19 Year Old Instagram Model,Can't Afford Her Own Real Life: She Appeals Online For Help To Pay For Her New Existence

Essena O'Neill, the Instagram model who surprised almost a million followers by announcing she was giving up her social media profile because it promoted a 'dishonest and contrived' sense of beauty, has launched a new online appeal.

Now, she is inviting followers of her new, all-natural and makeup free image to help her pay for her new lifestyle.

In a teary 17 minute long video posted to her new website, Ms O'Neill - who used to spend more than 50 hours a week strategically constructing an image of a beautiful, happy and carefree teen explains why she abandoned her 'celebrity' social media status and says that without her online income she is no longer able to support herself.

'I can't afford rent right now,' she said. 'It's like I am embarrassed to admit that I need help... if this [website] is of value to you then please support me because I can't afford my own real life.' 

Essena O'Neill, from the Sunshine Coast, Queensland, confessed to building a social media empire where she was paid to flaunt designer clothing and food products in a bid to 'delude' her followers into buying them.

Since proclaiming her disdain for the 'instafamous culture' and the affects she believes it has on young people's self worth, Ms O'Neill has gained world wide notoriety with many people taking to social media to praise her for having the strength to speak out against the industry. 

However, others have questioned if it is just another marketing stunt to promote her new website 'Let's be game changers', where she encourages others to live a life without digital distractions.

The bronzed teen had over 574,000 Instagram followers, more than 250,000 subscribers on YouTube and around 60,000 dedicated Snapchat contacts when she announced that she was giving up her life as a 'social media celebrity'. 

The 19-year-old has since deleted around 2,000 photos from her social media accounts, amending the captions on her remaining images to reflect the 'truth' behind the snapshot in a bid to 'expose the harsh and often humorous reality behind the instafamous culture.'

Ms O'Neill's candid captions have revealed details about how much she was paid for promotional posts, how much make up she was wearing and how many failed attempts she made before capturing a photo worthy of posting.

She said she hopes to initiate a movement where an individual's worth is not determined by their physical attributes or social media influence, giving people the opportunity to be free, grow, learn and explore while challenging their own beliefs.

Interestingly, while there are no 'sly or perfectly posed Instagram product placements' in her most recent content, Ms O'Neill has still asked for contributions from her fans.  

'Is it me or does this just sound like another opportunity to expand her career?,' one woman wrote on Facebook. 

'This is simply smart marketing. She's reversing her conventional image and in the process, gaining even more media exposure. She's clever this will only improve her career in a shift towards 'body positive' advocacy which is more of a niche,' another wrote on ABC News' Facebook account.

Ms O'Neill - who describes the current social media climate as a business that 'takes advantage of the masses for individual gain' - has vowed not to feature any promotional material in her posts, however she does ask for her 'supporters' to 'simply pay what it's worth to you'. 

'I'm not a purist. I need money to cover the basics. If you get something from what I'm doing, pay what it's worth to you,' she wrote on her website. 

Ms O'Neill revealed that many of the seemingly natural photos that featured on her Instagram page were manufactured and had only been published because she had been paid to do so.

'Was paid $400 to post a dress,' she wrote on one image, revealing in another caption that she could have easily made $2,000 by posting a single promotional image for a tea brand. 

In her most recent video she said companies would email her with several dot points explaining what to say in the caption, what time of the day to post, where to feature the product and how the model should pose. 

Email you with dot points of what to say time sof the day to post what you should do in the photo how you should hold it

'Companies know the power of social media and they are exploiting it... If you don’t think it is a business you are deluding yourself,' she said. 

Source: Daily Mail

Checkout More Pics Of Ms O'Neill

  
'Nothing is candid about this...I felt the strong desire to pose with my thighs just apart #thighgap boobs pushed up #vsdoublepaddingtop and face away because obviously my body is my most likeable asset,' Ms O'Neill confessed











'Please like this photo, I put on makeup, curled my hair, tight dress, big uncomfortable jewellery... Took over 50 shots until I got one I thought you might like,' she confessed