Skincare Influencer Films Full Routine During Movie Sparks Etiquette Row

A prominent skincare influencer with over 2 million social media followers ignited an online debate after filming a complete skincare routine during a packed screening of "The Odyssey" at a cinema. The creator, known as @np.miranda, is a nurse and beauty treatment specialist who shared her full regimen on TikTok, starting with a headband and hair tying, then cleansing water, followed by spray, neck cream, eye cream, and a full-face collagen mask. She also applied lip masks, ate dried meat, and sipped a carbonated drink, captioning the video "POV: 3-hour movie" and asking followers if anyone else brings skincare and snacks to theaters.

Many viewers criticized the behavior, arguing that using a bright phone screen and performing a multi-step routine in a dark theater disturbs others and represents a basic breach of etiquette. Critics questioned why she did not perform full skincare at home, with some saying they would feel like they were living a "nightmare" if seated next to her. The backlash extended to broader criticism of influencer culture, with some viewers expressing fatigue with influencer behavior and calling for TikTok to add a dislike button, while others viewed the act as merely an attention-seeking stunt online.

However, not all responses were negative. Some users defended the creator, saying they barely noticed what she was doing and did not understand how wearing a face mask could be troublesome. Others appreciated the idea as a creative way to spend time during a long film, with the creator herself responding that it was "excellent multitasking." The incident reflects a broader trend of increasingly longer films, with average runtime for major productions rising from about 106 minutes in the 1990s to around 114 minutes or more today, with action films averaging about 128 minutes. Director Denis Villeneuve of Dune has noted that younger audiences tend to appreciate longer films like Oppenheimer, which runs three hours, suggesting that as movies grow longer, it is unsurprising that some viewers seek ways to "multitask" during screenings.