Trends are born through an understanding of culture and global changes, particularly affecting teenagers as they navigate their lives. Some trends have enduring effects, while others fade quickly, prompting the question of why certain trends resonate with teens while others are discarded.
TikTok is a hotspot for various trends seen today. Most of these trends are started by well-liked influencers on TikTok. They popularize certain products, and as a result, more and more people buy them. At first glance, these creators seem like they can be trusted but not all teenagers feel the same.
“A lot of times the trends are created by companies who partner with big creators like Alix Earle to suck people’s money,” senior Alexandra Dance said.
According to Time magazine, it is estimated that Alix Earle charges anywhere between $40,000 to $70,000 per brand-sponsored post. These brands include Glow Recipe, Ordinary, Summer Friday, Sol de Janeiro, Drunk Elephant, COSRX and more which have been popular among teenagers. However, Alix Earle is not the only influencer making money. According to NeoReach, people with 1,000-10,000 followers can make $20-$150 per post, and people with 10,000-50,000 followers can make $30-$400 off sponsored content. In addition, people with 50,000-500,000 followers can make $80-$1,650 per post, and people with 500,000-1,000,000 followers can make $150-$3,500. Finally, people with over a million followers can make $1,200 and above per post.
However, these trends change so quickly it’s hard to tell if products are worth the cost. These products can be very expensive. For example, Drunk Elephant skincare products can cost anywhere from $16-$134. In addition, Glow Recipe products can cost anywhere from $8-$45. Teens are notorious for their bad spending habits, and according to GWI, a market research company, 23% of Gen Z consumers in the US say they make impulse purchases. Since these products are so pricey, teenagers must find a way to pay for them. As stated by Business Insider, over 39% of survey respondents stated working part-time to have extra cash for things such as skincare products.
“I try not to get swept up in the whole like, ‘Oh this is cool now, for 20 minutes.’” Dance said.
There was a time when a trend would have a generous life cycle of up to two or three years, but with so many creators transforming looks, big companies are inventing and capitalizing on new trends daily. This tiring, short cycle is causing many social media users, like Dance, to experience “trend fatigue” or “burnout.” In addition to exhaustion, trends can also lead to a bad mental state and self-image.
“Trends are tiring sometimes because you compare yourself to others and it lowers your self-esteem,” sophomore Katie Lombera said.
According to the National Library of Medicine, adolescents reported depressive symptoms frequently following the use of technology (cell phones, Instagram, and TikTok). Trends are advertised the most by people with the seemingly perfect face and body, often using filters and photo editing tools to enhance their appearance. This can create unrealistic beauty standards that a lot of teenagers hold themselves to.
“I don’t really see the need for trends and following them because, overall, it’s expensive and draining,” Dance said.