Why Beauty Vlogger Zoella IS a good role model for teenage girls

I recently read Chloe Hamilton’s article on The Independent entitled; ‘Of course, teenage girls need role models – but not like beauty vlogger Zoella- Her particular brand of sickly sweet girl power brings me out in hives.’ Whilst I haven’t written a blog in ages I thought this was the perfect topic to get myself back in the swing of things and of course, defend the innocent Zoella! (Zoe Sugg)

Whilst I see how Zoella could be deemed as sickly this paints her as fake and exaggerated and I don’t think this is fair. I have been an avid watcher of Zoe’s YouTube videos for about three years, and although in this time she has gained a lot of fame and fortune the content and fun of her videos has never changed. One of the reasons that Zoe makes videos entitled, ‘My everyday make-up routine’ and ‘festival hair tutorial’ is because this is what her viewers want. Scrolling through the comments on Zoe’s videos there is an endless want for tutorial videos and when she does put daily vlogs or other fun tutorials about cooking or D.I.Y many of her subscribers don’t feel satisfied with this. Whilst she may be showing young teenagers an ideal that many of them may feel they can’t reach, she never covers up the bad. One heartfelt vlog on her second channel recently showed her in floods of tears at the overwhelming feeling of it all being too much. In this video she quotes; ‘Although this is like, really personal for me to upload, it’s important that you guys know that when I say you literally see ten minutes of my day you literally see ten minutes of my day and you tubers can seem like they have the most perfect life but everything that you don’t see could be shit.’

Zoella is quite literally only giving her viewers what they want to keep them happy. In this same vlog she goes on to say; ‘I’m now feeling bad that this is my vlog for the day, I put a lot of pressure on myself and I take all your comments into consideration and I just want to make everyone happy.’

Zoe is a real person and whilst she may be sweet and hyperactive, what is wrong with that!?

Hamilton fails to mention the many deep, genuinely helpful videos Zoe has such as ‘Your skin doesn’t define you’ and ‘Sometimes it all gets a bit too much.’ Zoe, in no way encourages young girls to wear tons of makeup and wear the ‘right’ clothes, she instead provides helpful advice to how to feel comfortable in your own skin. In ‘your skin doesn’t define you Zoe sits in front of the camera completely make-up free and says;

‘If your watching this and you feel like you aren’t comfortable in your own skin and you don’t like how your face looks I just want you to know that nobody is perfect and if you’ve got spots or acne or blemishes or scaring or birthmarks or freckles or something about your face you don’t like your not the only person who has that and it’s normal it’s totally normal and it’s beautiful aswell.’

Zoe is encouraging girls to embrace themselves as they are and is showing them ways of enhancing features they already have with makeup, if they want to. Makeup, hair and clothes is Zoe’s passion if you’re not interested in these things then it’s simple. Don’t watch her videos. The audience of Zoella’s videos are girls that want to know what is new on the high street, and girls who want reviews of new makeup and beauty products. In recent months as Zoe’s audience has expanded what is expected of her has expanded also and it is completely impossible for her to keep everybody happy. In no way is she a bad role model, just because she is a naturally pretty, skinny young woman does not automatically put her in the category of a bad role mode.

I love Zoella and have done for many years. Her videos put a smile on my face and cheer me up when I’ve had a bad day. She is a positive role model and seems like a lovely person!