Image by Taylor Bencie
Trojan Horse Marketing in Beauty: Why It’s Unethical
Almost everyone has heard the story of the Trojan Horse: a supposed gift that turned out to be a trap. While it may sound like a tale from ancient history, the same tactic shows up in marketing today. Brands present us with glossy promises, but behind the polished surface lies deception.
The Problem with Filtered Reality
Beauty brands often airbrush images or use filters when promoting products. While polished visuals are expected in advertising, crossing the line into misrepresentation is different. If a foundation claims to give an airbrushed finish, it should be shown as it actually looks on skin. If a mascara is advertised, consumers deserve to see what the product can really do, not what added false lashes can fake.
A Recent Example
The beauty industry was reminded of this in 2023, when TikTok influencer Mikayla Nogueira faced backlash over a sponsored review of L’Oréal’s Telescopic Lift mascara. Viewers accused her of secretly wearing false lashes to exaggerate the mascara’s effect. Whether true or not, the backlash underscored a growing frustration among consumers. As beauty YouTuber Alissa Ashley put it: “When you have such a big platform, and you decide to use it to put a fabricated review up, that’s not OK. It affects the whole beauty community.”
Why It Matters
In beauty especially, trust is fragile. When consumers find out they have been misled, the damage doesn’t just affect one influencer or one brand, it impacts the entire industry. Instead of enhancing confidence, dishonest marketing feeds insecurity and skepticism.
The Bottom Line
Trojan Horse Marketing is not “just part of doing business.” It is unethical because it hides behind trust to push products. The whole point of makeup is to enhance beauty and give people confidence in their own skin, not make them feel worse because they don’t measure up to a fabricated image. In the end, deception may win a sale, but authenticity is what builds loyalty.
Skinfluence Strategy 