Influencers And Their Skin: Deon Hinton & Rickey Thompson
Am I the only one who follows specific people for their meticulous skincare routines? Because it seems like this obsession is infiltrating everyone I know. In the article, “Why Everybody’s Obsessed with Skin Care Right Now”, a 2017 study found that 7/10 women research their skincare products before making a purchase, and this is only subject to grow as the skincare company umbrella develops. The terrain surrounding skincare has changed considerably since then, with most consumers making sure to research the vocabulary surrounding all stages of skincare application, from serums and oils to acids, exfoliates and moisturiser. Influencers have capitalised on this, revealing which products they use and how effective it is for their skin type. This has created a situation where the topic of skincare provides an opportunity for self-development, self-love and marketisation, with celebrities – or at least, their flawless and hydrated skin – becoming the biggest proponents of certain brands. Here are a few of our current top favourites.
Deon Hinton
Deon Hinton in a Calvin Klein collaboration 2019.
Deon Hinton is a 22-year-old New York-based photographer, cinematographer, poet and model, who platforms his work on YouTube and Instagram. He is well-known for posting positive affirmations and discussion points with fans, constantly engaging with his 249k followers. With previous experience working with brands such as Dior, Maison Margiela, Berluti, Farfetch, and more, he can often be found participating in photoshoots and fashion events. Hinton often cites inspiration from his artistic photos back in high school, which caused him to be recognised as the “weird kid in school”. In an interview with Very Good Light, he said that “[social media] allows me to live and build this work for myself that nobody knew about in my reality. No one knew that I was struggling financially, no one knew that I didn’t have food to eat, or that I was sleeping on the floor. They saw a really cute picture of a boy smiling.”
Later in the interview, Hinton also drops his skincare routine. He uses a cleanser (Kate Sommerville Eradikate Daily Foaming Cleanser), toners (The Ordinary Glycolic Acid Toner and Hyaluronic Acid), and moisturiser (Drunk Elephant’s Protini Polupeptise Cream or Supergoop Everyday Lotion SPF 30), as well as Sunday Riley’s CEO Glow. He also creates skincare content, recently posting a YouTube video honestly critiquing a series of Drunk Elephant products. However, Instagram is Hinton’s biggest marketing tool - the glow of his own natural skin speaks for itself!
If you are interested in following someone who is naturally beautiful, has a positive attitude towards life, and sees humans for who they are rather than what they are perceived to be, then this influencer is for you. Deon Hinton creates content that enables and empowers others, and his honest reviews on skincare products and their visible results will not disappoint.
Rickey Thompson
Rickey Thompson is a 25-year-old social media influencer, best known for his comedic rants on Instagram and being a previous Vine superstar. Thompson has participated in many fashion runway collections both as a consumer and model, and also acts part-time (his Snapchat docuseries Road Trippin’, with Denzel Dion, debuted in 2020). Originally from North Carolina but now living in LA, Ricky is recognised as a skin transformation advocate. In his video, “How I got my skin CLEAR”, Thompson reveals his personal journey in skincare liberation, having suffered from breakouts in the past: “I used to feel so insecure about my skin and honestly I am so thankful for how my skin looks now. I literally wake up each and every morning like ‘Oh my god. I never thought I could have skin this smooth.’”
In a new and highly anticipated video on Instagram, Thompson takes us through his current skincare routine, first showing us his new cleanser, the Kale and Green Tea Spinach Vitamins Superfood Cleanser by Youth to the People (£12.00), and then his Super-berry Hydrate and Glow Dream Oil (£38.00), by the same brand. Thompson also uses a serum called the Summer Friday CC Me Serum (£57.00) for dark spots and finally his moisturiser, Superfood Air-Whip Moisture Cream (£42.00), also by Youth to the People.
These products are a little more on the expensive side, but the results are impeccable. Thompson’s skin has completely changed, and he cites a new-found confidence in his identity as a result. Already praised for his confidence as a visible queer person of colour, Thompson exudes conviction in taking up space as a successful social media influencer in his identity. When asked in an interview with SSENSE about the best way to gas himself up, he answered: “The best way to gas yourself up is to look at yourself in the mirror and see everything that’s working and be like, ‘Okay, I got this. If I can fix this, I got it.’ And that’s what I always do. I can always snap back real quick. I’ll look at myself in the mirror like, ‘Cute, cute, cute— we’re going to fix this.’ Then, I’ll pick out my outfit, and I’m like ‘Yes, this makes me look good.’ If you just tell yourself that you look popping, that you are everything, it will definitely work.”
Rickey Thompson in his recent Vogue Interview, 2021.
If you want to follow a social media influencer who radiates confidence, energy, and self-love, Rickey Thompson is for you. His skincare routine is simply an extension of the love he shows towards himself, keeping his health and his ‘bookings’ at the top of his priorities and demonstrating that success – both mental and physical – comes first and foremost from within and not without.