Is there a Standard with our New Normal?

By Naomi Galas

Edited by Anna Kate Mereness

@thechiclife on Pinterest

I am sure we all go online and get overwhelmed with “What’s new in the beauty world?” or “Tricks to up your personal style.” It's like a smack in the face every time. When we finally catch up with one thing, another trend is already well on its way to being over. I believe we’re losing our appreciation for the simple things, and individuals feel that your normal habits are out of the ordinary, compared to what everyone else on social media is feeding us.

It is not authentic or cute to push out a standard that makes women, or anyone, feel like their routine isn’t up to par just because they don’t have the best products. Social media and influencer culture is increasing our consumption habits and producing a toxic environment with rapid digital marketing and FOMO.

During the pandemic we all got used to buying things online, and with that came a lot of products, specifically beauty products, that we can use at home. There seems to have been a decrease in people that want to take their time and go get a facial, or even shop in person. Being able to get goods with a click of a button has resulted in society losing the ability to appreciate those goods.

@DivineImages1 on Pinterest

How should we fix this issue? Well, we have created an unnatural environment that sets standards so high you can’t keep up. Nothing's going to change overnight, but we all need to slow down and take time to enjoy ourselves. The concept of “girlhood” has become extremely popular within the last year, and at its core that means valuing what is right in front of you. So whenever you go to an influencers page, remember you don’t need to look or act exactly like them.

Their normal is not the same, they push and feed products because it is their job. Not enough people think realistically about that, and it reflects in an internal expectation to maintain the same level of what others are doing. If your simple beauty routine, clothes or habits are enough for you then they do not need to be changed. A refresh every now and then for your health is beneficial, but do not feel the need to conform to emotional consumption.