Whether they are passionate about growing together as a beauty community, pushing body inclusivity or engaging in honest conversations, they are making social media woke again.
“My biggest hope is that my photos don’t contribute to anyone’s insecurities.”
BEAUTY AND LIFESTYLE BLOGGER @PAPER_TIGRESS
Loke, a Singaporean married to an American photographer, started blogging four years ago when she was renovating her Los Angeles home. With only the clothes and cosmetics in her suitcase to kill time with while awaiting workers and materials, she began experimenting. “My husband shot all the different looks I was creating. I ended up with so many photos it seemed silly not to do something with them,” she explains.
As she herself was a photography buff, Instagram naturally became the place for Loke to post pictures of herself and her daily life. “My feed can be all over the place as a result, but I like that it’s a bit of a personal photo album, and I like to think that’s what resonates with my followers too,” she says. Follow her for: Insta posts about new beauty launches, as well as her beautifully shot travel and lifestyle photos. Her website has detailed product reviews, news and shopping ideas.
“Beauty is now much more about self-care and making ourselves feel good rather than attaining some sort of ideal.”
CONTENT STRATEGIST @MORELIPSTICKSPLEASE
A former beauty journalist, Cheo says her initial motivation for starting a beauty-centric Instagram account in 2014 was pragmatism – it was the thing to do to stay current because “everyone was jumping on it”.
But since then, the account has evolved into a more personal platform where Cheo not only shares beauty information but also lifestyle and travel snaps (often replete with humorous zingers).
She says: “I think the process of women sharing beauty tips and tricks is an incredibly intimate one. It can really foster community spirit where people come together to help one another.
“If I make even one person happy with a product he or she bought after seeing it on my account, or if it sparks some curiosity in them, that’s already very satisfying.”
Follow her for: Product news and reviews, as well as uplifting messages about new as upl body positivity, inclusivity body pos and enjoying life.
Her feel-good vibes are infectious and her beauty posts are snappy but informative. Cheo says: “I think it’s important to put the message out there that everyone is different, everyone deserves to be seen and to feel beautiful. Beauty is now much more about selfcare and making ourselves feel good rather than attaining some sort of ideal. The most important thing is to enjoy yourself and have fun in the process.”
“Yes, makeup is completely unnecessary but it’s extremely gratifying, and some self-indulgence is always important.”
PROFESSIONAL MAKEUP ARTIST @ALEXTBEAUTY
Alex has worked on more than 100 editorial spreads since 2014 and is among a wave of up-and-coming makeup artists. “Makeup can be a statement, part of your morning routine and self-care, classic, trendy, even artistic. Yes, it’s completely unnecessary but it’s extremely gratifying, and some self-indulgence is always important,” she says.
Follow her for: Inspiration for gorgeous but wearable looks, whether it’s a wash of metallic pastel eyeshadow or a gold-tinged nude one. From time to time, she’ll also share tidbits on skincare, makeup and new products.
YOUTUBER CHANNEL: BRENDA TAN @WORDWEED
Tan started blogging in 2010, but when some of her videos became popular in 2015, she made the switch to Youtube. “It was the video on double-eyelid surgery recovery that kick-started my channel. People were really interested in the topic and I thought it would be great to share it in an informative and educational way because so many people get it done but so few talk about it,” she says.
She feels a strong sense of pride at being known for the quality of her videos and her affable personality, which comes through on screen.
“I probably should care more about the numbers since it’s a fulltime job. But I firmly believe that as long as you do a good job creating interesting and refreshing content, people will feel inclined to share it and talk about it.”
Follow her for: Helpful, relatable videos offering useful information, from beauty reviews and tips to food recommendations. She also sometimes covers hot social and education issues.
“I love creating conversations so that we can progress as a community by building awareness and sensibility.”
