Influencers Selling Self-Care

Self-care online often looks peaceful: candles, skincare, smoothies, journals, matching pajamas, and perfect morning routines. The message sounds healthy, but it can quickly become another shopping list.

Students are stressed, so it makes sense that self-care content is popular. We want someone to tell us how to feel better. But sometimes the advice is less about rest and more about buying products that make rest look attractive.

Real self-care can be boring. It might mean sleeping earlier, drinking water, asking for help, taking medication, setting boundaries, or doing homework before midnight. These things do not always look good in a photo.

Influencers are not automatically bad. Many share useful reminders. But students should notice when care becomes branding.

Self-care should not make people feel poorer, uglier, or less organized. If taking care of yourself requires buying a perfect version of yourself, something has gone wrong.