Skincare Influencer Sparks Backlash After Filming Beauty Routine Inside Packed Movie Theater

17 August 2026

A popular skincare influencer has found herself at the center of an online etiquette debate after filming an elaborate beauty routine while sitting inside a packed movie theater.

The creator, known online as @np.miranda, has more than two million followers and works as an injectables nurse. Her viral video showed her performing a multi-step skincare routine during a screening of Christopher Nolan's three-hour film The Odyssey, turning the lengthy movie experience into an unexpected self-care session.

The video begins with Miranda sitting among other moviegoers and pulling on a skincare headband to keep her hair away from her face. She then reaches into a bag filled with beauty products and starts cleansing her skin with micellar water and a cotton pad.

Her routine continues with several additional products, including a facial mist, neck cream and eye cream. She eventually places a collagen sheet mask over her face before finishing with a lip treatment. Between skincare steps, she snacks on jerky and enjoys a drink while remaining seated in the theater.

Miranda presented the unusual routine as a playful way to multitask during an especially long movie. Her caption referenced the film's three-hour runtime and asked followers whether anyone else brought skincare products and snacks with them to the cinema. The lighthearted post, however, quickly generated strong reactions.

Many social media users argued that performing skincare was not necessarily the problem. Instead, critics focused on the fact that Miranda appeared to be using her phone to record herself inside a dark theater. Moviegoers frequently complain about illuminated screens because even a relatively small amount of light can become distracting when the rest of the auditorium is dark.

Commenters accused the creator of ignoring basic theater etiquette and questioned why the routine needed to be filmed during the movie. Others viewed the incident as another example of influencer culture turning ordinary public spaces into locations for content creation.

Some users also argued that skincare routines are better suited to private spaces, particularly when completing multiple steps requires numerous products and repeated phone use. Not everyone agreed with the criticism.

A smaller group defended Miranda, arguing that quietly wearing a face mask or applying skincare products would have little impact on surrounding moviegoers. Several followers even found the idea amusing and practical, particularly during a film lasting approximately three hours. Miranda joined the conversation herself, describing the routine as an example of effective multitasking.

The controversy also arrives as Hollywood blockbusters continue getting longer. Major films increasingly stretch beyond two hours, while event movies can approach or exceed the three-hour mark. Longer runtimes have prompted ongoing conversations about theater comfort, intermissions and how audiences behave during extended screenings.

For cinemas, however, traditional etiquette remains relatively straightforward. Audiences generally expect phones to remain dark and distractions to be kept to a minimum once a movie begins.

The viral skincare routine ultimately became about something larger than beauty products. It tapped into growing frustration over how smartphones and social media have changed behavior in shared public spaces.

As creators increasingly document everyday experiences for millions of followers, the boundaries between personal content and public courtesy continue to be tested. Miranda may have simply wanted hydrated skin during a lengthy night at the movies, but the reaction to her video shows that many theatergoers still believe one rule should remain untouched: once the lights go down, the phone should too.