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Picture this: It’s the noughties, you’ve just logged into YouTube and your favourite YouTuber has uploaded a new video. Do you remember the excitement that came along with it? The influence Zoella had on British girls’ buying habits back in the day was unmatched. Social media has evolved a lot in the last 10 years, but before the aspirational influencers we know and watch today came regular people vlogging about their lives and the products they loved.

Fast forward to 2023. There are thousands upon thousands of influencers and content creators across social media platforms, each with their own niche and loyal follower base. People are purposefully becoming influencers and content creators who understand marketing and are utilising their skills – rather than just posting content online for fun. This begs the question: how authentic are the creators we come across and watch? Are they actively attempting to grow an organic, engaged community? Or are they getting started with a paycheque alone in mind?

Many users have noted that within the beauty community on TikTok that there is a lack of authenticity, with creators promoting any old product for the money, rather than those that they genuinely like (and use). The deception can go as far as posting paid videos with beauty filters on when promoting skin products, or even not properly disclosing when a video is a paid ad, using loopholes like calling it a ‘sponsored video’. 

The most recent TikTok scandal, affectionately nicknamed Mascaragate, is probably a pivotal moment in the beauty influencer sphere (in as far as holding creators accountable for their authenticity – or lack thereof). Creator Mikayla Noguiera, who has a loyal audience of over 14.4M followers, has been called out for allegedly using undisclosed Ardell false lashes in a sponsored post for L’Oreal Telescopic Lift Mascara. However, she has vehemently denied this in the comments of her video.

Naturally, the video went viral, with people all over the internet rushing out to buy the product and try it out for themselves. A win is a win, right? Wrong. Brands are one the ones approving influencer content, and need to be vigilant in ensuring that the influencers they work with are sticking within advertising guidelines.

The likes of L’Oreal aren’t new to controversy such as this, as a 2007 featuring Penelope Cruz was banned in the UK for being misleading. The ASA (Advertising Standards Authority) ruled that L’Oreal remove both the TV and the press adverts for their Telescopic mascara (the same mascara Mikayla is promoting) for using false lashes to exaggerate the effect of the mascara. Ardell, the company who produces the lashes Mikayla is being accused of wearing, was quick to react to this scandal, posting a TikTok video about the situation using photos from Mikayla’s video. Reactive marketing at its spiciest!

In response to Mascaragate, fellow TikToker Mads Lewis posted a since-deleted video where she said “Lying sucks. But everyone does it – especially when it comes to social media, and especially when it comes to making money”.. She goes on to say “If someone put $200,000 in your face and said ‘hey, promote my shitty mascara’ I don’t think you’d think twice about it.” This was a risky move, which could jeopardise the credibility of her future brand collaborations and her relationship with brands. Will her audience ever really be able to trust her after an admission like this? Will brands? 

Let’s be real, TikTok is quickly becoming the Gen Z version of QVC, especially with the advent of TikTok Shop, and Lives where brands and influencers promote real-time offers. Exaggerated, overly positive paid reviews make it hard to distinguish between genuinely authentic content and those just trying to make a quick buck. Users aren’t naive. They know when they are being misled and are speaking out against influencers as they grow tired of being lied to. 

This has led to the rise of the ‘deinfluencing’ trend. On TikTok alone there are over 47.7M views on the hashtag. Users (not all capital ‘c’ Creators) are posting honest, unsponsored videos under the tag, sharing their genuine opinions, ‘anti-hauls’ and inside knowledge. They’re opening conversations around overconsumption, spending habits and how to be a more conscious shopper. Is this the end of influencer marketing? No. But it is quite possibly the end of lazy influencer marketing, by holding brands and influencers alike accountable for any perceived false advertising.

With the cost of living crisis showing no sign of lessening and consumers being more mindful of their hard earned income, will influencer culture as we currently know it shift back to the more honest days of pre-TikTok? Will there be an increase in consumer influence – more everyday people recommending products – without the preface they’re getting paid to talk about the product? I know I’m guilty of being drawn in by creator videos, and with the ease of TikTok shop, ordering directly from the app, but you have to think to yourself… “Do I really want this? Or am I being told I want this?”

Ultimately, the question is this: Are influencers still serving normal people? Influencers promoting overconsumption of products isn’t, and never will be, sustainable or cost effective to the average everyday user. Falsifying your reviews isn’t a good look for brands, marketing teams or influencers themselves. As influencers get exposed further, will users really be able to trust reviews from their favourite content creators? I mean, how many blushes can really be the best blush ever, anyway? With changes on the horizon as legislation attempts to keep pace with a changing influencer market, brands will need to reconsider their strategy and focus on building a community of loyal users, rather than constantly pushing paid ads onto users. Will the fall of the influencer bring the rise of User Generated Content?