TheJakartaPost
Please Update your browser
Your browser is out of date, and may not be compatible with our website. A list of the most popular web browsers can be found below.
Just click on the icons to get to the download page.
Beyond the gloss: Navigating viral beauty trends and truths
In the quest for ultimate beauty, many people will do whatever it takes. Unfortunately, many are blinded by superficial trends in this era of influencers and social media.
Change text size
Gift Premium Articles
to Anyone
Share the best of The Jakarta Post with friends, family, or colleagues. As a subscriber, you can gift 3 to 5 articles each month that anyone can read—no subscription needed!
Empty perfume bottles are displayed during the Indonesia Cosmetic Ingredients (ICI) Expo and Seminar at JIExpo Kemayoran in Central Jakarta, which was held from May 29 to 31, 2024. Indonesia's beauty industry grew 21.9 percent in 2023. (JP/Sylviana Hamdani)
L
ate last year, Indonesia’s beauty scene was rocked by the arrest of Ria Agustina, known also as Ria Beauty, for performing complex aesthetic procedures without any medical degree. Despite never claiming to be a doctor, the influencer — boasting over 69,000 Instagram followers — created convincing posts and a polished persona that led many to believe she was a medical professional, highlighting a larger issue: the unchecked faith placed in viral beauty content.
Ria’s case is not unique. As Indonesia’s beauty industry expands, social media influencers play a larger role in shaping beauty trends — sometimes putting health and safety at risk.
Booming industry
Indonesia’s beauty industry has lately seen extraordinary growth, driven by a rising focus on self-care and personal appearance. In 2023, the sector expanded by 21.9 percent, with the cosmetics industry alone growing by 10.6 percent.
“The rapid growth of the beauty industry reflects a rising awareness of self-care among the public, alongside improvements in the nation’s economic landscape,” said Sancoyo Antarikso, chairman of the Association of Cosmetics Companies in Indonesia (Perkosmi), during the Indonesia Cosmetic Ingredients (ICI) Expo & Seminar in JIExpo Kemayoran, Jakarta, in May.
The market, valued at approximately Rp 140 trillion (US$8.55 billion), contributes around 6.8 percent to the national gross domestic product, second only to food and beverages.
