Breaking Free from Beauty’s Captivity? ---“Anti-Beauty Duty” Influencer Culture

Abstract

My thesis focuses on the beauty and “anti- beauty” influencer culture in Japan and mainland China. The Japanese beauty influencer has become an important trend in the beauty industry by promoting a cute image, an aesthetic deeply rooted in Japanese culture’s emphasis on feminine softness and youthfulness. The commercialization of kawaii culture is reflected in the cooperation with beauty brands, where influencers drive sales and attract consumers. Now, contrast that with China’s Xiaohongshu, where we see the rise of “anti-beauty duty” activism symbolizes women's liberation and challenging postfeminist consumerism with acts such as shaving inches, which has gradually been infiltrated by commercial forces. This brings me to the core question I am trying to answer, which is how kawaii culture reinforces female body regulation through beauty bloggers. Besides, compared with the Japanese beauty industry, while the “anti-beauty duty” activism has emerged in influencer culture, there is a complex social and commercial logic behind it. Does the activism truly challenge platform capitalism, or have they been commercially deconstructed to become new traffic codes? To answer these questions, I conducted a comparative study using digital ethnography, in-depth interviews with influencers on Xiaohongshu, and online content observation and analysis. I argue that firstly, influencers make money by selling “authenticity” through the processes of affective labor. Secondly, even when people try to resist beauty norms, platforms and brands redirect that energy back into consumerism. Digital feminism in China is caught in a loop where rebellion is quickly absorbed, repackaged, and resold, making it difficult to escape the cycle of capitalism