If you’re part of the Youtube beauty blogging community, whether you’re a contributor or regular viewer, you need to watch Wayne Goss’ video on live filters.
I have to say I have had it with the degradation of beauty blogging. Initially, this consumerist uprising took the beauty community by storm because regular people were reviewing beauty products and showcasing their skills in makeup artistry. These were normal people giving their honest opinion on products/services that were otherwise being shoved down our throats through mass advertising.
Mass advertising that relied heavily on models blessed with good looks, photo retouching and perfect lighting. This consumerist uprising continued to grow as more and more people figured out that a regular consumer was more trustworthy than a paid advertorial strategically placed to catch us out in our everyday lives.
If you can’t be bothered to watch Wayne Goss’ video I will break it down for you.
Beauty bloggers and vloggers are using live filters in their uploaded tutorials and they’re editing the CRAP out of their selfies as well. Now, I think it’s very obvious when you see a makeup selfie on Instagram that has been retouched to high heaven. But live filters – this was under the radar. Unless you have a keen eye, it might go unnoticed. These live filters serve the same purpose as a filter you may have used on an Instagram selfie or Snapchat video. The difference is it’s LIVE.
This angers me because I love the beauty blogging community. I loved the idea that regular people were having their voices heard. I loved seeing what I believed was a genuine and authentic representation of beauty as we know it. Wayne Goss was the very first blogger I started watching. This was several years ago before bloggers started to enhance their lips with hyaluronic acid and bleach their teeth.
Now I’m not saying that as an individual that you cannot enhance your appearance surgically but when you’re on a public platform, everything you do will have an influence.
But this post isn’t about that, that could be a separate topic altogether.
What bothers me is some of these bloggers are straight up lying to you. They are no doubt skilled in their art and if they weren’t they wouldn’t have the huge following they have. Kudos for keeping up with your grind. But my question is, why start using live filters?
These bloggers gained a following when they were using mere daylight or a simple lamp and camera. Now all of a sudden there’s an influx of live filters that are blurring out every perceived imperfection imaginable, there are no pores in their photos or videos and their skin looks like airbrushed perfection.
The thing that gets me is these are the same people who will look in a magazine and feel like crap because they don’t look as perfect as the models featured. And yet they are guilty of peddling this unachievable perfection to their followers.
Live filters are working to undo the authenticity beauty bloggers fought to uphold in the beginning
I think of the Power of Makeup trend that took off some time last year. While I no longer rate the artist who invented it, the phenomenon was mostly positive. However, I stopped supporting beauty bloggers whose photos were so edited and blurred out that it began to affect my own self-esteem. Not to mention, it ticked me off because the photo wasn’t truly celebrating their art. No amount of skilled makeup application is going to make anyone look like that. I like my fashion magazines just as much as the next person, but I embraced the Youtube beauty blogging community because I was sick of the hyper-real images on each glossy page. I’m sure a lot of people feel the same.
And yet, this is where we are heading.
On some level I understand that society demands perfection. Especially of women and defying the ageing process. I can only imagine the pressure felt when trolls or just thoughtless people post bullying comments online. But surely, if you keep enhancing your appearance, whether with surgery or with live filters, aren’t you encouraging and perpetuating this malignant spirit?
There will come a time when the viewer will demand the following fine print:
A live filter was used in the making of this video
Like the ”filmed with lash inserts” example that I alluded to in my post on the correlation between bitchiness and Youtube popularity, viewers will eventually demand to know how authentic their favourite beauty blogger’s tutorial is. I think as a society we underestimate the power of the media. How it affects our self-esteem and self-worth. A steady diet of heavily retouched video and images is bound to make people feel deeply unattractive and unworthy. I know I definitely do not want to be a part of that.
But don’t get it twisted. I LOVE makeup, I LOVE watching beauty tutorials, I LOVE applying my makeup and talking about it with anyone who will listen. The time I spend applying my makeup before a social gathering is the best bit for me. What disappoints me is beauty bloggers bending the truth and becoming like the images they hate.
How do you feel about beauty bloggers using live filters in their videos?
Love blackpistachio x
Wow I wasn’t aware these filters existed. I honestly prefer transparency and if you’re using a live filter it should be stated, otherwise its misleading. Great read!
Thanks very much! 🙂
I totally agree ! It is very misleading. & it doesn’t show the authenticity in the products they are using ! Great post 😍
I have to admit I edit my pictures in photoshop a little. Just because it’s a picture where I want to focus on my makeup. However, people can see me quite clearly in my youtube videos and in unaltered images (I like to think I don’t edit myself into a weird perfect version of me anyway haha its a work in progress though PS is hard!) its crazy to think people are using filters on videos. Its maddening. Such a lie to people. Videos used to be where you could actually see what these people looked like!
rollibeauty.co.uk
Thank you for your candour!
Its so hard to be confident in your artistry when EVERYONE on social media isnt transparent so you aspire to unachievable goals. What I’ve experienced is because of these filters and stuff when people book an MUA service they are disappointed when they have photos and video clips they Want to look like and you have to explain alot of it is make believe xfjx
This is too true. Especially when it comes to the blurred out skin. No stippling technique is going to erase pores the way Photoshop or live filters does.
It’s tricky isn’t it. No one wants to see a messybadly lit picture but you have to draw the line somewhere don’t you. I feel bad when people say I look good on my blog pics, it’s just makeup and a good angle but even that is misrepresenting #beautybloggerscorner
http://www.beautyblogwales.com
Thanks for commenting 😊 I think makeup and angles is totally acceptable as it’s still you. But a live filter in a Youtube tutorial whether by a huge cosmetics brand or blogger is so wrong. After watching Goss’ video I couldn’t believe the effects.
Omg I didn’t know about this! I don’t mind your average filters of course because that’s just a way us giving us a bit more confidence, but if your advertising or recommending products by using a filter, then you’re telling a lie! This definitely shouldn’t be allowed and it’s not fair on the people who are wanting to try out these products because they won’t get what they have seen! Unbelievable!
xxxx
https://jessicajadebeauty.com/2017/02/10/5-product-face/
I completely agree! You can’t anticipate the genuine results if bloggers are using live filters. xxxx
I didn’t even know that was a thing! I mean, I’d be tempted mostly because I am 110% self conscious of my skin, due to having a number of skin issues, but i do agree that there should be some sort of disclaimer on it as well.
Laura || http://www.thelifeoflaura.com.au xx
I understand the temptation but it promotes a lie and viewers are being misled. If anything it shows that the blogger is more concerned with their own appearance than the product they’re reviewing for their subscribers xx
I also think that it should be stated somewhere.. what about all the teenage girls that watch the videos and believe that this is how they look like day and night. Gives the wrong impression.
Totally! A lot of young girls are watching these tutorials. Using live filters without a disclaimer will negatively affect their self-esteem.
I had no idea these existed. People want to see how the products look on REAL PEOPLE! We can’t walk around in a filtered bubble all day!
Thank YOU. We certaintly can’t! It’s kinda scary. Before you know it our virtual online selves will replace or real selves in real life. It’s disappointing that this is what bloggers and companies are doing x
I’ve just heard about all this live filter stuff. I think it’s sad that society has come to this but ultimately if a creator feels compelled to do that, that’s their prerogative. My only wish as a viewer, is for transparency. It needs to be clearly stated particularly if they are marketing something, like makeup or skincare or whatever. Dreams can’t be sold!!
Transparency is key now this appears to be the norm.
Crazy to think these women are using filters, I was literally at the point where I was questioning my own make up skills because I looked nothing like the “beauty bloggers”
Very interesting your blog is great girl x
I was not aware that this kind of filters exists and the influencers actually use them. I prefer transparency and truth. This is a great post.