The rise of influencers and relatability culture has not only produced but has also promoted, and simultaneously made uncool, the trend of photoshopping one’s photos.

Comedian-influencer duo Sarah Schauer and Brittany Broski dive into Facetune, being on brand and misogyny in their latest podcast episode of “Violating Community Guidelines.”

Broski, known on TikTok for her relatable style of content, said she does not filter or alter her photos anymore.

“It’s this alternate reality I think a lot of us live in. We curate our identity online and that is somehow supposed to be reflective of who we are in real life — and it’s simply not,” Broski said. Makeup was previously a means to an end for Broski, who admitted to taking photos and editing them just to put on dating apps. Co-host Sarah Schauer, most notable for a similar style of content on the now defunct Vine, said that makeup is a mask for them.

Schauer is nonbinary and feels more connected to people when she can mask the less societally accepted version of themself.

The duo’s image of relatability is ultimately the crux of their careers as influencers, which made Broski stop editing her photos. As a public figure whose fans enjoy her raw style of humor, participating in heavy editing could hurt her audience and undermine her brand.

Schauer has moved away from short-form video content and is most active on their Twitter account, making her personality in written form more relatable to fans, as compared to Broski’s more visual branding.

Schauer still edits their photos and cites instances of teasing from fans about their looks as one catalyst for it. Forced relatability, like celebrities not wearing makeup just to seem more “normal,” is just as strange to Schauer.

Cycle trends are becoming quicker because of social media, and audiences are becoming more knowledgeable about the tricks influencers use to try and make money.

Broski recalls seeing unedited photos of celebrities’ skin texture for the first time in college and being shocked. 

“It should not come as a shock to see what a real celebrity’s skin looks like,” Broski said, reflecting on the augmented reality she had previously believed these celebrities lived in.

On top of filters and photoshopping, celebrities are now shamelessly promoting cash-grab skin care lines and products.

Skin care can help you maintain your current skin, but if you want to look like Kim Kardashian, you have to have facials and procedures done. Her moisturizer is not going to do that.

Schauer pointed to “Stranger Things” actress Millie Bobby Brown starting a skin care line because she wanted to “learn more about beauty,” not because she already had qualifications or personal interest in it.

The obvious insincerity of influencers selling lies to their young audiences can create a phenomenon of self-objectification, which makes filters and editing oneself to be practically unrecognizable more appealing. 

As soon as young girls hit puberty, “it’s like a wall. This is now what is going to be expected of you and it’s just so painful,” Schauer said.

Broski could not see any positives in the democratization of editing software. “I would go as far as to say Facetune has done nothing but harm,” she said.

“Violating Community Guidelines” can be streamed on Apple Podcasts, Spotify and Amazon Music. There are new episodes available every Monday.