Everything You Need to Know About Beauty on Reddit
By Wendy Rose Gould
You may have heard of that website called Reddit. It’s most commonly known for being a multifarious wonderland of nerdy memes, intense political discussions, and make-you-laugh-until-you-cry photos taken in real time. But it’s way more than that. Reddit is a bit of a cluttered internet destination — an organized “junk drawer” of sorts — that attracts people with drastically varying tastes. These people funnel themselves into the appropriate “subreddits,” which are individual communities that focus explicitly on particular topics.
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Beauty is one area of the Redditsphere that’s booming. The science of hair-care products? Check. The indie-perfume scene? Check. Asian beauty trends? Check. And that’s just the tip of the iceberg.
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Here, we’ve rounded up the best — and most active — beauty-related subreddits for you to peruse and engage in. May you find a niche in which you belong, and may you saunter forth with the loveliest skin, hair, and nails from this day onward.
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Getting Started
You don’t have to create a username to reap the rewards of Reddit. However, if you want to participate in any of the subreddits, including asking questions, posting pictures, or replying to someone else’s post, you do need to sign up.
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The sign-up process is super-breezy — just look at the upper-right corner and follow the “Want to join?” drill. As for posting within the subreddits, it’s all pretty straightforward. Every subreddit has a sidebar on the right with all the community rules, as well as a link to submit a post. Once you’re signed up, you can also comment on existing posts. On to the beauty subreddits!
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r/makeupaddiction
Let’s start at the very beginning: r/makeupaddiction. With over 250,000 fabulous subscribers, this is the most traversed corner of Reddit’s beauty scene. Here, you’ll find a nice blend of photographs, tutorials, FOTD pictures (Face of the Day), before-and-after images, and product reviews — plus AMA (Ask Me Anything) posts, which are essentially real-time interviews with beauty gurus, cosmetics-company owners, and other experts. You can post your own makeup looks, request a gentle critique, share your thoughts on a recent purchase, or link to a cool article you’ve found.
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Ultimately, anyone who steps foot into this magical place is apt to walk away feeling very inspired, or at the very least more knowledgeable about the world of makeup. We assure you that the ladies and gentlemen of r/makeupaddiction are kind creatures who want to help you perfect that winged liner, tame those pesky brows, and conquer all your blending woes. Or maybe you have a little know-how to share with them? It’s all about the give-and-take with this one.
r/skincareaddiction
While r/makeupaddiction focuses on makeup, r/skincareaddiction is all about getting gorgeous, glowing skin. And listen up: The users who frequent this subreddit know their stuff. Don’t believe it? The proof is in the pictures. Every day, you’ll find before-and-after images of people who’ve subscribed to advice they’ve found in the forum. The community has even developed its own tried-and-true skin-care routine, which is easy to customize based on your particular needs.
In addition to the before-and-after posts, you’ll find many people in their “before” stages asking for advice, plenty of product reviews, and loads of informational posts and links to articles covering everything from parabens to wrinkles to acne.
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r/redditlaqeristas
Nail art is still a booming craft, and the subscribers over at r/redditlaqueristas are at the top of the nail-painting game. Some of the stuff you’ll see is so good it may make you shout, “Great Scott!” à la Back to the Future’s Doc Brown. But seriously, there’s some da Vinci-level stuff happening here.
Lots of users also post nail swatches from recently released lines, which is a double-edged sword if you’re trying to keep your polish-buying budget in check. In any case, head over if you want to get a little nail inspiration, but beware: It’s entirely possible you’ll get sucked in for hours.
r/asianbeauty
If you’re interested in what’s happening in the East when it comes to skin care and beauty (there’s a lot happening over there, folks), head to r/asianbeauty. You’ll meet people dishing on the latest and greatest products coming out of South Korea, Japan, and other beauty meccas.
It’s a somewhat small community at about 25,000 subscribers, but it’s quite active. We consider it a must-visit destination for both those who are new to the scene and those who’ve been around it for a while. You’ll find reviews of new products, discover holy grail goods people swear by, and learn about the best places to buy all of the above in the United States.
r/indiemakeupandmore
Had enough of the big-time labels? Looking to expand your beauty horizons? Or maybe you’re just a fan of supporting small businesses. Whatever the case, you better get your beauty-loving self to r/indiemakeupandmore.
This community is the place to go for all your indie needs. Every day, users post reviews and swatches from lesser-known cosmetic brands. And sometimes, it’s the only place on the internet where you can find such reviews. This subreddit also covers indie fragrances quite well, for all you scent-obsessed shoppers.
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r/beautyboxes
If you’re not already a fan of monthly subscription boxes like Birchbox, Ipsy, Memebox, and Julep, you may want to prepare yourself (financially) before you step into the world of r/beautyboxes. This subreddit specializes in reviews of all of the above, plus lesser-known “beauty boxes,” and it can quickly become highly addicting.
That said, it’s an excellent place to venture if you’re on the fence about subscribing to a certain beauty box, or if you want to dish on the goodies in the monthly shipment you’ve already received. Note that while there’s a heavy emphasis on beauty-related subscription boxes, it covers non-beauty boxes, too.
r/makeupexchange
Have a spare eyeshadow palette lying around? Bought a lipstick online but the color didn’t work on you? Or maybe you’re in the market for some highlighter on the cheap, or want to test out a BB cream before splurging on the full-priced bottle. Head over to r/makeupexchange and get yourself some, kid.
Here, users post lists of products they’re either selling or searching for, and there are some great deals. For those worried about getting burned, know that the community has numerous policies in place to promote a safe trading ground and is heavily moderated.
r/randomactsofmakeup
We’re calling this community the feel-good beauty subreddit, and for good reason. It fosters friendship among its members by letting users gift each other with makeup (referred to as “glamming” someone), hosting daily chats, and hosting “introduction” threads for new members.
There are also lots of contests you can partake in, or you can host your own if you’re feeling generous. Consider this a heartwarming online sisterhood of sorts.
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r/haircarescience
Yep, there’s a corner of the Reddit universe dedicated to hair, too. We love r/haircarescience because it places major emphasis on finding quality products and addressing common — and not-so-common — hair-related issues from a scientific perspective.
Topics covered on a regular basis include coloring, conditioning, balding, color-fading, growth, and more. You’ll also often find posts that pose a question like, “Can someone break down this product for me?” In response, informed community members give the 411 on the ingredients list of a particular shampoo, conditioner, or styling product. It’s a pretty good way to help you decide if something is worth the investment.
r/fancyfollicles
While r/haircarescience takes a scientific approach to the hair game, r/fancyfollicles takes an aesthetic one. This subreddit is dedicated to hair tutorials, styles, color questions, and before-and-after images from salons. There’s a particularly heavy emphasis on coloring, but really, there’s something for everyone in this 70,000-member community.
We’ll leave you with one final nugget of information: On the sidebar of each community, you’ll find a list of related subreddits. It’s a rabbit hole, yes. A glorious, beautiful rabbit hole. Have fun out there, bunny!
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