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'The best thing to do is to be yourself': UAE-based influencer Cedra Ammara on making it big on social media

The YouTube sensation says it's authenticity that always wins in the end

Twenty-two-year-old lifestyle influencer Cedra Ammara has the best advertisement for her social media channels – her luminous skin, which is glowing even under the dim light of the office.

She smiles, gently offering insight into why her channels draw so many followers. She has 5.7 million followers on Instagram ((@cedras_beauty); 3.31 million subscribers on her YouTube channel (@cedra_amara); and 2 million followers on TikTok (cedra.amara).

However, it wasn’t for want of followers or likes that Cedra began her influencer journey; it was more a case of boredom.

“When I was a kid and had just moved to Sweden, I had nothing much to do,” she recalls, adding that in a new country, before making friends, boredom is your constant companion. “So, I started posting just for fun while trying new things,” says Syrian-born Cedra.

The Dubai-based influencer explains that she and her sisters, Narin Amara and Sherin Amara, began posting online at around the same time. She, the middle sister, was all of 13 or14 and so just skirting the age that social media apps consider allowable on their channels. “I think being in the middle has helped me develop my own unique style, perspective and approach to certain challenges,” she tells City Times with a shrug.

According to a survey quoted by US-based Mayo Clinic, in 2022, a study that was based on 1,300 responses found that 35 per cent of teens use at least one of five channels many times a day: YouTube, TikTok, Facebook, Instagram, and Snapchat. And while many countries are now putting forth further restrictions on who uses social media at what age, Cedra’s journey reads like an ideal situation.

For one thing, her parents knew exactly what was being uploaded on her platforms. “I still remember speaking with my mom, and she said, ‘As long as you're in front of my eyes, then do whatever you want’. She was supportive.”

That said, Cedra has always been careful about the content she’s putting out there. “When I was a kid, I was totally different. Over time, I’ve changed my hair, I changed the way I do my makeup. I changed my my style,” she explains. Yet through it all, she found the way to her audience’s heart was through authenticity. “Be yourself; if you're yourself, people would love to watch you and follow you,” she says, her eyes widening as she gesticulates to stress her point.

“I wish someone would have told me that it’s ok to take your time figuring out your voice and style instead of trying to meet everyone else’s expectations. Also don’t stress over-perfection, what really matters is connecting with your fans and staying consistent,” she adds.

That, and actually care about the people you are speaking to; she explains that one thing that drives her is to help others do something good for themselves. “I take care of my skin a lot, day and night, and I always share advice with my followers. I tell them, I show them. So my channels are not just about my lifestyle, I want my fans to do something good for themselves. So when I do skincare like I always tell them, ‘Let’s do our skincare together.’ And they actually, they, they send me message like, ‘We did our skincare because of you.’ These kinds of comments make me happy, because I'm affecting them in a good way,” she explains.

Social media is a game of numbers – without a plan it can go badly wrong. Fortunately, Cedra recognised the need for organised dissemination of content years ago. “I rely heavily on my calendar to ensure consistency and strategy in my work. It helps me plan posts around key themes, events and audience engagement opportunities, while also allowing flexibility for trends or spontaneous ideas. Staying organised with a calendar also enables me to maintain a balanced workflow and deliver valuable content to my followers,” she explains.

It's this logical brain that has also helped her see past any trolls that may find their way to her comments’ sections. “You can't please everybody,” she says, leaning towards the recorder with a stern expression. “Some people will always find stuff about you that they don’t like and tell you about it just for you to feel bad. Just ignore it and move on and do what you like,” she says.

Cedra, who specialises in ‘beauty’, is also on a mission to expand into fashion. She talks about her go-to style in a matter-of-fact manner. “I like to be elegant. I like [looks] that are basic. I don't like it when it's too much, because I'm short and petite, so overdoing it won’t suit me,” she says, adding that she hopes to have her own brands. Currently, she’s building up a portfolio of names that feature on her channels including Maybelline and Garnier Arabia.

The lithe woman, who is all of five-foot-something, has an entrepreneurial bent of mind urging her to try new things – whether it is an unusual beauty regimen that will connect her to a larger audience or a new business idea.

“If I weren’t a content creator, I think I’d gravitate towards the beauty industry. I’ve always been drawn to skin and health care, it really gives me a purpose, so I think I could see myself exploring that path and finding ways to make an impact there,” she admits.

And she finds the UAE the best place to exercise these ideas. “I moved here in 2019 after spending some time shuttling between Sweden and the UAE. I had to move here, because I like it here, I'm very comfortable here,” she laughs. “I love it because it's an Arab Muslim country. I feel more comfortable here. I feel safe. I know most of the people [here], I have friends, so it feels like home.”

As an influencer, Cedra is constantly on the move and travels light. “If you looked into my bag right now, you’d probably find my go-to essentials: hand cream, lip liner and gloss. I like to keep it minimal and practical for whenever I’m on the go,” she explains.

She must be doing something right – her skin says so.

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