Get ready with me to achieve the perfect face: a qualitative study into meaning-making of facial beauty content on social media by Dutch girls and young women

Abstract

In the past year, there has been an increased focus on beauty-related content on social media that is particularly popular among girls and young women. The focus on physical attractiveness on social media has also shifted toward beauty, specifically facial beauty. This relatively new phenomenon has so far been understudied. The aim of this qualitative study is to gain insight into how girls and young women aged 13–19 give meaning to facial-beauty content on social media. Based on the 16 interviews, it can be concluded that facial-beauty content on social media plays a significant role in the lives of girls and young women, as it reaches them without asking (algorithmic trends). Girls and young women look at facial-beauty content to gain information and knowledge, appreciate beauty, focus on products, and have fun. Beauty-related content largely features idealized images that cultivate a homogenized ideal of facial beauty. Participants believe that exposure to these idealized images has negative consequences for the mental health of girls and young women. Finally, it also has impactful consumer consequences, such as the urge to buy the advertised beauty products.