The Instagram account that’s calling out the beauty industry

Style
Posted 18 November, 2019

@EstéeLaundry is an Instagram account run by anonymous beauty insiders who are fighting for more transparency industrywide.

The beauty industry is full of drama. From blindingly obvious copycat products and out-of-touch brands that get their messaging completely wrong, to the demise of bloggers and influencers (throwback to the James Charles scandal) there never seems to be any shortage of tea.

However, unlike the fashion industry which is always under public scrutiny due to its renowned lack of transparency, the unsavoury practices of the beauty industry have long gone unnoticed. Until now. Introducing @EstéeLaundry, the anonymous Instagram account that’s dedicated to ‘airing out the beauty industry’s dirty laundry’ and one that’s since evolved into its most powerful watchdog.

Basically the @Diet_Prada of the beauty world, an account which paved the way in terms of promoting honesty and calling out fashion-related bullshit, the Estée Laundry community operates with the sole purpose of ensuring that beauty brands and bloggers are not getting away with breaking the rules.

Identifying today’s major issues within the beauty industry as unethical business practices (e.g. brands leaving fake reviews on their own products) and an inherent lack of originality, Estée Laundry believes that not enough people have been educated about consumer rights.

‘These brands often put sales and revenue in front of the customer, seeing something that’s had a lot of success on the market as easier for them to copy than to put in the resources to come out with something original of their own. Customers deserve to have a voice and to be taken seriously,’ they told Dazed Beauty. Not only is it wrong to disregard what we might feel as consumers, but it’s even more disrespectful to the minds behind the products that are being ripped off by large conglomerates who have the resources to make sure they remain unscathed.

Unfortunately, this shady behavior is not new. Take a look at Estée Laundry’s first post for example, which revealed ‘makeover expert’ Trinny Woodall’s blatant copying of RMS Beauty’s Lip2Cheek gloss, or Kim K’s latest perfume bottle which is essentially a replica of Jean Paul Gaultier’s Classique fragrance design. And what about their more recent exposé of Sunday Riley, a skincare line being criticized for getting their employees to write fake product reviews online? They’re also monitoring sustainability, targeting the diversity of campaigns and shade ranges, and paying extremely close attention to things like bullying, insensitivity, and cultural appropriation.

‘People see the beauty industry as something that’s glamorous, so we wanted to show that there’s actually a dark side to it,’ they said.

This ‘dark side’ is highly unacceptable and I’m relieved that something’s finally being done to change an industry that should be evolving rather than succumbing to outdated norms like lying to consumers. Particularly when you consider that the general attitude of Gen Z and Millennials is that they care about being conscientious. ‘I think Estée Laundry is a visible force that is showcasing the sentiments a lot of people feel right now,’ said Eitan Reshef, president of the full-service digital agency Blue Wheel Media, to Refinery29. ‘In this day and age with social media people demand answers incredibly quickly and it’s not something that can be ignored anymore.’

Only 413 posts in, they’ve racked up an impressive following of 25k ‘laundrites’ (and counting), highlighting the collective appetite for transparency. Personally, as long as accounts like these continue presenting well-researched perspectives while allowing brands to weigh in, I truly believe they can push the beauty industry to be of a higher standard. Here’s hoping.

Sofia Phillips

Feature Media Manager & Senior Writer London, UK

Sofia (She/Her) – I’m the Deputy Editor & Media Partnership Manager at Thred, specialising in exclusive articles and live interviews, fashion and beauty with a focus on sustainability, women’s rights, psychedelics, and Latin America. I studied Spanish at the University of Exeter and International Journalism at City, London. Follow me on Twitter, LinkedIn, and drop me some ideas/feedback via email.

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@EstéeLaundry is an Instagram account run by anonymous beauty insiders who are fighting for more transparency industrywide.

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