Many of us want to look more like what we see on our screens. Social media is filled with videos and images of beautiful people, and digital trends naturally shape real-life beauty standards. While aesthetic trends used to start on the runways, today they often begin on websites and in apps!

With this come terms like “Instagram Face”, an aesthetic that defines how many young people interact with cosmetics. The digital world is meshing with the real one, and platforms like Instagram are more influential than ever. In this post, we’ll explore what that means, and how you can feel beautiful both online or offline without losing the qualities that make you unique.

Defining “Instagram Face”

So what is “Instagram Face” in the first place? 

Certain features have always attracted attention, with beauty standards shifting throughout history. As much of our socialization shifts online, people’s perception of their appearance has too. Today, our beauty is defined by two-dimensional photographs and short, edited videos, instead of by our real-life appearance. 

Celebrities and influences have also taken to the web to share their pictures, developing an aesthetic that has been developing over the past decade. High cheekbones, full lips, and facial symmetry all make for pleasing photographs that perform well on social media platforms like Instagram. 

Users whose features conform to certain standards often find themselves with many followers, sometimes even earning brand deals and other opportunities. Many resort to photo editing and pre-made filters to achieve that standard. This has led to the term “Instagram Face”, meaning someone attractive enough to draw attention online. 

Achieving “Instagram Face” 

If you’re striving to look better in photos and garner attention online and in real life, you may turn to makeup or filters to enhance your appearance. 

There are thousands of makeup tutorials detailing how to achieve the curated looks you see on social media. Makeup takes time, money, and practice, but it can be a great way to express yourself and achieve your desired aesthetic. Applying filters after the fact can further enhance your photos, allowing for subtle changes. 

Unfortunately, makeup washes off at the end of the day, and filters can only go so far before your pictures become uncanny. It can also take a toll on your self-esteem to realize that your real-life image will never match the one on social media. As modern technology puts people in front of the camera more often, they naturally want to look good at all times. This has led to an increased demand for more permanent cosmetic changes. 

The Injectable Aesthetic 

The leap from makeup and filters to plastic surgery is rather extreme, and most people are wary of the idea. This is especially true for young people who want to tweak small aspects of their face, but don’t want to take on the risk and commitment of cosmetic surgery. Injectables have become standard, providing a less drastic option that still transforms the face in a customized way. 

Cosmetic injectables satisfy this niche perfectly. Botox injections and dermal fillers can mimic the effects of filters, slimming areas like the jawline while plumping the lips and lifting the cheekbones. 

An experienced injector can work with you much the same way a surgeon would, identifying areas you want to enhance and discussing how to accomplish your goals. The nurse injectors at SEV have the same grasp on facial anatomy but with a more gentle and adjustable set of tools. 

If you don’t like your results, you can have your fillers dissolved or simply wait them out, as the body will eventually metabolize them. Your reliable provider can help you maintain a flawless look based on your feedback, making sure you’re camera-ready at all times. 

Techniques Tailored To You

The reason filters make you look good is because they enhance your natural beauty. Most people don’t dislike their entire face — they just want a few small changes. Treatments like these, known as “tweakments”, can help you feel more confident in your skin by enhancing and refining your existing features.

Injectables are common “tweakments” because they allow for subtle yet noticeable changes. At SEV, we offer a range of injectables to address our clients’ most common concerns. 

Wrinkles 

There are two types of wrinkles: dynamic and static. Dynamic wrinkles are caused by repetitive muscle movement under the skin, while static wrinkles are caused by a lack of skin laxity. Botox injections can temporarily freeze dynamic wrinkles and help more etched wrinkles fade over time, while dermal fillers can restore volume and reduce specific wrinkles, especially in the nasolabial folds or under the eyes. 

Microneedling treatments like Morpheus8 or Potenza can also help, by increasing the skin’s production of collagen and elastin, to restore natural firmness while smoothing away pores and texture. 

Facial Contouring

Who needs makeup when fillers can give you that flawlessly contoured effect in 3D? Treatments like Juvéderm Voluma enhance the cheeks and chin, adding targeted volume and lift for a more sculpted, photo-ready look. 

Thin Lips

Hyaluronic acid (HA) fillers like Juvéderm Ultra XC and Volbella are perfect for plumping thin lips and erasing lip wrinkles. Enhancing the lips is one of the most common uses for dermal fillers, making them popular among customers of all ages. 

Double Chin 

Struggling with stubborn fat under the chin? Submental fat has a way of sticking around, and cramping your style in photos. Kybella is an injectable made with deoxycholic acid, which is used by the body to break up dietary fat. When injected under the chin, it permanently eliminates fat cells, creating a more defined jawline. 

Dry Skin 

Moisturizing from the top down can only accomplish so much. If your dry skin needs serious rejuvenation, Skinvive by Juvéderm can provide hydration for up to 6 months. It works by infusing the skin with microdroplets of hyaluronic acid, the same ingredient as other dermal fillers, resulting in an IRL glass skin effect. 

The Future of Cosmetics and Social Media

Social media and cosmetics have become closely intertwined, and they will continue to evolve together in the coming years. Celebrities and influencers create and endorse new products, and advertisers find new ways to reach their audience on the internet.

The social media landscape is also unpredictable, which is what makes it exciting. The internet has always made it possible for new names and faces to rise in popularity, especially when they don’t fit the norm. In recent years, independent brands have challenged the mainstream. 

As a result, the beauty industry is becoming more diverse. Makeup brands are creating shades for darker skin, and laser hair removal with the Nd:YAG laser is safe for all skin types. 

Social media is also making it more acceptable to pursue cosmetic treatments. In the past, you could face scrutiny for getting any kind of work done, even something as minor as injections. Now, people are encouraged to express themselves and discuss their experiences openly! This helps create a more transparent industry, where receiving treatments is safer. 

Maintaining a Healthy Mindset

Before trying to achieve any aesthetic, you have to challenge where it comes from. The internet exposes people to unrealistic and unhealthy trends, much like magazines and television did in the past. 

“Instagram Face” can be an unrealistic beauty standard, depending on how you feel about your existing features. If you’re prone to low self-esteem or you frequently compare yourself to others, it can be difficult to pursue your goals without falling victim to anxiety or “aesthetic blindness”.

All of the pictures you see on Instagram are curated and often altered. They don’t necessarily reflect real life. While many influencers and celebrities are transparent about their treatments or photo-editing, many others aren’t, so you don’t always know if what you’re seeing is real. 

Of course, that doesn’t diminish your desire to be attractive! Balancing beauty with self-love isn’t impossible — you just need to remember to celebrate the unique things that make you beautiful, rather than trying to become the same as everyone else. When you feel confident in your own skin, you’re the most beautiful and memorable! 

Glow Up At SEV 

While the internet has its flaws, it has also allowed marginalized people to gain visibility and find beauty providers that have their best interests at heart. Everything from makeup to laser hair removal has become more inclusive, and people are beginning to see themselves reflected in the beauty industry. 

Social media can inspire and inform you on how to improve yourself through diet, exercise, skincare, and self-care. It also puts you in contact with destinations like SEV, where you can enjoy customized, professional experiences.

At SEV, we work with you to make sure you always feel cared for and in control. During your first appointment, we’ll get to know you and your aesthetic goals, whether you’re seeking classic fuller lips, smoother skin, or anything else. We’ll collaborate with you to decide which treatments suit your needs best. 

Our nurses are respectful, compassionate, and ready to help. If “Instagram Face” is your goal, we can help you select fillers for your lips and cheekbones, along with Botox, Kybella, and more. To schedule a personalized consultation at SEV, book now!