Most people have developed a habit of searching TikTok for reviews of products before purchasing them. Rather than reading reviews on a website that seem entirely fake, seeing real people try a product makes it feel more genuine. This, however, is not the case. 

TikTok reviews are especially contradictory when it comes to  microtrends, which tend to fade quickly.  

A recent microtrend, for example, involved makeup products by Dior. Whether it is their lip oil or blush, the products are known to be low quality and overpriced, but many people bought them for a few months due to their cute packaging and social media popularity. 

Influencers use their platform to promote products, whether they are being paid for it or just sharing their favorites. Generally, this is not an issue but it has become one as people encourage others to buy products that are not worth it.

Microtrends seem to have peaked during the quarantine period, where people were more influenced by social media because they were at home. During this time, fashion trends such as animal print, makeup trends such as heavy eyeliner, and indie music all gained popularity. Now that everyone has returned to their regular way of life, many trends from that time period are viewed as cringeworthy.

People are less aware of current microtrends, believing that they will last because they are more toned-down compared to previous trends. They are also now specific to niche communities, varying based on aesthetics. Also, rather than buying from popular fast-fashion websites like Shein and Aliexpress, people have shifted their attention towards small shops that cater to these aesthetics. 

While they are not aware of it, many of these shops also participate in dropshipping, selling the same products from fast fashion sites, but by marketing them in a way that is more appealing, they are able to convince consumers that they are worth more money.

As microtrends occur, however, there has been a rise in “de-influencing” along with it. While there are plenty of people encouraging others to buy popular products, there are just as many people who are telling them to not. 

The harm in this is that it is hard to filter out what is credible and what is not. When talking about the same products, there are people who say that it is the best purchase they have ever made, while others say that it is poor quality, overpriced, and overhyped. This makes it incredibly difficult for consumers to get real reviews.