ASMR (also known as the autonomous sensory meridian response), is an immensely popular wave of content best categorized by producing feelings of relaxation or “tingles” across the body. There are many different avenues to produce ASMR sounds or videos, but influencers and brands have recently latched on to one in particular: the beauty industry.
The Appeal of Beauty ASMR
The core of ASMR involves watching or listening to a video. The soothing motions or sounds made can be produced by whispering, crinkling paper, or softly dragging your fingers over a microphone. Some ASMR videos involve roleplay, where the creator will pretend to be offering a service and act out a scene, complete with relaxing music and satisfying sounds and motions. These types of videos are incredibly popular, and the beauty industry has caught on to what makes them so successful.
Taylor Darling, an ASMR Youtuber known as “ASMR Darling”, has over 2 million subscribers who love her relaxing roleplaying videos. Darling has many videos with titles like “ASMR Relaxing Scalp Massage” or “ASMR Day at the Spa” in which she creates scenes having to do with the beauty industry. Massages, makeovers, and haircuts are common themes. But what exactly draws viewers to Darling’s channel? Why are these videos so popular?
It really only takes watching a single video to explain, but the short answer is that beauty ASMR is incredibly soothing. You lay back and listen to sounds like soft music and scissors opening and closing as you get a “haircut”, or get satisfying tingles across your body as the motions and sounds mimic a scalp massage. Many people find self-care routines relaxing, and beauty ASMR copies this relaxation without actually needing to use any product.
Beauty Advertising in ASMR
It is obvious that beauty-themed ASMR is incredibly popular, so it follows that the beauty industry would find a way to capitalize off of this trend. Even though the videos themselves will not actually give you a makeover, they can easily advertise the products to do so yourself. The brand Lush produced a collaboration with ASMR Darling, paying her to create an ASMR video centered around a beauty routine of Lush products.
Bryan Oh, co-founder of Venn (a beauty company that uses ASMR to advertise), said in an interview with Glossy that, “Even though the person may not apply the product, at least through sound and visual, we might be able to indirectly convey what our products feel like.”
And even outside of videos, brands are pushing products with a satisfying texture or feel that can create ASMR tingles. Consider this article by BYRDIE about jelly masks that are “like ASMR”.
In short, the beauty industry is perfectly suited for the gentle, soothing motions of ASMR. It is self-care without the expensive appointments or products! The massive popularity of the genre also lets brands advertise their products in viral videos, allowing viewers to naturally associate them with the calm, satisfying tingles that come with ASMR.
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