7 things we'd like to see de-influenced

De-influencing is the new influencing.

For those unaware, de-influencing is the latest movement on TikTok, inspiring people to stop following trends and influencers, and start investing their money and time into things and lifestyles that work for them.

With more than a billion users on TikTok, a simple viral video from somebody raving about a new lifestyle or beauty product can cause it to be sold out in seconds.

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We’ve seen it happen with the Mielle Organics Rosemary hair oil thanks to influencer Alix Earle. We’ve seen it happen with Charlotte Tilbury's makeup products. We’ve even seen it happen with social justice trends too.

The influence is powerful on TikTok

But de-influencing is all about encouraging people to make smarter choices with their money and time by not buying into products or ideas that are popular on the app.

From the Dyson Airwrap to Colleen Hoover novels, there are plenty of popular things you don’t need.

So we decided to ask people on our team what things they believe should be de-influenced.

Here’s what they had to say.

The 5-9 before the 9-5

“The five to nine before the nine to five,” lifestyle reporter Meredith Clark said, calling it “capitalist propaganda.”

The lifestyle trend emerged on TikTok last year as a way to inspire others to be more productive before they start their work day - mainly those in corporate jobs.

TikTokers would take viewers through their routine, beginning at 5 am, which often includes going to the gym, cleaning their home, or doing something productive before their 9 am work start.

The Independent’s executive editor of news, Jenna Amatulli, similarly said she wants to see less of the “optimizing your life” trends too.

Luxury days-in-the-life

On the opposite end, Greg Evans, the Indy100 UK editor, thinks lavish day-in-the-life videos are “so cringe.”

“Lavish day in the life of work videos where all they do is go to the spa and play air hockey all day before going for cocktails,” Evans said.

As Kim Kardashian famously said, seems like nobody wants to work these days.

Olaplex

Many people, including some of our staff, think there are some majorly overhyped products.

Indy100 reporter Becca Monaghan said “Olaplex” was one that came to her mind along with “every single celebrity-endorsed beauty brand.”

Monaghan thinks they all do “the same thing with different packaging.”

Dyson Airwrap

Sinead Butler, a reporter for Indy100, said she wasn’t impressed with the Dyson Airwrap - a complaint others have echoed on TikTok.

“My friend let me try hers and maybe it’s just my hair type, but I don’t think it’s worth the money,” Butler said.

Negronis

It’s not just lifestyle and beauty trends our staff wants to see less of.

Indy100 senior reporter Kate Plummer said she found Negronis “gross.”

Last summer, the “negroni sbagliato with prosecco” went viral thanks to Game of Thrones actress Emma D’Arcy.

But turns out people, like Plummer, found the drink to be a bit too bitter.

Formula 1 hype

Sophie Thompson, Indy100’s short form content editor, hopes to see fewer people jumping on the Formula 1 bandwagon just because it’s trending.

BeReal

The social media app became popular with Gen-Z last year, giving a more "authentic" meaning to social media.

"Really wanted to like it but find it passive-aggressive and boring," Monaghan said.

She added that the "notifications send me under."

Some other honorable mentions include: Assouline, gender reveals, extreme lip filler, and Skims.

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