C H I L A X American Music Awards 2021: Best red carpet fashion
12 Makeup Tips That’ll Make Your Life 100 Times Easier
Audience, Algorithm And Virality: Why TikTok Will Continue To Shape Culture In 2021
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Best things to ask Santa for this chirstmas
Harry Styles
talks Pleasing: a brand built on small joys
7th Edition December 2021
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American Music Awards 2021: Best red carpet
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Harry Styles talks Pleasing: a brand built on small joys
Audience, Algorithm And Virality: Why TikTok Will Continue To Shape Culture In 2021
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12 MAKEUP TIPS THAT MAKE YOUR LIFE 100 TIMES EASIER
Style Guide
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15 Best things to ask Santa for this Christmas
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HOW TO BECOME AN INFLUENCER
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MAKEUP PRODUCTS FOR THESE HACKS
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12 Makeup Tips That’ll Make Your Life 100 Times Easier Whether you’re a legit beauty pro or a total newb, you can always benefit from a few makeup tips. Like, why struggle with your cat eye or contour when there are so many easy hacks to make the process 100 times smoother? So in the spirit of sharing is caring, I went ahead and found the 21 best makeup tips and tricks of all damn time, including when (and where) to apply concealer, how to finally perfect your winged eyeliner (spoiler: it involves a spoon), and so much more. So grab your makeup bag and that one product (err, products?) you never learned how to use, and keep scrolling.
1. Apply your foundation before concealer Hot tip: The easiest way to level up your makeup routine is to try applying your foundation before concealer. Think about it: Starting with a layer of foundation will help minimize any redness or discoloration—almost like you’re creating a smooth base for the rest of your products. You can then go in with your concealer to spot treat any zits or remaining redness, and you’ll end up using way less product in the process. Another plus? Foundation before concealer is a genius fix for preventing caking and creasing.
2. Maintain your eyebrows with a spoolie brush On busy days when I don’t have time to fill in my eyebrows, I like to do the next best thing: quickly comb up my arches with a spoolie brush (aka those little mascara wands). And even when I do have time for powders, gels, and pencils, I still like to prep my brows with my spoolie—it takes 10 seconds max, and it’s an easy way to make sure each of my brow hairs are in the right spot before I go in with my products. Pro makeup tip: You can buy spoolie brushes in bulk for v cheap (I like the Cuttte Disposable Mascara Brushes) or go for something reusable (I’m a fan of Uoma Beauty’s Brow-Fro Baby Hair, which also has a precision pencil on one end).
3. Exfoliate your lips before applying lipstick Okay, you know when you apply lipstick and it doesn’t go on smooth? Try prepping your lips with a gentle lip scrub (I like the Beauty Bakerie Sugar Lip Scrub or the KNC Beauty Lip Scrub) —the physical exfoliation will help buff away any dry skin sitting on top of your lips, leaving you with a smoother, softer canvas for your products. One thing to keep in mind: Lip scrubs should only be used once a week max—anything more and you’ll risk irritation (aka the opposite vibe you’re going for).
4. Don’t sleep on blush It might seem like an obvious step in your makeup routine, but IMO, blush is the most underrated product. A couple sweeps of cream or powder blush along the high points of your cheeks will give your entire look a brighter, warmer finish with pure ease. “I use blush on all my clients—it gives the skin that fresh and rejuvenated look and it adds the perfect amount of depth to the face,” makeup artist Lakeisha Dale has told Cosmo. And, no, that doesn’t mean you need to pick a bright-pink blush or anything like that—try going for something soft and glowy, like one of the picks below.
5. Melt your pencil liner to help it glide Fact: Creamy makeup products blend better when they’re warmed up. So if your kohl eyeliner pencil skips or tugs on your eyelid or takes multiple coats for a decent color payoff, melt it down slightly before you start lining. To do so, hold the tip of your kohl liner under the flame of a lighter for a second or until it gets tacky, let it cool slightly (swatch it on your hand to make sure it’s not too hot or melted), then watch the consistency change right before your eyes.
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6. Make your eyeshadow pop with white eyeliner Eyebrow, Face, Eyelash, Hair, Skin, Eye, Eye shadow, Beauty, Lip, Cheek, To make a sheer or less pigmented eyeshadow appear more vibrant on your eyelid, blend a white eyeliner pencil over your entire eyelid first. Then, put your eyeshadow right on top. The opaque coverage of the white liner will intensify any eyeshadow shade and make it pop.
7. Outline your cat eye If you’re struggling with nailing your winged eyeliner look (also, hi, same, I feel you), try drawing the outline of the shape first and then filling it in. Extend a line beyond your lower lash line to create the bottom of your cat eye first. Then, decide on the thickness you want for your wing, and trace the top line from the end point of your flick to your upper lash line. Once you have the shape mapped out on both sides and everything looks symmetrical, fill in the open space.
8. Use a spoon as a stencil for winged liner If freehand drawing your cat eye just isn’t gonna happen for you, grab a spoon and use it as a stencil. Holding the stem of a spoon against the outer corner of your eye, use a liquid eyeliner to draw a straight line as the first step for your cat eye. Then, flip the spoon so it’s hugging your eyelid, and use the rounded outer edge to create a perfectly curved winged effect.
9. Hack a smoky eye with a hashtag A smoky eye can go from sultry to sloppy real fast if you don’t know what you’re doing. To keep it simple, use a creamy eyeliner to draw a slanted hashtag symbol on the outer third of your eyelid, then blend it out with the sponge or a smudging brush. This will not only ensure that both eyes are symmetrical, but also prevent you from getting a little too crazy with the eyeliner.
10. Use a spoon as a mascara shield Nothing is more annoying than making your eyeshadow look perfect, and then swiping on mascara and ruining the whole thing with smudges. The fix? Hold a spoon so it’s hugging your eyelid, then apply your mascara like you normally would. As you sweep the mascara wand against your lashes and the back of the spoon, the residue will coat the back of the utensil rather than your skin. Genius.
11. Revive mascara with saline solution Word of advice: Only use a tube of mascara for three months, max. Beyond that point, it can collect bacteria and lead to eye infections and other unfortunate things you wouldn’t want to search on Google Images. But if your mascara annoyingly dries up within those first three months, add a couple drops of saline solution into the flaky formula to get it back to its smooth consistency.
12. Heat your eyelash curler with a hair dryer DIY your own heated lash curler by blowing hot air on your eyelash curler. The added heat will help your lashes curl faster and keep the shape for longer. Just hit your lash curler with a blow dryer until it heats up, wait until it cools slightly but is still warm (test it on the inside of your arm so you don’t burn your eyelid), then clamp down on your lashes to curl them.
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American Music Awards 2021: Best red carpet
Pictured by National World News
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American Music Awards 2021: Best red carpet fashion
ardi B, Olivia Rodrigo and Larray were among celebrities embracing the post-lockdown return to glamour at the American Music Awards tonight, where plenty of sequins, flashes of skin and sleek tailoring were seen at the event’s red carpet. The awards, held at the Microsoft Theater in Los Angeles, honors the best music by newcomers and established talent in the industry, across genres from country to R&B. Rapper Cardi B, who hosted the event, set the bar high for fashion this evening, arriving to the red carpet wearing a golden mask, statement earrings and a black veiled gown by Schiaparelli. “West Side Story” star Rachel Zegler also stunned in a frothy black and white ruffled gown by Carolina Herrera, while Machine Gun Kelly went with an edgy tunic by Ashton Michael, embellished in metal eyelets and chains. Rodrigo and a number of other stars turned up in sparkling numbers. The singer wore a sheer David Koma gown with periwinkle sequins, a long slit and feathered train. Others to literally shine on the night included actor Marsai Martin, in a high-necked Missoni gown covered in a shimmery zig-zag design, as well as country singer Mickey Guyton in an iridescent fringed skirt. Model Winnie Harlow wore a creation by Zuhair Murad that featured dangling teardrop-shaped gemstone beads. Eye-catching cut-out outfits were also a popular trend, with bold versions worn by the likes of singers Chlöe and Becky G. Bright shades also stood out -- “Pose” star Billy Porter strutted in a bright blue co-ord with a plunging keyhole cut out and umbrella-shaped hat by Botter, while TikTok star Brittany Broski wore a firetruck red gown. Rapper 24KGoldn and YouTuber Larray chose floral patterns, wearing a black and white Marni suit and a softer rose-printed Gucci one paired with red platforms, respectively. Others went for dapper tailoring, with BTS arriving in double-breasted suits in shades of grey and black and the members of Maneskin in matching black suit-and-bowtie looks. On the other end of the spectrum, stars like Bad Bunny eschewed formality altogether opting to sport a light green puffer jacket.
American Music Awards 2021: Best red carpet fashion
OLIVIA RODRIGO
JOJO SIWA
Pictured by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
BECKY G
Pictured by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
Pictured by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
LARRAY Pictured by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
CARDI B Pictured by Matt Winkelmeyer/Getty
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Harry Styles talks Pleasing: a brand built on small joys From Fine Line to star film roles, Harry Styles has gone from global to stratospheric – now, he adopts his newest mantle. Pleasing, his first business venture, puts beauty and naked ambition front and centre In the final leg of his sold-out Love On Tour series of shows, his six-person band took to New York’s Madison Square Garden on the weekend of Halloween. On the birdcall from their faithful leader, his legions of fans turned up to the concert in fancy dress. Crowds outside gathered in traditional All Hallows’ Eve getups of ghouls and goblins, and many paid homage to Styles’ signature style (think feather boas, kick-out flares and heavy-set platforms). Not one to miss out on the chance for a display of style, Styles appeared on stage as Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz, complete with a sparkly blue pinafore with matching bow, and of course, ruby-red slippers (his band make up the Tin Man, Glinda the Good Witch et al). All outfits are courtesy of Alessandro Michele, Styles’ friend and creative director of Gucci, of which Styles has long been a brand face. Enveloped in the rapture, the crowd hangs on to every minute of his husky growl and swivel of the hip as he breaks out into a spooky rendition of Britney Spears’ “Toxic”. But put aside Styles’ Mick Jagger swagger, and the crowd, made up of all ages, races, genders and sexualities, feel bound to something a little deeper than just the look and charm of the 27-year-old performer. Affirmations of beauty are swapped, expression is celebrated and friendships are formed under the umbrella of the pop phenom. Case in point: ‘#hslotoutfit’ (Styles’ Love On Tour outfit, in case you were wondering) hit 37 million views on TikTok in the US alone.
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“It’s funny because I don’t think of myself that way (as a style icon)... but bringing people together is the thing I’m most proud of. (At the shows) I get kind of a front-row seat to see a bunch of people getting in a room together and just being themselves. Not coming to the front of the stage, because they’re hanging out at the back, dancing like nobody’s watching. Having the most basic version of a good time. Humans interacting and accepting each other,” says Styles, expressing wonder at the zeal of his committed fandom, the Stylers. “A room full of people just loving each other is so powerful.”
LOS ANGELES, CALIFORNIA
A few weeks ahead of our conversation, Styles quietly emerges at an airy photo studio in Los Angeles for his Dazed cover shoot. Despite the furiously quick turnaround from inception to execution of the shoot (things in HS’s world happen quickly and meticulously), the star is in wonderful spirits. Perfectly on time, and flanked by a burly and ever-present security guard, he’s quiet and reserved but polite, greeting everyone with a northern accent that’s been slightly tweaked by his years in LA. Immediately, you’re struck by his presence. A certain sort of wanton sex appeal that even the most hardened of critics couldn’t resist radiates when he looks you in the eye, something he’s careful to do when you are in conversation. (A recent study suggested Styles’ sea foam-green eye colour was the most beautiful in human existence.) He’s dressed in a fitted baby tee and low-slung jeans, kept just so by an umber-brown belt, and finished with a crochet skull beanie that reads ‘attainable’, though I am not quite sure it would look as uncontrived on anyone else. He wears clothes unbelievably well. But that we already knew: the aforementioned face of Gucci is often feted as our generation’s Bowie in his fearless, genderless and boundary-less approach to fashion. He’s donned a frilly gown on a Vogue cover and gets your grandma’s cardi (OK, it was actually JW Anderson) a permanent spot in the V&A. Our shoot is no exception in bringing on the glam. As photographer Rafael Pavarotti readies his camera, Dazed’s editor-in-chief Ibrahim Kamara takes Styles through the proposed looks for the shoot. He immediately grabs an angelic cream look of a Rick Owens webbed sweater, a Galliano corset, and a Comme des Garçons kitten heel from the splatter of Polaroids affixed to the wall. A psychedelic Prada jumpsuit complete with Swarovski choker is another favourite, and a Balenciaga look with top-hat aplomb is quickly greenlit. At ease in front of the camera, he slips from one look to another, each more fantastically concocted than the last. He’s the right side of confident and seems, through observation, content.
All clothes COMME DES GARCONS HOMME PLUS, tights and socks as before, leather shoes MAISON MARGIELA Photography Rafael Pavarotti Styling Ibrahim Kamara
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Wool long-john suit PRADA, stretch jersey printed gloves LAUREN PERRIN, socks, earrings, pendant necklace and shoes as before, crystal and gold-toneplated Harmonia choker SWAROVSKI Collection II Photography Rafael Pavarotti Styling Ibrahim Kamara
It’s a sum of parts that has worked well for Styles. His sophomore album, Fine Line (2019), went double platinum in the US and won him Grammy, Brit, and Ivor Novello awards, with Rolling Stone ranking it among its 500 Greatest Albums of All Time, a feat that he has finally had time to reflect on. “I think things are hitting me for the first time,” he says. “It really is the first opportunity where I felt like I had time to take it in since leaving home, to be honest. So, going forward, I’m just going to take things in as they’re happening – how nice some of those things are, how not nice some of those things are – and observe them. When we get back to some semblance of normality, I will check in with parts of myself and make sure I don’t lose myself again and get pulled back in.” While conquering music, he dipped his toes into the silver screen with a role in Christopher Nolan’s Dunkirk (2017). He used a world tour that was paused due to Covid to take on a trio of new movie roles. He has a much-anticipated role in Don’t Worry Darling, a psychological thriller set in a utopian California starring Midsommar’s Florence Pugh. Directed by Olivia Wilde, whom Styles began dating during filming, the film isn’t due for release until September 2022. An 11-second clip has been ripped on to fan accounts and cumulatively got over a million views on YouTube. His relationship with Wilde has been a daily feature of celebrity gossip rags, though the privacy around it is closely guarded by Styles and images of them together are scarce.
It’s a far cry from the vision of the fairly sheepish Harry Styles from One Direction: 16 years old, with a mop of curls. Despite the group’s mega-success of over 70m albums sold worldwide, we perhaps never knew the potential of what lay beneath until the release of Harry Styles (2017), his breakaway solo album after the group’s hiatus and a revealing look at someone whose enigma had been overshadowed by headlines and hysteria.
“I was 16 (when One Direction started), I just kind of finished school and didn’t really know what it was that was happening,” he explains. “Everything was really new and exciting and I didn’t know how long everything was gonna last. It kind of became like, ‘Woah, how long can we keep this going?’ because I really didn’t expect any of this to happen. “There was a time when I was younger, and I was in the band, when I would have been afraid for everything to have stopped. I didn’t necessarily know who I was if I wasn’t in the band. Now, the idea of people going, ‘We don’t like your music any more, go away’ doesn’t scare me. I think there was a time when it did. It gives me the freedom to kind of go, ‘Great!’ I’m not working from a place of fear. I’m working from a place of wanting to work stuff out, and try different things.”
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All clothes BALENCIAGA, silk hat IBRAHIM KAMARA for COMME DES GARÇONS, stretch jersey printed gloves LAUREN PERRIN, tights, earrings and shoes as before Photography Rafael Pavarotti Styling Ibrahim Kamara
“I’ve always tried to compartmentalise my personal life and my working life,” he explains. Paparazzi snaps suggest the two are very much in love, though any assumptions on his love life are curtailed for his Dazed cover story.
My Policeman, an adaptation of Bethan Roberts’s 2012 novel, centres on husband Tom Burgess, played by Styles, and wife Marion Taylor, played by Emma Corrin. Set in Brighton in the 1950s, the film follows David Dawson’s character Patrick as he falls in love with policeman Tom and a tug of war of emotions between the three begins. The story explores homosexuality at a time when it was expressly forbidden. Both films offered Styles room to grow as an actor.
“I like to challenge myself and do something different and movies are definitely where I feel most out of my comfort zone,” he reflects. “I’m coming from music where I don’t think anyone really knows how it works, but I am somewhat in my comfort zone! But in movies, when I show up, I’m the new guy. I haven’t been (an actor) for a long time and that’s really cool, I feel like I’ve learned so much and life is about learning.”
And as much as acting is an education, it’s also incredibly personal for Styles. “(With acting), you’re trying to remove a lot of yourself and key into someone else,” he explains. “On the most basic level, it’s like being a kid and you’re playing pretend. I am not a very confrontational person, I think I’m pretty chill, so then when you have a character who is like that, it’s fun to explore.” Styles has never had formal acting lessons, and instead reads scripts with a partner and immerses himself in the “humanity of the character”.
All clothes ERDEM ARCHIVE, polyester lace gloves MISCREANTS, tights, rings and shoes as before, crystal mesh hood SWAROVSKI, crystal and gold-plated Orbita pendant necklace SWAROVSKI Collection I, crystal and gold-plated Harmonia bangles SWAROVSKI Collection II Photography Rafael Pavarotti Styling Ibrahim Kamara
In October, the Twitterverse erupted after Variety’s Matt Donnelly spotted Styles’ blink-and-you’ll-miss-it role as Eros in Eternals, the newest mega-movie in the Marvel Cinematic Universe, directed by Oscar winner Chloé Zhao. Styles cautiously checks the publication date of this Dazed story before confirming his inclusion as the brother of villain Thanos. “I’m only in right at the very end,” he says humbly. “But who didn’t grow up wanting to be a superhero, you know? It was a great experience and I’m so “I think music and acting really aid each grateful to have gotten to work with Chloé.”
other in a lot of ways. In my experience, a lot of the time when I’ve gone to do a film I’ve felt like, ‘Oh, I’m probably not gonna do any music for a while because I’ll be so focused on that’. And then I actually find that, by the time I get home at the end of the day, I just write so much. Any time you are looking at the world through someone else’s lens and exploring different emotions, it feels like a benefit in so many ways.”
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
With his career expanding from global to almost stratospheric proportions, Styles has made room for other projects instead of taking any iota of spare time for himself. Namely, Pleasing, his shape-shifting umbrella company that will see him take the leap from musician to mogul. The first drop from the Pleasing universe? A curated line of products that speak to the celebratory beauty sensibility that Styles is known for. He talks me through the genesis of Pleasing from his hotel room in Boston, while massaging his undereye with The Pleasing Pen, a dual-ended eye and lip serum infused...
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...with okra, marshmallow and lingonberry, a delicious-sounding concoction that I’m told helps with tired eyes. “It was an idea I’d kind of had for a while,” he describes. “I’d been talking with a couple of people close to me, like Molly (Hawkins, Styles’ creative director). Firstly, I just thought it would be fun but, in actuality, Pleasing is about a couple of things.”
“It’s starting with nail polish, because that was kind of the birth of what it was for,” Styles continues. “Me seeing a colour on a flower or a wallpaper or something and thinking, ‘Oh, I wanna put that on my nails’. It was a fun little project, but during the pandemic, and when we eventually named it Pleasing, it felt like it was so much more than nail polish. I’ve always found that the moments in my life which have brought me the most joy are the small ones, whether it be, you know, the end of the night under the stars or a bite of food, or sitting with your friends thinking, ‘Oh, I’m never gonna forget this’. It’s always those moments that I find have the longest-lasting effect on me, in terms of sparking something wonderful in me. I really think that the essence of Pleasing is finding those little moments of joy and showing them to people.” The collection cleverly eschews the usual cosmetic tropes of concealment and masking, and instead celebrates illumination: highlighting what’s already there, in a way that democratises who can see themselves as part of the Pleasing cosmos. The product line starts small, though I have been promised there is more to come, in a sporadic drop-style format: a ‘Pearlescent Illuminating’ serum, ‘Pleasing Pen Matte’ lip oil, and ‘Perfect Pearl’ nail polish, all of which have been mindfully and sustainably made. “I don’t think that putting someone’s face on something sells a bad product,” says Styles firmly. “The product has to be good, and I think our product is good.” The lustrous finish of the plant-based nail polish was created to mimic the iridescence of pearls (a string around his neck being one of the star’s signature flourishes). Styles and his team have created the Pleasing line with the lightest possible footprint in mind, using post-consumer plastics and compostable paper printed with bio-sourced inks. “We also totally understand that we are putting more product into the world, so if we’re gonna do that, then we have to do it the right way,” says Styles, his hand gestures showing off a marigold and optic white manicure.
“I also think that what this can become is so much more than just products you can buy. I think it’s about giving, and giving back. I am blessed to have fans who are so supportive of me, who believe in freedom and who have created this safe space for each other. Pleasing is really for them. That feeling of community is kind of what we would like Pleasing to (reflect).” Cotton corset JOHN GALLIANO ARCHIVES, mohair distressed knitted jumper RICK OWENS, organic cotton and jersey shorts PAOLO CARZANA, tights, socks, earrings, rings and shoes as before, crystal and aluminium Dulcis necklace SWAROVSKI Collection I Photography Rafael Pavarotti Styling Ibrahim Kamara
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Styles is transparent about his approach to Pleasing. Business and money-making aside, he wants to build a platform that can put ideas, creativity, and empathy front and centre. “I think we have an opportunity to make something really cool, a company that operates in a completely different way,” he says. “I think the true DNA of Pleasing is about working with talented people who might not necessarily have the light shone on them, and collaborating.” A humanistic approach to a beauty company is a novel idea, though a complicated one. Can a modern beauty brand really ask you to come-as-you-are and buy into the added extras? Styles doesn’t seem put off by the challenge. “As humans, we are always changing we’re always learning new stuff and I don’t know why a company can’t operate from that same kind of standpoint.” It’s a venture that leaves Styles, whose public persona has been carefully and sensibly guarded, open in a way that he hasn’t been before. “We’re Pleasing and we’re not perfect, and we are always gonna be trying to learn to do better,” he admits. “Do I have any idea where Pleasing will be in five years? No. Obviously I have an idea of what I would like us to be aiming at, but honestly, I don’t know. That’s what makes it exciting to me.”
I ask him when he feels his most beautiful. “I don’t think being beautiful or feeling beautiful is about looking good. When people are happy and glowing, they’re radiating. And that’s what I think the products do, it’s about helping you feel beautiful.” He pauses thoughtfully, and repeats my question back to me, “Hmm, when do I feel my most beautiful? I would say internally, when I’ve finished meditating or something… Or maybe when I’m asleep!” he giggles. All clothes and tights COMME DES GARÇONS, silk hat IBRAHIM KAMARA for COMME DES GARÇONS, earring set and shoes as before, crystal and metal Dextera ear-cuff worn on bottom of left ear SWAROVSKI Collection II Photography Rafael Pavarotti Styling Ibrahim Kamara
“You know, I read another book by Jon Ronson called So You’ve Been Publicly Shamed,” continues Styles. “It got me thinking, for a long time, about how scared I was of saying or doing the wrong thing, and how much trouble that would get me in. I was still growing up, making mistakes. I’m not ashamed of those things any more. I’ve seen subconscious changes in a lot of places in my life.” Just as he’s trying to imagine what a beauty brand can mean for a younger generation, he’s also looking at the future possibilities of pop music, albeit starting from a clean slate. On the precipice of his Saturn’s Return (Styles turns 28 in February), he seems ready to enter a new, risk-taking and career-defining chapter. “I have unlocked an ability to be myself completely, unapologetically,” he says with conviction. “I started only listening to classical music because it felt like it gave me a blank canvas to work from. So I wasn’t hearing things I would then be referencing. I think that so much creativity comes from my boredom and giving myself the chance not to be distracted by things. I’m the most human I’ve felt in a long time, for sure.” Observing Styles in his different guises – heartthrob, musician, business owner, friend – the character that defines him now, more than ever, is himself. “I sometimes feel like I’m supposed to be floating on this cloud of success and happiness, and obviously that’s not how it works,” he muses. “I think through my own sense of self and personal journey, I am realising that happiness isn’t this kind of end state.” And just as Dorothy clicks her heels to return home in The Wizard of Oz, when Styles speaks about his journey from then to now, and everything the horizon could hold, it’s almost as if he is coming home.
DAZED Written by : Lynette Nylander
HOME I comment, more than once, on how at peace Styles, whose every move is writ large on the internet, seems. What he takes from his glam-rock icons (Prince, Freddie Mercury, Elvis Presley), he grounds in his everyday-ness. He’s never let his stardom eclipse his need for normalcy. “I read The Architecture of Happiness by Alain de Botton, and there’s a chapter where he talks about the idea of emptiness being more important than fullness,” he says. “How a lot of things can be really distracting, especially in the home. I think about the space that I want around me; I need it to
All clothes and cotton red circle MARCO RIBEIRO, tights and socks worn throughout IBKAMARASTUDIOS, leather kitten-heel shoes worn throughout COMME DES GARCONS HOMME PLUS, crystal and rhodium-plated Mesmera clip earring set and crystal and rhodium-plated Mesmera cocktail rings SWAROVSKI Collection I, white crystal and rhodium-plated Stella rings SWAROVSKI Collection II Photography Rafael Pavarotti Styling Ibrahim Kamara
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Audience, Algorithm And Virality: Why TikTok Will Continue To Shape Culture In 2021 TikTok will grow and broaden its appeal in 2021 for 4 key reasons: -Its algorithm and data set, currently second to none, will keep getting better. -It’s the easiest platform algorithm for users to train to feed them content they love -It’s highly accurate at targeting and connecting micro-cultures with content users crave -For creators, barriers to entry are low and they can gain followers more quickly than on any other platform. Earlier this year I asked Jordan Fox, Head of marketing agencies Laundry Service & Cycle, one of the sharpest people I know about digital marketing, to share what he thought were the most important trends for brands to focus on in 2021. At the top of his list was how TikTok will continue its trajectory to becoming an even bigger part of culture in the U.S. and globally. Here’s why we can expect that to happen.
TikTok Is Already Huge And Its User Base Spends A Lot Of Time on the Platform
An estimated 56% of U.S. consumers under 24 were on the platform last year. On average, they spent 52 minutes per day, and among pre-teens and teens, it’s estimated to be about 80 minutes. Among some demo’s that’s more than Netflix or YouTube. According to CNBC, as of August 2020, TikTok had about 100 million monthly active U.S. users, up nearly 800% percent from Jan. 2018, and the app had been downloaded approximately 2 billion times globally. In China there are around 600 million daily active users on Douyin, TikTok’s Chinese version. These numbers matter, says Fox, because the larger the data set, the more accurately the algorithm predicts, and while consumer tastes vary from market to market, TikTok’s algorithm learns from ALL the global data.
TikTok employees tag/label/categorize multiple characteristics for each video including video type, music type, gender and demographics of the video’s subject, group vs. solo content, where it’s set, and what filters are used. The fact that TikTok measures each user’s behavior every few seconds and tracks exponentially more content than any other platform, makes the algorithm better and better at serving up what users will like. In 1 minute, TikTok’s micro-observations track at least 5-6 user measurements, multiplied by the average 52 minutes per user, can mean 300 data points per day and 9,000 data points per month, per user.
Great Platform Execution And Substantial Marketing Spend
“TikTok’s execution and user experience are exceptionally good,” says Fox. “It’s extremely fast, very stable, and rarely crashes.” The app’s success isn’t just the algorithm, it’s also execution and design. The platform gained traction because it’s so entertaining for each user, and because TikTok spent very heavily, marketing on YouTube, Instagram, Twitter, Facebook and in mobile games to gain awareness. In addition, in July 2020, TikTok announced it would give creators globally over $2 billion over the next three years via a Creator Fund to ensure it has great content. $1 billion of that. will be in the United States.
TikTok Engages Micro, Cross-Sectional Interest Communities The platform is masterful at providing content for very specific, granular, micro-subcultures. TikTok amplifies and creates custom environments for each. It’s easier for micro-culture members to find each other on TikTok vs. Facebook Groups, where users have to search and opt-in to find their group. According to Wei, TikTok helps interest groups find each other quickly and branch off into their own spaces. Superior Algorithm The platform is masterful at providing content for very specific, granular, TikTok’s owner, ByteDance, made a huge investment designing the micro-subcultures. TikTok amplifies and creates custom environments for algorithm to be highly nuanced and accurate for each TikTok user. To each. It’s easier for micro-culture members to find each other on TikTok quote Wei, “TikTok’s design helps its algorithm see.” Other top platform vs. Facebook Groups, where users have to search and opt-in to find their algorithms depend on users inputting searches. TikTok is much less group. According to Wei, TikTok helps interest groups find each other work for users. It observes myriad aspects of behaviors and preferences quickly and branch off into their own spaces. automatically, with less need for users to follow anyone. Wei calls it TikTok has special features like Duet, that enable others to superimpose passive personalization: learning through user consumption. As a result, their own variations on an original post. The viral Sea Shanty video of user training of the algorithm to assemble their personalized interest graph a young Irishman singing iconic, acapella tunes of his culture that were feels effortless and enjoyable. ripped and posted by others in harmony, is a great example. This ability For each video, TikTok measures many parameters of viewer behavior: to join in with a very specific, niche interest area, creates communities. Swipe-ups, swipe-aways, pauses, hovers, re-watches, number of repeat Because it’s so easy to create TikToks, funny ideas that everyone can viewings, videos not fully watched, shares, if the user taps into the relate to, like the husband and wife comedy videos, invite others to jump creator’s profile page, if they followed them, who follows them, views of on. Other examples of micro subcultures on TikTok are frog TikTok, Alt their other videos, where it’s watched, when it’s watched, on what type of TikTok, Cottage Core and Anime TikTok. device, past videos watched, and viewer demographics and psychographics.
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What goes viral tends to be positive, happy, fun, creative, danceable, and singable. Another instance of incredibly viral, singable content was the “Ratatouille Musical” that took over the app this past Fall. What started as a small subculture on the app skyrocketed and turned into a full-fledged production, with hundreds of creators getting involved writing, choreographing, and performing a musical based on Disney’s 2007 movie, Ratatouille. While Disney had no control over the content or trend, it began making references to the musical on their official social media pages. The communal project culminated in an online performance featuring Broadway veterans like André De Shields, Tituss Burgess, and Andrew Barth Feldman. The performance raised over $2,000,000 for The Actors Fund.
TikTok Is About Authenticity, And Real Environments Help
It’s all about capturing unfiltered, unstaged real life, and production value is less important. That’s why we see so much TikTok content filmed in bathrooms, bedrooms, living rooms and kitchens. The Washington Post’s TikTok is filmed inside an apartment. There’s been a rise in “TikTok houses” like Hype House, a mansion in Los Angeles with a giant backyard, pool, and kitchen, where members can collaborate and create TikTok Videos, or Flight House, a creative studio that also promotes TikTok creator collaboration and creativity. It’s an adjustment for brands, who are accustomed to filming on designed sets.
It’s Easy To Be A Creator
Because it’s so easy to use, anyone can be a creator. Witness the middle age Ocean Spray user in Idaho Falls, who chugged a quart size bottle of Ocean Spray while riding his skateboard and listening to Fleetwood Mac that went viral. At last count it had over 69 million views. The cool Ocean Spray CEO leaned in and amplified the popular post, skateboarding himself with the product. “The Love it Couldn’t Wear It” trend happening right now shows people showing off outfits they had planned to wear in 2020, but couldn’t once COVID hit. Now there are iterations featuring Sophia Vergara, adorable babies, and pets in outfits. Other notable examples are the simple baked feta pasta dish that recently become a thing, and countless dance trends with families participating together during COVID. Other themes doing well include DIY, unboxing, simple sports, and fitness. Typical Brand Content Doesn’t Perform Well on TikTok and It’s Hard to Have An Organic Strategy, Though Paid Amplification Helps Since there are no guarantees brand posts and challenges will go viral, it’s not a strategy. The most difficult and least certain way is for a brand to create content on its own TikTok. Successful content on TikTok is very personal and creator driven, and brands don’t usually have individualized personalities. Brand content is typically in the “third person” which does well on Instagram and Twitter, but not on TikTok, whose users vote with their thumbs and reject polished, “ad-looking” brand content. While it may be difficult for brands to sit back and let the TikTok community take the reins on content, user generated content comes across as far more authentic than strict ads and does far better on the For You Page. It’s typically better for brands to provide fun challenges that young, talented creators and fans can respond to, like Chipotle’s “build your best order” challenge to win $10,000. Fans & creators shared their favorite Chipotle combinations, reinforcing its delicious ingredients and customization, and encouraging fans to experiment more and try the winning combinations. Influencers and creators, paid to generate content for brands, conduct “unboxings,” reviews, and taste-tests that appeal to the casual nature of TikTok, while maintaining their own personal brand aesthetic. According to content creator and influencer Gabriela Vascimini, who works with lifestyle, food, and fashion content and is known as @gab_nyc on TikTok, “Creating branded content on TikTok is all about balance. Users want to feel like they’re FaceTiming a friend, not watching a commercial, but it’s also important to create content that looks good. Well-lit videos do better with the algorithm, and catch users’ eye when scrolling through their For You Pages. The best branded TikToks blend seamlessly with my non-branded content, from both an
aesthetic and content standpoint.”
TikTok’s Livestreaming Can Be Great For Brands
The livestream function allows creators to interact with their followers in real time: asking questions in a rolling feed or sending emoji-like reactions. Livestreams can appear on users’ For You Pages. Users listen to their favorite creators answer questions and chat with them for hours discussing their favorite new products and brands. It’s particularly effective for sharing sponsored skincare routines, as users watch the creators discuss and apply products brands send them.
How Brands Can Improve At TikTok
For brands, viral success on the platform is not predictable or guaranteed. According to Mike Mikho, CMO of Laundry Service, there are 3 primary things brands need to do to succeed: - Have a reason to be there. Don’t just show up. Think about why the algorithm should serve the content to anyone. What is it doing for the target community? Will it make them feel happy, entertained, inspired, amused, creative? - Be self-aware, honest, and offer content that makes sense given how people talk about the brand. This requires first listening to conversations to figure out how to fit in. Content developers need to be users. Chipotle, for example, does a great job understanding how their audience feels, talks about and depicts their brand. - Brands need a physical space or environment to create content that’s authentic, like a scrappy kitchen, viewers can identify with. TikTok can help brands find the right influencers who will know how to create those environments and who will extend brand reach. Factors cited by others include: - The right music is very important. It helps to go with popular tunes that are easy to search and find, or subtle, soothing sounds like ASMR calming/relaxing sounds that are designed to make people feel good. - Agencies with TikTok expertise can significantly increase success. - TikTok can help guide and increase success odds by amplifying brand challenges with in-feed videos, and creating custom branded lenses.
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HOW TO BECOME AN INFLUENCER Social media influencers are all the rage right now. Brands want to collaborate with them in order to expand their reach and drive conversions. The followers of influencers, on the other hand, look forward to expert advice and recommendation from them. Are you wondering how to become one yourself? With the popularity of influencer marketing, it is only natural that people are becoming increasingly curious about how to become an influencer. However, building and retaining a community of devoted followers isn’t as easy as it appears to be. It requires consistent effort on an influencer’s part. Before we discuss some useful tips on how to become an influencer, let’s take a deeper look at the concept of social media influencers. Decoding the Enigma of Influencers In simple terms, influencers are social media personalities with a large number of loyal and engaged followers. Most influencers share a friendly rapport with their fans. The fans, in turn, often regard these influencers as role models and follow their recommendations. In fact, influencers are often perceived as authority figures or experts in their respective niches. Want to know why they are so influential? Owing to the accessibility of social media platforms, influencers are able to establish personal connections with their followers. Unlike traditional celebrities, their lives aren’t shrouded in an air of mystery. This is what gives them sway over their audience. Instead, influencers often reveal a glimpse of their personal lives to their followers. This is precisely what helps them establish friendly bonds with their fan base. Influencers are social media celebrities who have a certain amount of leverage with their fan communities. The most significant factor that distinguishes influencers from high-profile celebrities is that the former adds their unique and authentic voices to their content. This helps them earn the trust and loyalty of their followers. In fact, 70% of millennials claim to be more influenced by bloggers than celebrities. It is also important to ensure that your content is grammatically correct and has the right tone. You can achieve that by using the ProWritingAid style
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What are the Perks of Becoming an Influencer?
Digital marketers and brands have realized the importance of collaborating with influencers. The biggest advantage of influencer marketing is that it gives marketers direct access to an influencer’s loyal fan base. It also saves marketers the trouble of identifying and targeting the right audiences. That painstaking task has already been done by the influencer. That is why 86% of marketers used influencer marketing in 2017. And who doesn’t enjoy being able to impact other people’s lives and influence their decisions? In fact, according to gen.video, the most effective and trusted source of driving conversions are social media influencers. This clearly indicates that influencers have the power to persuade their followers.
What are the Challenges Faced by Influencers?
Today, many people aspire to become influencers. It does seem like a lucrative career option and life choice for many people. However, behind all of the glitz and glamour of an influencer’s social media profile, there lies a truckload of hard work and patience. Building and retaining a loyal fan following on social media platforms isn’t a cakewalk. This is becoming increasingly difficult as more people are trying to become influencers. Thus, earning the trust of your followers is a painstaking task. It takes persistent effort on your part to make your content authentic and grab the attention of your audience. And, as an influencer, you have to be extremely cautious when collaborating with brands. Your followers become loyal due to the personal and honest touch you add to your content. Bombarding them with sponsored content can harm your reputation as a social media influencer and disengage your followers.
Identify Your Niche
If you want to become an influencer, you can’t expect to be a “jack (or jane) of all trades, master of none.” It is crucial that you pick a niche that aligns with your image.
An easy way to select your niche is to evaluate your strengths and weaknesses. Choose a niche that allows you to showcase your strengths and hone your skills further. Deciding on a particular niche will help you streamline your audience and tailor your content to suit their preferences. Typically, when deciding on how to become an influencer, you can choose one of the following categories: -Travel -Lifestyle -Fashion -Food -Beauty -Sports -Gaming -Entertainment -Tech -Health and Fitness You don’t have to limit yourself to just one of these categories. You can combine two or more of these niches. Make sure the individual niches align with one another. For instance, you can combine travel and lifestyle or beauty and fashion when you decide on your niche. It is not mandatory for you to stick to these established and well-known niches. The key to becoming a social media influencer is adding your unique voice to everything you do. So, don’t hesitate to experiment and carve your own niche that allows you to exhibit your strengths as well as your quirks.
ADDISON RAY
Pick Your Platform
As an influencer, you need to have a powerful presence on the internet. However, that doesn’t mean that you should use all of the social media platforms and distribution channels out there. Depending on your niche, certain platforms might be better suited for your content than others. Example: For instance, if you are a fashion blogger, Instagram would work better for your visual content than other platforms such as Twitter and LinkedIn. In fact, 93% of social media influencers prefer Instagram as it delivers the best results. However, that doesn’t mean that you should focus all of your effort on Instagram if your niche doesn’t align with the platform. You should also consider the platform that your audience is most likely to use. For instance, if your target audience includes millennials, you should focus your effort on Snapchat and Instagram. If you choose to utilize multiple social media platforms, make sure that you tailor your content for each channel.
MR. BEAST
Prioritize Your Content High-quality content is perhaps the most potent answer to the question of how to become an influencer. It is extremely important to publish unique and authentic content that resonates with your audience. In fact, this is the only way to keep your audience hooked to your content.
EMMA CHAMBERLIN
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