Interview answers:

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• Who is your favorite beauty influencer on social media?

  • Jefree Star

• Why do you choose to follow them?

  • He has a unique perspective and a lot of different outlooks on makeup. You can see on social media that he really cares about his consumers and wants the best for them.

•  What do you like about them? 

  • His branding and PR strategies.

• Why do you choose them over others? 

  • All of his products are vegan, cruelty free and produced in the USA so he has great morals to his brand and as an influencer he is very honest in his reviews.

• Do you think he/she influences how you do your makeup or how you choose to pick your favorites brands/ influencers?

  • Yes, he’s very opinionated on his own moral ethics and can call out what other brands do wrong. He will always word his opinions in a way for the consumer to decide if they want to continue supporting the brand. He influences my makeup too because I regularly buy his products and use his looks as a template while putting my own creative spin on it.

• Which platform do you prefer to use for makeup? Why?

  • I use Instagram for inspiration and YouTube for tutorials on subjects that I need to improve upon. Social media overall is a great way to express your creativity and support other people’s looks.

• What is your favorite makeup brand? Why?

  • I don’t have a favorite because it depends on what look I am going for, my skin type and the amount of money I am willing to spend on a certain product.

• How do brands and influencers use creativity with social media?

  • Half of the brands and influencers use their following for expressing creativity and half use it for monetization – roughly.

• Describe a good example of makeup creativity

  • SFX and movie makeup are the most creative in my opinion. They are doing the makeup as a daily face as a base but they either take away something or add something to enhance features depending on lighting, set and the character they’re going for.

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• Describe a not so good example of makeup creativity

  • The trend of using fake tattoos or stickers as makeup on your face. Those stickers or fake tattoos are someone else’s work that you are using and acting as if it your own.

• How do you feel when a brand or influencer takes a break from social media because they feel burnt out?

  • That’s their own decision, they’re just a public figure and they’re people. This can be triggered by negative comments monetization issues or they just don’t feel like it, this is their own art and if they feel overwhelmed, they should take a break so their looks can continue to be creative.

• What techniques do you use when you are burnt out with makeup or end up in a routine?

  • I will pick out an outfit and try to make the makeup match it or go with it. This will spark something new and get me to do things that I normally wouldn’t with things that I already have.

• Would you say that there’s a type of makeup routine that is popular? If so, describe it.

  • Talking more about the beauty industry in general, everyone is coming out with their skincare routines to prep their face for makeup. Recently, people have been buying more skincare products than ever even if it is harming their skin to go viral on Instagram. “Skin preservation” is the biggest trend and those DIY videos on 5 minute crafts can be dangerous.

•  Do you think that influencers and brands stick to that style to gain followers?

  • Yes, because I think if they didn’t show their bare face and skincare routine, they would be accused of face tune or plastic surgery and potentially loose followers.

• Are influencers and brands more popular when they think outside of the box?

  • It depends on the person and personality. A lot of people go viral for one thing and without a niche, they would have to stick with popular trends to stay afloat. Because people like Nikki Tutorials, Tati and Jeffree have big personalities and are involved with viewers and listen to what they want, they can go outside of the box and it has good response rates.

• How do you feel about the over saturated beauty world on social media, is it good that people can express themselves or is it difficult to find genuine makeup artists due to monetization?

  • I don’t think the big issue is monetization, I think its photoshopping because it can be hard to tell which influencers and brands are faking their makeup skills and performances.

• As a consumer, what do you look for in a brand or influencer?

  •  I have my go to basics like foundation and mascara. But for eyeshadows and lipsticks I look at the price, the reviews and what will go with my current collection.