A few weeks ago I received an email telling me that I had been chosen as one of Marie Claire’s 30 favourite influencers and would be featured in their upcoming Marie Claire Verified Power List.
What.
… Pardon.
What.
I wasn’t allowed to tell anyone until the official list was announced and that day is today! You can see the full Marie Claire Verified Power List in the September issue which hits newsstands today.
This influencer list is a little bit different to ones you may have seen before. I’m always slightly disappointed when I see a list of ‘bloggers you must follow’, containing groundbreaking suggestions such as ‘Zoella’ (I have nothing against Zoella but I’m pretty sure there’s no-one left in the English-speaking world who hasn’t heard of her!)
But the Marie Claire Verified Power List wanted to focus on women breaking the influencer mould, championing diversity, and using their platforms for good: “a celebration, not just of scale but of impact.”
I am still shocked that I was chosen to appear on a list with some proper heavy hitters in the influencer world, but I feel incredibly proud that the work I do to raise awareness of rosacea, talking about self-confidence and appearance, and promoting honesty and skin positivity has been recognised. It can sometimes seem like I’m the odd one out on social media, surrounded by perfect women with bullet-proof confidence. But I know from the hundreds of comments, DMs and emails I get every day that there are a lot of us out there who often feel ‘less than’ online. So, although I’m a little bit staggered to have been chosen, I am absolutely over the moon to be representing myself, the movement, and you.
There are some BIG names on the list, but also some smaller accounts (like me!) that you may never have heard of. Here are a few of my favourites – big and small – starting with some accounts I discovered thanks to this Marie Claire list:
- I’m not entirely sure how I managed to miss @Charlie_Craggs: she combines nail art and LGBT activism (you can read more about her incredible work here) and I could not be more on board.
- The make up looks that @Anchalmua creates are all phenomenal but her super-glam bridal looks are out of this world. She also has a YouTube channel so you can follow her tutorials step by step.
- @thestepupclub – beautiful images, inspirational quotes, and female-focused career advice in one account? SOLD.
- I’ve followed @FashionFoieGras and @FreddieHarrel for a while so it was lovely to see them featured in the list. I adore both of their accounts because they stand out in what can sometimes be a monotonous feed of the same old content – they’re both bright and bold in their fashion choices, they talk honestly about their lives, and they have enormous grins while doing it. Both excellent follows.
The September issue featuring the full Marie Claire Verified Power List is available to buy now (I can’t find an online version but will update if I do!) I hope you enjoy reading it and find some amazing new women to follow.
Lex
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