The Influencer Overconsumption Problem

Let's dial it back and ask ourselves, what are we really using?

Dec 29, 2025

I’ve been hearing this conversation a lot from people who are in the beauty influencer space, along with the fashion space, about overconsumption.

How they’re trying to find this balance of sharing fresh things they’re genuinely excited about but at the same time stay in their own lane and keep their heads down and try and prioritize the things that truly bring them joy (that’s why they started this in the first place, for the fun of it).

But instead of concentrating on the things they love, they find themselves in the constant circle of overconsumption and the pressure of needing more to be doing their jobs.

Obviously they talk about what a privilege it is to be doing their jobs and being sent PR etc., but I love when people in this space acknowledge and turn down PR because they realize it’s all just too much. Only accepting packages from brands they work with or truly enjoy and love.

Now what triggered this post is my fellow Canadian girly Allana D, her YouTube video “what we’re NOT buying in 2026 let’s talk about it”

She talks about, well, a lot of things in the video, but mainly how she was overwhelmed even by herself with the constant product talk, and new in hauls.

And how now she’s moved to more organic content, which is honestly my favourite part of her YouTube channel now. Life outside of beauty like her workout routine, healthy habits, and travel. Where you see someone’s personality and glimpse into their life instead of “here’s the latest beauty trend.”

I have been loving this evolution of her channel and many others in the space who are just deciding to show less of the consumption, and more just how they are becoming an improved version of themselves, and I feel like that is more inspiring and fascinating to watch. Although she does make a good point in that:

“There’s always buckets of products and things that your told you need no matter what niche whether its beauty, lifestyle, health, food, or whatever. There’s always gadgets, and new things, and new products that you’re told you have to buy for this to be an amazing experience.”

Analog Living

I do feel like a lot of this has to do with media consumption as well, with TikTok and Instagram reels constantly showing us new things to want and purchase, things that we feel we have to have.

And hey, with my own business I’m encompassed in this as well, which we will circle back to in a moment.

With the Analog trend that keeps popping up... I hate calling this a trend because it’s just life before social media... but with everyone just feeling so overwhelmed with the amount of media consumption and marketing that is constantly being thrown at us, I love that Analog is becoming a trend.

Less time online, assessing what activities we can do offline, like reading a book in the park like the girlies in Paris, or playing a board game that brought you joy from your childhood.

I loved Anna Newton, YouTube video on her Analog bag where she carries:

Magazines she’s collecting
Colouring books (or do sudoku, crossword puzzles, math problems etc)
Thread/needle work kit
Lymphatic fascia facial tools
Drawings

All of these little rituals bring us back to a slower pace of playing outside, and the ability to be bored!

I’m actually going to be doing an Analog skincare post in the new year which has been so much fun to write and research.

I think this is empowering people to reflect on what they’re purchasing, and redirect that money to uplift small businesses, or experiences, and less online Sephora sale shopping, or Amazon even.

It’s like spring cleaning but for your life. Really diving into what needs to go and what needs to stay, almost like a New Year’s resolution but as a whole collective of people wanting to step away from the rat race of consumption.

What's Hiding in Your Cupboard?

Lots of us store skincare away, hidden in cupboards, vanities, or behind our mirrors, but something I find truly helpful is having them all out on display.

I find sustainable skincare has such beautiful packaging and I love to showcase them anyway.

Having them out shows you exactly what you are using and what you're not. You could also put everything away and bring out things as you use them and keep them on your counter, and in a few months reflect on what's still in the drawer that you honestly don't use.

Also I want to articulate: PRODUCTS EXPIRE.

Hoarding products so you can use them one day doesn't work when it comes to skincare or even makeup honestly. They have an expiry date for a reason.

Take vitamin C for example if it becomes oxidized or expired and you apply it to your face, it's actually going to do more harm than good. Even though it may have been an amazing product, now it has turned into something that's causing irritations and inflammation.

Allana D also talks about how she has an array of skincare devices that promise all these results, clinical studies, and dermatologists recommend, and how its a huge thing on social media right now, but she says “clearly they only work if you’re actually using them.”

You have to be consistent with them, and she’s just not.

To be honest from an esthetician's perspective (me, hi!), this is the case with products as well.

I always say you have to really love a product to be using it every day, and since I switched from working at a medi spa → going off on my own and eventually opening my own spa, my clients see AMAZING results.

And you wanna know why?

Because they genuinely love putting the products on their face. They love how they feel, they love how natural and ethical the brands are, they love the smell and that it doesn't smell like heavy perfume or a clinical lab.

If you love it, you're going to be putting it on your face, and you're going to remember to wash your face after the gym, or a night out.

This is what makes results: CONSISTENCY.

So I challenge you to go through your products, the tub of skincare on skincare, and really do an inventory check of what you love, and what's expired. If you have something unopened and you know you won't use, donate it to a women's shelter.

THEN if you still have this feeling like you're still missing something from your routine, for example, you have a cleanser you need to finish but you still don't love it or feel like it's doing the job, then find something that truly speaks to you, your values, and put your $$ where it actually matters.

Ask your local esti what they recommend or go in for a facial, work with them, and have an experience for yourself. And if you love what they use on you, choose to shop with them!

Routine Guilt

You feel this pressure and guilt once you've spent all this money on these tools and products. You're told you should be doing these extensive routines every single morning and every single night, a 12-step skincare routine, sitting with your red light mask for half an hour, etc. etc.

At the end of the day it just becomes so much mentally to keep up on all these things you should be doing, and if you’re not you feel this guilt like “I’m not anti-aging like I should be” or “My skin’s gonna be ugly if I don’t put this on.”

It can be a lot to add all of this into your routine if you don't have the time or financial means, and you shouldn't feel guilty about that. But our society has made it so you do feel guilty when you're not doing this elaborate routine.

Again I always tell my clients “I don’t personally do a 12-step skincare routine myself so I would NEVER ask you to.”

I use 4-8 products max in my whole weekly routine:

Cleansing oil
Glycolic gel (added to my cleanser)
Retinol in the PM
Glowy juicy serum
A facial oil, depending on the time of year I switch between two. Also use this for my facial massage, or gua sha routine
Sunscreen in the AM
Maybe a mask or eye masks throughout the week

I always reinforce my clients to use up what they have before purchasing something brand-new, and if it’s really not working on their face and they want something different ASAP, then can they use that on their body, like their arms and hands or maybe back, chest, etc.

Within my spa retail I have one of everything. I’m not one of these spas you’re going to walk into and see 6 different options for cleansers, or oils, or serums, or actives. Like I don’t have 4 different retinols for you to choose from, I have one, maybe will bring in another one in the future for a bit more potency, but that’s it.

I have one cleansing oil brand (one for sensitive skin, one for acne), I have one Hyaluronic acid serum, one “peel,” one set of eye patches, the list goes on.

I test every single product on my shelves over and over again and compare them to the latest products I’m interested in so that I am bringing you THE BEST OF THE BEST in sustainable and natural skincare.

That way you as a consumer don’t have to.

It’s about eliminating the consumption, and only bringing in what people truly need for their skin, the things that work, that are good for the planet, and nothing more. I don’t need and/or want to bring in things just to fill my shelves and make them look more aesthetic. I just want to bring in beautiful things that everyone truly enjoys, and this is the kind of conversation I hope influencers continue to have.

Because at the end of the day, they are influencing other people and people trust them, so they buy. But sometimes it all becomes a little too much marketing, and this is where I feel like consumers start losing their trust. Do they actually love it or are they just saying it for a payday?

I really do appreciate people like Allana D who are just very open about the change in the industry and the constant pressure and overwhelm that we’ve all be seeing and feeling as of late.

Skin Devotions

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