Singer, actress, and influential personality Selena Gomez recently shed light on her four-year hiatus from Instagram, the world’s most popular photo-sharing platform. Despite being the most followed woman on the platform, with a staggering follower count of 428 million, Gomez made the conscious decision to step back.
In a forum at the 2024 TIME 100 Summit, Gomez revealed her reasons for this digital detox.
“I took four years off of Instagram and I let my team post for me. I felt like it was the most rewarding gift I gave myself. I was more present. I was happier,” she said.
The decision to disconnect from the digital world was indeed a significant one for Gomez. She emphasized that it was the ‘best gift’ she had given herself, as it allowed her to be more present and happier.
During her absence from the platform, Gomez didn’t entirely disconnect from her social circle. Instead of spending hours scrolling through her Instagram feed, she opted to personally call her friends.
“It’s more human. I think it’s important to take breaks. You get the chance to actually engage with the world a little bit better, you get the chance to spend your energy in other places,” she explained.
Gomez also touched on the subject of unrealistic beauty standards prevalent in the world of glamour and social media. The actress expressed her concerns about the use of airbrushing and filter techniques, which she believes are creating an unrealistic perception of beauty.
“Personally, I felt that there’s a very unrealistic standard when it comes to the cosmetic world and it makes me a little sad for my generation,” she said.
Aside from her successful singing and acting career, Gomez is also the founder of Rare Beauty. However, she confessed that she doesn’t know how to do makeup and that the goal of her brand is to make people feel good about themselves.
“I don’t know how to do makeup and I have a makeup line. I wanted it to feel good when they’re using my products,” she said.
All of Rare Beauty’s products are named based on uplifting themes, reinforcing the idea that beauty comes from within.
The time away from Instagram seems to have given Gomez a fresh perspective on life. She no longer believes in conforming to societal expectations of beauty, an endeavor she describes as a ‘waste of time.’
“I don’t believe in having to look a certain way. I spent years trying to do that and it’s draining. Waste of time,” she said.