This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s spring editorial intern Amna Faheem. Find her on Instagram at @amnaf.aheem. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
Overconsumption is a fact of life we have all unfortunately gotten used to. Owning every single Bath and Body Works scent, all the Tree Hut body scrubs, every single Stanley Cup color- it’s become a game almost to acquire every item possible. Overconsumption has been advancing slowly but surely in all aspects of life but seems to really take off in the beauty department.
It’s no surprise that social media is one of the biggest influences- if not the only- on our daily decisions and choices. The hottest places to go eat, the best coffee shops, the cutest boutiques, and the nicest places to shop all come from our explore pages; we are drawn to do what seemingly everyone else is doing. Watching a social media influencer take us through her morning routine and flaunt the Ordinary’s entire collection- most of which remains untouched- leads to more self-doubt and a hyper-awareness of how much we don’t have in a world where everyone seems to have much more than necessary. The overconsumption of beauty products has many lasting effects, many of which are negative, and is a nod to the way consumerism has begun to sway the direction of our lives.
What is overconsumption?
Overconsumption is what it sounds like: purchasing and consuming products excessively, beyond need. Overconsumption of beauty products may seem like it’s not that significant- everyone has this new face cream! And this mascara is to die for, but it often leads to unfavorable side effects. The fact is that overconsumption equals an abundance of dissatisfaction. Consistently buying product after product because it was advertised a certain way and finding out that the results were not as promised is extremely disappointing but almost an addiction in and of itself. We now want to keep going until we find the magic product that works for us as well as it does everyone else. The new fragrances that are boasted by your favorite influencer are in your Macy’s cart so fast because we just have to have it all. Overconsumption is no longer a problem- it’s our way of life. If we don’t have everything, we have nothing.
When the messages on social media are a constant “You need this product to feel whole” and “This product will be the one to make you feel beautiful,” we begin to buy into that rhetoric. We start piling up on the new lines released in Sephora and picking up whatever is being endorsed at Target. Many of these products are unnecessary and don’t work for all skin types and shades, rendering them useless. In contrast, choosing something that truly meets your skin’s needs, like a gentle malassezia moisturizer, can be a smarter, more intentional purchase that actually benefits your skin. But it’s not always about buying what works the best; sometimes, buying just to buy gives us a feeling of inclusion and joy, a shopper’s high, if you will. Despite the impacts these habits have on the environment and on our wallets, we simply can’t seem to get enough.
Why is it so easy?
We’ve all dabbled in overconsumption. It comes with the times! It’s an easy trap to fall into. After a fifteen-minute scroll on social media, I was advertised three different handheld laser hair removers, an LED face sculpture (advertised two different ways), and two separate Dyson airwrap dupes. Consumption is all around us; it’s almost impossible to say no to it. When our timelines are full of people our age, filming hauls from the mall, rating the newest clothing lines from Zara, and ranking the latest celebrity makeup line, we feel left out of the current trends. And no one wants to be excluded.
It does not always feel like overconsumption, either. The commercials for the laser hair remover were framed in a way to give the impression that we need this product! That it will change the way we do our hair for the better. Every new blush is brighter and better, each new mascara lasts longer and is more defined, and the newest eyeliner is smoother and more vibrant. The message is the same: we simply need to purchase these beauty products to enhance our lives and our features. We can’t say no.
When our whole existence is tied to the things we own and the things we need to buy, we begin to associate our self-worth with the way we consume. The objects we have become the most valuable aspects of life for us. Overconsumption is how we survive now because it is how we have been trained to survive.
Are there solutions?
Overconsumption does not have to be our reality. Because we live in such a highly technological time, buying things is as easy as pressing a few buttons. We don’t have to stop and really think about it. Questioning yourself on a few basics before hitting the purchase button can curb our overconsumption of beauty products.
The most important thing to ask will always be if we really need this product. We often get caught up in the appeal and the design, but taking a moment and inquiring about whether or not this purchase is really important or not might make all the difference. Realizing that this isn’t quite the ‘need,’ we thought it might change our mind on our decision! Sometimes, we also tend to buy products that are very similar to ones we already own but only slightly different. Buying repeats of the same thing because they were marketed in a modified way only means you now have two of the same thing. Another crucial facet to battling overconsumption is researching. It’s easy to take the word of a well-known celebrity promoting the skin cream and buying it immediately, but what if its ingredients don’t do well with your skin? Doing research and looking into the products we’re interested in could do wonders for us.
Overconsumption is all around us, but it is increasingly apparent in beauty products. The constant need to stay up to date on the latest releases and obtain the newest make-up craze is unreasonable. There’s nothing wrong with following a simple life sticking to the products and purchases that you need, and not giving in to every new trend.
Have you notices the overconsumption of beauty products? Let us know in the comments below!
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