Does Instagram have benefits for makeup artists? Yes. If you are lucky enough to be seen by certain brands, you might get a repost and you may even be showered with PR packets (a.k.a. free makeup). You can find new cool artists and possibly collaborate with others. Social media is a blessing and a curse for the beauty industry. It makes it a lot easier to get your foot in the door in the makeup industry. However, it has become such a popular thing that Instagram/Social Media Beauty is now its own, almost separate world from the traditional beauty industry.

If you thought the beauty industry was already just pure consumerism, somehow it’s gotten more intense due to the rise of Instagram beauty. As someone who personally wants to become a makeup artist and learn classical and traditional techniques, this can be hindering. Right now my best outlet is Instagram. However Instagram is filled with the same old look: bronzy eyes, huge ass lashes, over lined nude lips, ridiculously intense highlight and contour, it’s boring.

If you say in your bio that you’re a “makeup artist” and all I see is the same damn look over and over again, I don’t think you should have that title. Congrats, you can beat a face. Woohoo. Where’s the artistry? Where’s the color? The creativity?

I feel like that’s all I see with the majority of popular beauty bloggers. That and promotion for one of the following: detox tea, waist trainer, teeth whitener, or some hair growth product. It’s repetitive. It’s boring. I’m over it.

Also then there is the catty bullshit and greed. It’s becoming more and more talked about how a good portion of Insta beauty Instagramers are snatching at each other’s wigs and going into all this drama. Even brands seem to be getting into drama and fights due to sketchy owners or business practices. Y'all may look pretty, but on the inside you are vicious. The overly-materialistic ways and grubby money just boggles my mind sometimes.

Sometimes I just need to log off for a bit and go back to the real world. However, I am just as addicted to the damn app as the next person. I also try to follow as many real, good and creative artists as I can.

Let’s talk about methods. If Insta makeup tutorials have taught me anything, it’s that people are doing their makeup like drag queens these days. Intense contouring with stark browns? Over-saturated color-correcting? Baking with a white powder? Over lining your lips? Eyebrows sharp enough to stab a man? Wearing lashes so big that they would put the good old 301’s to shame? Insta beauty is basically drag queen makeup that people have modified to be “wearable”. As much as I love and appreciate drag methods of makeup, outside in the real world (and off stage) drag makeup is not suitable for day to day wear. Instagram beauty looks great in those photos, but in real life it does not look as nice. The foundation looks cakey and basically if you took it all off you look like a completely different person. If you like that look, by all means you do you, babe. But for this trend to be the new “wearable” or “daily” makeup, I’m not into it.