If you are new to make-up and skincare, navigating the world of Instagram can be difficult. With the dawn of the influencer, you see boxes upon boxes of PR gifts, brand trips to exotic locations for product launches, brunch meetings and so on. It can sometimes be difficult to differentiate between genuine opinions and recommendations, and paid for advertorials. So how does one do it? It’s simple: just find and follow the accounts that are actually honest and tell it as it is.
Chemist Confessions
Victoria and Gloria are skincare chemists who break down even the most complex ingredients lists with their easy manner and no-nonsense policy. Their product reviews are full of information on the actual product. No emphasis on packaging or marketing gimmicks — it’s all about the ingredients and what they do. If you would like to see past the claims and focus on what the product can actually do for your skin type, this account is your go-to fountain of information. Follow @chemist.confessions.
Gel Cream
When I first stumbled on to this page, I couldn’t stop looking at the beautiful, almost soothing aesthetic. This ad-free, sponsored post-free account focusses on both make-up and skincare reviews. Yana’s style doesn’t just break down ingredients, but looks into the brand as a whole, from their philosophy to the pricing, packaging and ingredients. Follow @gelcream
Holistic Habits
For those who like going the natural route, Sarah Marie Nagel is your best bet. She has the most beautiful head of hair, and follows a 100% natural approach to both hair and skin care. A firm believer in the power of cold pressed, raw and organic oils, her Instagram and YouTube channels focus on easy DIY methods, from rosemary hair rinses to oil cleansing. Follow @holistichabits.
Estee Laundry
Following the success of Diet Prada, Estee Laundry is the beauty world’s answer to constant plagiarism, ‘inspired’ content, and, as they put it, ‘airing out the beauty industry’s dirty laundry’. Their objective is a simple but necessary call for transparency. Their success is a wake-up call to many brands and users alike to focus more on the product than the marketing. Whether it’s former Deciem CEO Brandon Truaxe’s social media rants or Sunday Riley’s internal email asking her employees to create fake accounts and leave positive feedback on the brands products, if there is something attention-worthy in the beauty world, @esteelaundry is your front row seat.
Quick mentions to Caroline Hirons (@carolinehirons) for her cheat sheets on everything related to skincare, from acids to retinol, and Stephen Alain Ko (@kindofstephen), if you like your skincare with a side of scientific facts.
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