Instagram influencer or not, people tend to post photos that reflect the best side of themselves. But of course, Photoshop, Facetune, and other apps have become a huge lifesaver. Without it, people would have to share photos of themselves and their tiny imperfections like acne, blemishes, or scars. But these days it’s tough knowing the difference between Instagram beauty and realistic beauty. There are a lot of photos out there that are fake. But many people just don’t realize how extensive all the fakery really is.Instagram and other social media platforms don’t always show us what’s real. Most influencers know how to make themselves look like “Baywatch” beauties. Many of them probably don’t get that they’re beautiful just as they are. But others really take editing to the max. Instagram has become flooded by images that are so doctored, there’s even a subreddit called Instagram Reality that’s dedicated to exposing the reality behind these seemingly flawless pics.
Take this image that was uploaded on Instagram Reality for example. Unless this influencer is some kind of wizard, this photo has definitely been altered. How else do you explain how these kids are walking in the rain with soaked white shirts, but their hair is completely dry?
But there are some influencers who will fake going to Coachella just to knock their followers’ socks off. In reality, they probably never made out of their house and simply snapped a few photos in front of a green screen and superimposed an image of Coachella. Others will simply attend Coachella just to snap a pic and be able to say they were there.
Take this photo of a young woman laying on California’s super bloom. The photo looks beautiful, sure, but when everyone starts trampling over the area to get the same shot, those flowers don’t look quite as beautiful anymore.
Photoshop has altered our perception of what beauty looks like. Now some people might get outraged by this deception but it’s important to remember that social media is there for fun, just like television, and it should never be taken too seriously.
But there are some folks who take Photoshop to the extreme and forget about what the human body looks like. In this instance, this young woman is trying to get the perfect photo, which is admittedly frightening because she seems to be missing her rib cage.
Some might even call her a cross between Pamela Anderson and a Barbie doll. But while her Insta-posts are flawless, not everything is what it appears to be, especially after someone called her out on her Insta-lie. But is she really lying or did they just found the worst possible photo they could find of this YouTuber?
Klein shared some behind-the-scenes techniques and side-by-side imagery of their “perfect” makeovers. But as you might imagine, Trisha wasn’t amused when her editing techniques were exposed.
Overbrushed photos are often the preferred technique for most Instagram influencers as it can give them an unrealistic look that is a huge departure from the real thing. But many do it because they’re afraid of being judged negatively for looking anything less than perfect. So perhaps, we’re all collectively pushing each other to try to look our very best, no matter what it takes. Plus, let’s face it! The airbrushed photo will probably get a ton more likes than the raw candid one.
But once you pull the curtain away, you realize that photos these days get some serious buff. Influencers, models, and celebrities, like Justin Bieber, get acne and blemishes just like the rest of us. They simply have to look flawless because it’s how they earn their bread and butter.
Take everything that you see online with a grain of salt and whatever you do, don’t see yourself as less of a person simply because you don’t have flawless skin like Harry Styles. Remember, photographers and influencers know how to use shadows to make bodies seem perfect.
In an effort to curb someone’s waist in a photo, one could end up overdoing it. Waists can look abnormally thinner and legs might appear longer than they are. But sometimes it’s better to show your true self than to get called out for a Photoshop fail.
Just ask someone like Kylie Jenner. She practically put lip fillers on the map for young women everywhere and it’s hard to argue it doesn’t work when you have this prime example of perfection.
When you look at a social media influencer who has gotten lip fillers, like Kylie, you fall in love with the look. But things aren’t always what they appear to be, especially when a paparazzi snaps a Photoshop-free pic.
But what you see isn’t always what you get. Then again, in a world where being well-fed and curvy is considered an issue, it’s not a surprise that people like Tana might worry about feeling unattractive and turn to other techniques.
We all idolize influencers and movie stars. But in a world where the perfect lie seems to be the norm, it’s actually kind of satisfying that some people are showing the truth behind these flawless humans. That way, we don’t have to constantly strive to be just like them.
Followers will try all kinds of things to look like influencers like Tana Mongeau, especially when they’re at the beach or vacationing. But influencers are like magicians who use makeup, tricks of light and Photoshop technique to show a different truth.
There’s nothing wrong with looking to others for inspiration just as long as you don’t lose yourself in the process of mimicking your idol’s body image to the letter. Remember that these influencers have fears and insecurities just like everybody else does.
In some instances, it’s just a matter of seeing through the shroud of social media perfection. It can be as simple as looking for body parts that look unrealistically altered. Can you spot the truth behind this Photoshopped image?
But those perfect snaps took 100 attempts to make. Even flexing muscles and angling the face can produce favorable results that are model-worthy. But accepting those beauty marks and love handles in life and on social media will keep you from being called a fake.
Look after yourself and your body because you love yourself. It’s not always about how you look in the photo, what you eat, or how much you exercise that makes you the awesome person. It’s what’s on the inside. At the same time, there’s nothing wrong with looking your absolute best. But remember that no one can look flawless every second of the day and that’s truly liberating.
