The art of influencing

SHE GOES by the name of lovelumi on Instagram, or Lumi as she likes to call herself.
A secretary assistant by day, beauty enthusiast by night. Her unique moniker derived from the word 'lumiere' which means light in French accurately reflects her personality as a person; funny, whimsical, and mischievous almost.
Staying true to her name, the 27-year-old beauty maven wants to be the light that brightens up the people around her and herself.
Lumi's obsession towards cosmetics and skincare started to manifest when she was 20.
After reading blogs from Jane Chuck and other venerable influencers, she discovered the potential of earning money through blogging but later realised that it wasn't the best reason to pursue it.
She asked: "If your intention was to earn money as the priority then where is your passion?"
Given the rise of the social media landscape in the last decade, her shift from blogging to Instagram was bound to happen and surely, it did.
She continues to work with brands to share relevant insights, giveaways and honest opinions on product reviews to her legion of socially savvy audiences while fostering and build relationships with her established fan base.
Her approach of honest opinions becomes an alternative approach for brands to understand how the general public truly feel about the products, at the same time acts as a wake-up call for the brands to develop products that are actually good.
She explained: "Putting on make-up is not about trying to impress anyone; it's about feeling good about yourself and being comfortable in it. There is no rule except to have fun exploring and finding a look that brings out the best in you."
Despite her first surge in popularity was at the height of blogging craze, and herself as a niche influencer among the well-established, in fact, Lumi never really acknowledge herself as an influencer.
She feels very much relatable to the other people in just being in her own skin.
"Up until today I don't know what to call myself, except that I am just a sales person online, I guess you can call me that for the reviews I did," she jokingly said.
"It's not that I am straying myself away from the label, I just want to be myself rather than trying to pull off a certain persona."
Lumi's strong perception towards the elaborated phenomenon of social influencers flexing their wealth nowadays was made unquestionably clear.
In a statement she posted on Instagram together with an unboxing video parody, she warned: "What you're about to see next are things that could either trigger (most) social influencers while some would nod and laugh in agreement."
"I mean there's nothing wrong with unboxing packages or swatching products because I'm also guilty as charged for most of it."
Then she clarified: "There's no specific reason to why I made these except that I find it funny and it's just for fun! I hold no responsibility for potential hate shade but I'd gladly take the blame for medical wheezing problems from laughing too hard."
Her satire humour shed light on the obvious of unspoken truth that many are afraid to mention.
Yet, by gently poking fun of the matter albeit being unapologetic and so nonchalant at it, she certainly isn't afraid to be outspoken, disregarding that some might be offended.
Nevertheless, she respects and understands what the influencers are trying to achieve.
She took the opportunity to address some misconceptions many have about them, "While they are seen receiving free luxurious items and luxe pampering, some are struggling in an attempt to monetise the business."
Through her full-time job, Lumi is able to familiar herself in managing documents and paperwork and has become exceptionally perceptive when it comes to handling contracts.
She said: "Many young influencers view opportunities as an exchange to fame, thus overlooking the fine details within the given contract."
So what truly constitutes an influencer, when social media following can be easily bought to increase the perceived influence?
She questions the legitimacy of some, "You don't need numbers, and material goods to get you recognised as a person, and neither will they get you recognised on the streets."
Truth is, not all influencers are brought up equally.
Some brands invest in prominent high-profiles with hefty following and readership, some prefer a large cast of smaller authentic forces, and others embrace both power figures and niche personalities.