de-influencing

De-influencing is when creators tell their followers what not to buy, or encourage them to buy less, instead of promoting products. It flips the usual influencer pitch on its head.

What de-influencing means

Oxford describes it as discouraging people from buying particular products, or encouraging them to reduce what they consume. A typical de-influencing video runs through viral products the creator thinks are overhyped: the $50 lip oil that’s just okay, the gadget that broke in a week, the skincare everyone “needs” that you really don’t.

Examples

• “Let me de-influence you from that viral hair tool. Save your money.”
• “De-influencing: you don’t need a $70 water bottle.”
• “Her de-influencing videos have saved me hundreds of dollars.”

Where it came from

The trend took off on TikTok at the start of 2023. The Associated Press said it wasn’t clear exactly how it began, but one early video came from a former Ulta and Sephora employee listing products customers returned most often. Know Your Meme points to a December 30, 2022 video by a creator introducing herself as an ex-Sephora worker who was there to “deinfluence.” By late February 2023, the hashtag had around 208 million TikTok views, according to eMarketer.

It made Oxford’s shortlist for Word of the Year in 2023 and appeared on Collins Dictionary’s list that year too.

Is de-influencing still influencing?

Often, yes. The AP noted that many de-influencers recommend cheaper alternatives instead, sometimes with affiliate links, which still ends with followers buying something. An eMarketer headline put it bluntly: “De-influencing is still influencing.” The more sincere version, buying less overall, is the one closest to the original idea.

Related terms

• Loud budgeting: openly saying no to spending.
• Doom spending: spending to cope with stress.
• Girl math: joking logic for justifying purchases.
• GRWM: get ready with me.

See more terms like this in our TikTok slang guide.