Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem

Although 90% of women between the ages of 18 and 29 report using makeup, research on the motivation and effects of makeup use on self-esteem is lacking. The purposes of this qualitative study is to (1) understand the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to use makeup on self-esteem, (2) exp...

Full description

Bibliographic Details
Main Authors: Alison Tran, Robert Rosales, Lynn Copes
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: SAGE Publishing 2020-06-01
Series:SAGE Open
Online Access:https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020933591
_version_ 1818115936070139904
author Alison Tran
Robert Rosales
Lynn Copes
author_facet Alison Tran
Robert Rosales
Lynn Copes
author_sort Alison Tran
collection DOAJ
description Although 90% of women between the ages of 18 and 29 report using makeup, research on the motivation and effects of makeup use on self-esteem is lacking. The purposes of this qualitative study is to (1) understand the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to use makeup on self-esteem, (2) explore whether makeup use may serve as a buffer for low self-esteem, and (3) explore the impact of sociocultural scripts and hegemonic beauty on self-esteem in ethnoracially diverse YouTube beauty influencers. Jacobsen’s Aesthetics of Psychology framework was used to classify narratives of nine female beauty influencers aged between 21 and 40 years from the United States and Great Britain, who self-identified as Black, Hispanic, and White. Makeup use may have a more direct effect on self-esteem if internally motivated and viewed as a mechanism for creativity, mastery, agency, and human connection. Likewise, makeup use may indirectly buffer low mood/self-esteem for those who are externally motivated to use makeup in order to avoid guilt, enhance ego, and promote audience confidence. Results elucidate the importance of motivation to use makeup and its implications for positive mood regulation/enhanced self-esteem through the development of mental health interventions involving makeup application. Findings illuminate the experiences of women in media and public domains and are particularly salient for women of color who may be more extrinsically motivated to use makeup due to hegemonic beauty standards, as Black beauty influencers reported industry disparities in pay/salary, sponsorships, and subscriber count compared with young, White influencers.
first_indexed 2024-12-11T04:14:32Z
format Article
id doaj.art-53deb4f1f78b4e22bd8b39852caaa8ce
institution Directory Open Access Journal
issn 2158-2440
language English
last_indexed 2024-12-11T04:14:32Z
publishDate 2020-06-01
publisher SAGE Publishing
record_format Article
series SAGE Open
spelling doaj.art-53deb4f1f78b4e22bd8b39852caaa8ce2022-12-22T01:21:17ZengSAGE PublishingSAGE Open2158-24402020-06-011010.1177/2158244020933591Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-EsteemAlison Tran0Robert Rosales1Lynn Copes2Quinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, USABrown University, Providence, RI, USAQuinnipiac University, North Haven, CT, USAAlthough 90% of women between the ages of 18 and 29 report using makeup, research on the motivation and effects of makeup use on self-esteem is lacking. The purposes of this qualitative study is to (1) understand the effects of intrinsic and extrinsic motivation to use makeup on self-esteem, (2) explore whether makeup use may serve as a buffer for low self-esteem, and (3) explore the impact of sociocultural scripts and hegemonic beauty on self-esteem in ethnoracially diverse YouTube beauty influencers. Jacobsen’s Aesthetics of Psychology framework was used to classify narratives of nine female beauty influencers aged between 21 and 40 years from the United States and Great Britain, who self-identified as Black, Hispanic, and White. Makeup use may have a more direct effect on self-esteem if internally motivated and viewed as a mechanism for creativity, mastery, agency, and human connection. Likewise, makeup use may indirectly buffer low mood/self-esteem for those who are externally motivated to use makeup in order to avoid guilt, enhance ego, and promote audience confidence. Results elucidate the importance of motivation to use makeup and its implications for positive mood regulation/enhanced self-esteem through the development of mental health interventions involving makeup application. Findings illuminate the experiences of women in media and public domains and are particularly salient for women of color who may be more extrinsically motivated to use makeup due to hegemonic beauty standards, as Black beauty influencers reported industry disparities in pay/salary, sponsorships, and subscriber count compared with young, White influencers.https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020933591
spellingShingle Alison Tran
Robert Rosales
Lynn Copes
Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem
SAGE Open
title Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem
title_full Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem
title_fullStr Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem
title_full_unstemmed Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem
title_short Paint a Better Mood? Effects of Makeup Use on YouTube Beauty Influencers’ Self-Esteem
title_sort paint a better mood effects of makeup use on youtube beauty influencers self esteem
url https://doi.org/10.1177/2158244020933591
work_keys_str_mv AT alisontran paintabettermoodeffectsofmakeupuseonyoutubebeautyinfluencersselfesteem
AT robertrosales paintabettermoodeffectsofmakeupuseonyoutubebeautyinfluencersselfesteem
AT lynncopes paintabettermoodeffectsofmakeupuseonyoutubebeautyinfluencersselfesteem