Social media & idealised beauty

A new study from the Dove Self-Esteem Project confirms that toxic beauty advice on social media negatively impacts young girls’ self-esteem and body confidence.

Aussie girls are calling out for help, with 1 in 2 saying idealised beauty content on social media negatively impacts their self-esteem.

Alarmingly, new research from the Dove Self- Esteem Project has found that 70% of young girls (ages 10-17) in Australia believe the influencers they follow on social media set the standard for how they should look.

The Dove study reveals the startling impact of idealised beauty content on social media, with almost half (46%) of young girls aged 10-17 in Australia admitting they have undertaken at least one beauty procedure, such as tanning (19%), teeth whitening (20%) and eyelash extensions (15%) as a result of toxic influencer advice. Some young girls have taken even more drastic measures – including cosmetic injectables such as muscle relaxants and lip fillers, and skin bleaching to achieve the ‘perfect look’ or to look like someone else.

Social media & self-esteem

Young girls in Australia are spending increasing amounts of time on social media – from using it to connect with friends to watching their favourite social media influencers. Specifically, 70% of young girls in Australia follow or watch influencers on social media with a focus on beauty (63%), fashion (56%) and celebrities (64%). And almost half of young girls in Australia spend 1-3 hours watching or posting things on social media (45% on the weekend and 47% during the weekday). What’s more, half of young girls in Australia are on social media every day, with 17% spending more than 3 hours a day.

The negative impact of social media on self- esteem is well-documented. Constant exposure to images of people with ‘perfect’ bodies or lifestyles can lead to feelings of inadequacy and low self-esteem.

The study reveals that 45% of young girls in Australia follow at least one social media influencer that they admit makes them feel less confident in themselves and 45% follow at least one influencer that makes them question the way they look. Further, 52% of young girls constantly check how they look in photos and wish they looked better, 48% said they often wish they looked like someone else, and 46% agree that seeing body transformation photos from influencers makes them feel less beautiful.

Interestingly, young females acknowledge the negative impact of toxic beauty feeds – 54% of Australian girls said toxic and potentially harmful beauty advice from social media influencers causes low self-esteem. What’s more, 51% say they know the influencers they follow edit their photos and yet they still want to look like them.

54% OF AUSTRALIAN GIRLS SAID TOXIC BEAUTY ADVICE FROM SOCIAL MEDIA INFLUENCERS CAUSES LOW SELF-ESTEEM. WHAT’S MORE, 51% SAY THEY KNOW THE INFLUENCERS THEY FOLLOW EDIT THEIR PHOTOS AND YET THEY STILL WANT TO LOOK LIKE THEM.

#DetoxYourFeed – Taking action against toxic beauty

With 60% of young girls in Australia stating they wished they had information on how to avoid or deal with idealised beauty content, Dove has launched its #DetoxYourFeed campaign. The aim is to raise awareness of the impact of toxic beauty advice on social media, and equip young people, parents and caregivers with practical tools focussed on action and advice.

Dr Hannah Jarman, Researcher in Body Image and Social Media and Dove’s campaign expert, shares, ‘Social media has become a normal part of life for many people, but this is especially true for young girls. While social media can be beneficial for some, the research suggests that it can also be quite harmful.

‘Social media is often filled with ‘beautiful’ people living their ‘perfect’ lives and research tells us that the more we see this type of content, the more likely we are to compare ourselves. Unsurprisingly, these comparisons cause girls to feel worse

about themselves in a range of areas, from their appearance to their social life. Given the majority of young people use social media, it’s essential that something is done to start to address this issue.’

TV personality and mum, Melissa Doyle, has partnered with Dove as campaign ambassador to share the importance of helping young girls to detoxify their social media feeds and encourage other parents to do the same with their children, spreading awareness around the dangerous steps young girls are taking in order to achieve the ‘perfect look’.

‘Partnering with Dove on their #DetoxYourFeed campaign was a no-brainer for me. These days everyone is worried about how they look on social media and it’s affecting those who are most vulnerable and susceptible to toxic information: our daughters. It’s important for parents and caregivers to educate themselves on how to have the conversation with their children, utilising the tools available to them to make a positive and healthy impact.’

A call for help (and where to get it)

The report highlights the need for parents, educators and social media platforms to take action to promote positive body image and self-esteem among young people.

Even though toxic beauty advice on social media is influencing young Australian girls, there is still the desire for information about how to help deal with idealised beauty content. Dove’s report found that 60% of young girls in Australia wished they had information about how to avoid or deal with idealised beauty content.

Christine Weatherby, Dove Marketing Manager Australia, says, ‘It is our mission to empower young people to define their own beauty standards and not feel pressure to look like someone they see on social media. Sadly, our research uncovered that 1 in 2 Aussie girls follow influencers

that make them feel less confident about themselves, showcasing the impact of toxic beauty advice on self- esteem. We want to arm parents, carers and educators with the tools they need to encourage young people to develop and maintain a healthy body image during the transition to adulthood.’

Dove has a long-standing commitment to creating a world where beauty is a source of confidence, and not anxiety. The #DetoxYourFeed campaign is part of the ongoing work of The Dove Self-Esteem Project, the world’s largest provider of body confidence education globally, reaching more than 82 million young people across 150 countries through initiatives.

The launch of the Confidence Kit has been part of Dove’s Self-Esteem Project, which aims to help 250 million kids worldwide with self-esteem education by 2030. In Australia, The Dove Self-Esteem Project has reached 2 million Aussie kids since 2006 and aims to reach 2.2 million by the end of 2023. CBM

The Dove Self-Esteem Project, in partnership with The Butterfly Foundation, offers free tools and resources to help young people navigate social media and boost their self-esteem, including the downloadable Confidence Kit. For more information, tools and tidbits, visit dove.com/au/dove-self-esteem-project.html.

1. About the research: Research commissioned by Dove ANZ and conducted by Toluna Australia in November 2022 who surveyed All Mothers (n=423) [Austrlians:255; Kiwis:168], Kiwis:168], All Girls (n=423) [Australians:255; Kiwis: 168]); Australians & Kiwis kids aged (10-17).