correctly" and people make comments like, "this is how you age when you're unproblematic".

[@janicewright8139]

I only have a few influencers that I follow. I really appreciate their expertise. None of the ones I follow are pushing the consumer to buy the product. They do however try out the items for themselves for a period of time and then will report how good or bad their experience was. I really like it when they comment on the formula and the ingredients.

[@757Princess]

I deleted Instagram and haven’t made a non food purchase since 😮

[@aquatiger8]

honestly, I thank God every day that my brain lacks storage space to remember celebrities and what they look like. I never feel pressured to look as perfect as they've been presented on screen because 5 minutes after seeing them, I will have completely forgotten what they look like

[@tylersatterley3219]

In the uk it’s illegal for false lashes to be used in mascara advertisements which is a little step I guess.

[@RamenzillaX]

They say “clinically proven” to reduce fine lines and wrinkles because tretinoin (prescription grade retinol) is….although the reason you’d need a prescription is because there are a lot of potential side effects (like skin sensitivity, peeling, burns even, etc). So however much retinol they’re sneaking into a cream product likely isn’t going to the yield a fraction of the same result.

[@VicvicW]

How do you have less than 30k subs? This is some high quality synthesis and analysis.

[@susan825]

Thank you! Oftentimes, people post videos like this, but then have an advertisement embedded into the video (a video about anti-consumerism) Thank you for staying true to your message, especially as it is such an important one.

[@CordeliaWagner1999]

Some people need to make money. Not everybody can live as a good needsno.oney stayathomehousecleanermother

[@susan825]

@CordeliaWagner1999 i think that might have come off rougher than you meant it. I do not know if this particular KZbinr has a day job or not. My point was more along the lines of: it is the same as when someone tells you to eat vegetables but they never do or a doctor who tells you not to smoke but takes smoke breaks. It changes the value of the message regardless of the fact that the message is correct.

[@leilazerrouki7040]

KZbinrs can't pick anymore where the ad goes. I got an ad in the middle of the video personally... :/

[@cr4ck3r58]

@@leilazerrouki7040I think they meant sponsorships done by the youtuber themselves

[@JeriBradley]

I love your videos. This one certainly explains the beauty industry’s advertising schemes just to get our money. We need to remember the old adage, If it sounds too good to be true it probably isn’t.

[@uberhaute_naturalz84]

@ashleyviola *can you do the same thing about the hair product industry? There's a lot of madness going on there from fear-mongering to fake patents and fake science groundbreaking!*

[@KayMoJo]

I’ve been watching your content for a little while now. I love your perspective on the Beauty Industry and your addressing of the Ageism problem in today’s society. People that bully because of appearances are “Anti-Age” but no one’s “Anti-Life”, lol.

[@DreamAboutMe823]

I would literally be broke as hell if I always brought what I saw due to an influencer.

[@sarah.j.777]

I know you're right, it's terrible. I atleast try to shop sensibly, finding the best price or looking for dupes etc.

[@cheyenne7370]

This content is so needed right now since I’m learning to be more mindful as a consumer. Thank you for this video, you’ve got a new subscriber 😊

[@kaypat23]

Your channel is a breath of fresh air ❤ i am starting to be really selective with what kind of content I watch on youtube. I find your videos so interesting and essential. Thanks for the work you do. If i have to spend a few minutes here educating myself, it might as well be with you.

[@HK-cp8tm]

Thank you for this video, I'm really struggling with not buying into it all and spending money I shouldn't.

[@rittyrittyritty]

You're my favorite commentary channel

[@PetCrazzy]

I remember being a 9 year old standing inches away from the mirror thinking I had “crows feet” that ended up just being the literal skin creases that occur in every human’s eye corners… for a short moment (until my mom told me to cut it out and made me realize) I genuinely thought those lines were what they meant and I was PANICKING.

[@gvsmani4810]

Aging is pretty❤

[@AJYisrael]

Yes girl they are quite LITERALLY putting down the natural being alive process of aging like huh?!?

[@heartjewelry-hh1nz]

Lip oil actually moisturizes while lip gloss can still be drying at least for me.

[@trtlduv07]

Yesssss the twilight zone intro lol.

[@NatalieM123]

I actually really like having so many options for shampoo lol and I'm super glad that I don't have to choose between like three, but I hear your point. I also freaking love concealer and find it to be wildly different than foundation (I haven't worn foundation in years at this point, but I alway spot conceal). So part of me felt defensive when watching this because I was like, NO I LOVE THAT PRODUCT DON'T TAKE IT AWAY, it IS needed! So I feel torn between, I agree with your main points but I do like having options.

[@SouthernBelleReviews]

Omg that loophole theyre using with the FDA though. Thats scam!!

[@bumblebramblebranch]

Someone I went to school with for 8 years died a couple of months before his 24th birthday 13 years ago. A friend from uni died when he was 25 6 years ago. I saw my first gray hair when I was 33, I would’ve loved to see theirs.

[@Boahemaa]

I never bought the concealer either. The make up just looked too much on the models' faces. So this thing where the people who have perpetuated the present standards of beauty and made a fortune from telling young impressionable women how they have to look, weight and buy to be the it girl cannot turn around and complain when they're expected to maintain that impossible standard. Oprah has made a fortune from selling diets. Every other episode of the Oprah show was to sell some fad diet or lifestyle that would result in weight loss. I am so sick of this narrative of people are mean to me because I am human. You benefitted from that mentality immensely.

[@mentoring42]

I just discovered your channel and I had to subscribe. ❤❤❤

[@Niamhmariephelan]

They have the younger kids gone mad over skincare, it's awful..

[@southernbellechef]

I just stumbled upon your channel and can I just say…you are a beautiful soul girl. Thanks for bringing awareness to this subject matter ❣️

[@msss7451]

To me Julia Roberts look like a regular person just with out makeup. I think the only thing that may have been needed would be some lipstick and that's just to provide more definition to her lips in that lighting. I could totally tell it was Julia Roberts. There is no situation where I would say she looks like she's aged beyond recognition 🤷‍♀️

[@AKbaby89]

Actually ive read that refillable packaging actually causes more waste than normal packaging. If a brand wants to be more eco friendly, they should be making easily recycled packaging in the first place.

[@twilightincosmos]

Its pretty interesting to see celebrities who endorses these anti aging products for years and sell such insecurites to women out there faces the same judgement when they want to be natural....

[@purushottamkapote479]

This is by far the best video I have seen on this topic. Very well researched.

[@feliciamesadieu2743]

Primer was a waste of money!

[@elven_grandma3138]

"Why are you shaming people for being alive?!" So true! The real kicker for me is that "clinically proven" isn't always "clinically proven". Half the time (at least in the UK), what they actually say is "clinically tested" - which means diddly squat! All you're telling me is they did a test, not even if it was a pass or fail. But because they dress it up in science-y aesthetics, the consumer assumes they've been told it was actually proven. (Also, they say clinically proven, because it's a less stringent process than scientifically proven - & they still frequently say "scientifically tested" when they have gone to that level of testing.) As soon as I learned that, I started assuming that "tested" = failed! In the UK, they also have to put number of participants in a study on the screen, every time they give an x% people agree statistic. It is rare that these numbers go over 100 people - super rare for them to go over 150. Under 50 is not uncommon (under 20 is less rare than you'd think). They say things like 78% of women agree, & then it's out of 38 people. So you're telling me nearly a quarter of your non-representative, specially chosen, focus group actually disagree?! Bonkers.

[@HalfwayJac]

Finally! Someone talking sense about all this nonsense.

[@Gourmanda]

I watched so many of your videos recently, time to subscribe.

[@accountuser9382]

Great video, I just subbed yesterday or two days ago I loveeeee ur content, I’ve watched a few videos and you’re constantly outdoing yourself!

[@jessicainscore9910]

Love this content!!!

[@katiesackett2321]

I've used the same cleanser for four years and same handful of moisturizer for 8.... I really despise the consumerism within skin care and beauty products. I've known so many beautiful people who feel like they can't leave the house without doing like a 6 step routine and full face....insane.

[@kierahealey-fort5645]

My secret...drink a lot of water, take vitamins regularly, don't smoke, dont drink alcohol regularly... Go outside, maybe use a little sunscreen. But no u really dont need to buy a ton of products. I made that mistake in my early 20s and now i just have cluttered shelves with half empty tubes.

[@raniressler]

After seeing the Super Bowl Judge Beauty add, I’m starting to want to use Elf more since it was more about being a good price than making one perfect. My face will never be perfect. I have acne scars and large pours, so all of the miracle creams and foundations cannot work for me.

[@celestialstar8115]

Elf is also vegan and cruelty free. There is no need to hurt animals for makeup and beauty anymore

[@serenatsukino5252]

I agree with what you said about concealer. Its really not that different from foundation. In fact, there were times when I would just use foundation and i looked just as good as when i would include concealer. The only benefit I see of using concealer is if you bought foundation that was too dark for you.

[@7JHORIGINAL]

i think concelar is just for the highlighting effect

[@Everythinggranola]

Not a L’Oréal add popping up while I’m watching this 💀

[@radlyn7234]

There’s a difference between clinically proven and clinically tested is that first one means that the product was given to dermatologists to test it, if they like it they will write it on the box. However, if they don’t like it they will put on the box that it was tested doesn’t mean they approve it

[@theeccentric7263]

Both of those are unregulated statements, so corporations dont have to do anything to be able to put those words on their products.

[@hollytheanimalcrossingfan]

I am so tired of seeing these make-up ads .. I'm only in my 20s and I'm getting tons of ads about anti aging cream...

[@KalikasKorner]

Just found your channel and subscribed! Great content. ❤

[@catalinaaddams8581]

That’s crazy about Julia Roberts bc I think she looks beautiful in that picture, maybe not the glamorous Julia Roberts we’ve come to expect but she doesn’t look old or manly or anything 🤯🤯 so crazy that she got such negativity

[@silviafigueiredo8685]

Thank you!!!! I’ll never going to buy any concealer again! 😅 🙌🏼

[@laughmasterk3552]

I stopped purchasing L'Oréal since they stand for Amber Heard. I threw away everything what I had, and I wasn't even impressed with their products. 🤷🏻‍♀️ Me personally switched to Korean cosmetics, it's great, it's affordable, and I really, after many years love how looks and feels my skin 💖

[@pizzachick6884]

Don't forget Ashley, the influences use that SPECIAL LIGHTING.

[@AurorasJournals]

The literal ad before this video was a makeup ad for mature skin 🙄

[@ShandaP018]

At this point i only buy item or brands that have been around for a while. It annoys me that the new buzzworthy items are good but get replaced by newer buzzworthy items. I have sensitive skin and a budget. I cant try a bunch of new stuff..

[@californiadoll6273]

It's sad how gullible people are. I'm not hardest customer to sell too because I question EVERYTHING and will doubt everything and then take into consideration if I need it and if the cost is worth it.

[@eathomelive]

What drugs are people taking? That is obviously Julia Roberts. She isn't wearing make up. She is aging just fine. I can't even see any wrinkles. She looks happy and lovely.

[@liana2136]

Excellent and necessary video!! 👏 👏 👏 💯 ❤

[@AA-ed6ek]

People can just ignore these companies..

[@tinywalnut6337]

I miss New Zealand. Their consumer protection laws are just 🤤

[@DreamAboutMe823]

I don’t buy foundation. Only concealer.

[@tragicallyhoney]

All makeup feels the same dont be fooled lol

[@annesworld4007]

I dont use concealer either, it ages me and always creasing regardless of the hacks

[@anyaaa2801]

It’s hilarious how this showed up on my timeline AFTER I bought a mask cream to shrink my pores lol.

[@taniapannellini5209]

Great content, so enlightening….🎉🎉🎉

[@jilliancrawford7577]

An ironic thing with the agism in the beauty industry and culture is just how many people are into milfs that it's kind of suprising that it isn't embraced more with how common it is. I've seen guys who wanna see the calcium cannons sag when the bra comes off and discussions of favorite locations of wrinkles or even severity of stretch marks. I can see why there could be a biological interest in youthful women like fertility, health and so-on as to why it isn't a dominant beauty standard, but you'd think it wpuld be a little more common. Characters like Alcina Dimistrescu have helped bring the acceptance of the normal process of aging into light andnormalize finding it beautiful.

[@mayasu4277]

The beauty industry tricks us into buying liquid lipsticks, wich only look good on lip filler. On us normals it looks like a Buthole.

[@randomlyswatching9481]

Damn i got an ad for a max factor lipstick 😅

[@KRMurdy]

I'm going to embrace my age, let me be healthy, but I'm also going to be perfectly happy if I wrinkle into a studio Ghibli old lady. I will OWN that role!!!!!

[@Yukielia]

The funniest thing about beauty product ads, is how they use twenty-year-olds, who don't have a single fine line, to advertise their anti-wrinkle creams. Like how does that makes any sense 😂. Show me someone who's 60 or older for these creams.