Backlash over the Mikayla Nogueira mascara drama and the popularity of the de-influencing trend on TikTok suggest that the traditional influencer model is getting old.
Can anyone tell the difference between fact and fiction on the internet anymore? Amid the booming business of social media stardom, faked-out content has emerged as somewhat of an accepted practice, be it with photoshopped selfies or mirror-less mirror pics. But if the recent viral conundrum of #Lashgate is any indication, the culture of inauthentic influencers may be getting old.
In case you somehow missed the Mikayla Nogueira mascara drama, on January 24, TikTok beauty influencer Mikayla Nogueira (@mikaylanogueira) sparked controversy for allegedly lying to fans with a sneakily sponsored post. In the video, Nogueira raves about the new L’Oréal Paris Telescopic Lift Mascara. She applies two coats, then cuts to a new angle of her lashes. “Look at the length! Do you see that?” she says, showing off her side profile. Practically right away, she was accused of secretly applying false lashes — specifically the brand Ardell Wispies — between takes.
Though Nogueira reportedly denied the use of falsies in the comments, the backlash on her video, which has been viewed 44.7 million times at the time of this publishing, has been swift. (You know it’s bad when there’s a “gate” assigned to it.) The takeaway: Nogueira, who is one of the most powerful influencers on beautytok, has in large part lost the trust of her millions of followers. But is “trust” something influencers should ever truly have?
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