“Underconsumption core” pushes back against a culture of materialism.
It has become almost impossible to scroll through social media without seeing an ad pushing the latest toothbrush, face cream, or logo-covered T-shirt. But there’s a new buzz-phrase making the rounds on TikTok that’s in opposition to that buy-more, buy-now philosophy — and it’s focused on people boasting about using things they already own and use.
Influencers are racking up tens of thousands of views by promoting minimalism and frugality, whether they’re using their hand soap to the very last drop or reusing glassware passed down from their grandmother. Of course, this mindset’s nothing new — especially for those of us who’ve long been living on tighter budgets, or didn’t grow up with money. Still, some say the trend has many benefits, including encouraging people to be financially responsible and lead more environmentally friendly lifestyles. “For younger adults, some of it is maybe nostalgia, but it’s also [about] this desire to reduce and reuse and recycle,” Bankrate’s finance analyst Ted Rossman tells Katie Couric Media.
We took a closer look at this shift toward living on less — and how it’s changing the way people consume.
What is “underconsumption core,” and how did it start?
Underconsumption core preaches the value of hanging onto old items that still have life left in them, instead of replacing them with something newer and shinier. (That “core” is social media slang for an aesthetic, vibe, trend, or movement.)
This trend (at least in its current iteration) can be traced back to 18-year-old Maya “Liu” Feldman from Germany, who posted a video of herself on TikTok in July, talking about how she still uses an old hair dryer and wears clothes from the seventh grade. The clip quickly went viral, amassing more than 446,00 likes and 2.3 million views.
One popular sub-trend under the banner of underconsumption is luxury minimalism, which centers around the same theme of using what you already own, but with designer items. In one such video, German influencer Diana Blaum shows some of the hallmarks of being a luxury minimalist, including owning just three pairs of shoes and a small collection of bags. She says her pared-down wardrobe has mostly been a result of necessity, having moved abroad for her career. “I’ve moved a lot because of my job,” says Blaum, who quit her corporate position to start her own children’s book company. “When you do that a couple of times, you see what you need and don’t.”
That said, Blaum doesn’t always buy high-end products. (For instance, she notes that she tends to invest in a quality pair of shoes rather than expensive jeans.) At the end of the day, she tells us her philosophy is about “realizing what you really like and what you wear most often” (which is easier said than done for the maximalists among us).
Although some would argue that luxury goods and underconsumption don’t go hand-in-hand, Blaum’s video has garnered praise for the way she buys fewer, quality pieces that can stand the test of time, not to mention resisting the call of ever-changing fashion trends. She points out that her approach isn’t just about owning less — it’s also about consuming less over time. “I wear the same clothes most of the time,” she says. “Even my mom makes jokes about it — she’s like, ‘Please buy something new, treat yourself.'”
A larger financial trend
Underconsumption is nothing new — it follows “de-influencing,” which similarly counters the societal pressure to constantly buy new things by normalizing a modest lifestyle.
Instead of pushing products, creators — known as “deinfluencers” — promote sustainability through authentic recommendations and practical advice. Angelina Jarboe, a makeup artist who has previously worked with celebs like the Kardashians, has hopped on this trend herself. In one video, she walks into a Sephora and shows her followers overhyped products that they shouldn’t buy.
Jarboe tells us that her time in the entertainment industry inspired her to become a deinfluencer. “I saw so much entitlement and the dark side of the entertainment world,” she says, “especially when it comes to how much overconsumption was happening within that space.”
Now, Jarboe hopes to promote transparency and hold brands accountable by promoting more-honest conversations about their products. Some companies responded better than others — she unexpectedly collaborated with Olay in a promotional video after roasting it online as “grandma’s skincare line.”
“Olay really earned my respect with how they handled that,” she says. “The way they just took control and leaned into being ‘grandma’s skincare’ but emphasizing that they’re classic for a reason.”
What’s driving this buy-nothing trend?
You could argue that underconsumption and de-influencing support conversations about sustainability by emphasizing reduced waste and a lower environmental impact. This trend also makes people more intentional about what they buy, opting for more-durable products that last a lifetime, instead of a season.
But there are other factors at play here, too. Jarboe, a single mom, believes that these anti-consumerist trends have a lot to do with the current economic climate, when some families have to decide between paying their grocery bill or filling up their gas tank. She points to a concept known as the “lipstick effect,” which describes how women will indulge in discretionary purchases, like lipstick, that provide an emotional uplift without breaking the budget.
“[Spending on] beauty has always been one of the biggest indicators of the economy,” she says. “People will buy lipstick before they pay their electricity bill; they still want to look and feel good, but they have to be very careful about what they’re purchasing because there’s not that extra money right now.”
Whether these social-media trends can sustain a long-term global movement toward being more environmentally and financially responsible remains to be seen, especially given that consumerism is one of the primary drivers of social media. But some remain hopeful that underconsumption is here to stay: Rossman says there has been a national resurgence in thrift shopping and buy-nothing groups, where neighbors can offer or look for free items.
“Many are tired of people lying about products that aren’t really quality,” adds Jarboe. “People are really tired of others trying to sell them stuff online.”
