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Abstract

This dissertation focused on studying a niche culture within YouTube called ‘Get Ready With Me’ (GRWM) videos. These videos consist of young women, who are all particularly interested in make-up and using the ‘power of makeup’ to transform a look. Social media platforms are influential within society through reinforcing socially accepted norms, which is correlated within the make-up industry to reinforce a standard of appearance. This causes extreme issues for women to conform to an unrealistic attraction level daily. This study focuses on key issues within expectations towards women’s appearance, which are reproduced through social media platforms and society. This study highlights issues of negative emotions towards the self without makeup, in comparison to positive emotions whilst wearing makeup. Highlighting the issue that make-up is deemed to be the reason as to how we achieve the expected levels of appearance. Through analysing YouTube videos through a media analysis and thematically coding the data, this research was able to confide in these issues and understand creators justifications behind their choices. This found that most women preferred themselves with makeup and all used makeup to enhance specific features or change their face to conform to these expected features. This research reflects the major issues within the make-up industry for women by emphasising that the natural self is not worthy of being attractive.

Course: Sociology - BSc (Hons) - C0315

Date Deposited: 2022-06-06

URI/permalink: https://library.port.ac.uk/dissert/dis13929.html