A Taiwanese beauty influencer, known for tasting her products as she tested them, has died aged 24.
Guava Shuishui, known online as Guava Beauty, amassed thousands of followers on Instagram through her reviews of makeup products.
As per the English translation of a post shared to her social media account, the content creator died on May 24 from a ‘sudden illness.’
The popular influencer gained a following from her ‘mukbang’ videos, with dedicated followers eagerly watching her eat products such as lipstick, blush, face masks, and cotton pads.
Mukbang is a form on content which involves the user eating in front of the camera.
In her videos, Guava would test the product and then taste it – leaving her reviews of both. She would often ask followers to suggest products to try.
Guava’s exact cause of death is unknown, with her family releasing a statement via her Instagram.
‘Although this trip came suddenly, Shuishui held on to every difficult moment just like she has always been – hard-working, serious, and shining,’ the post said.
Guava Shuishui, known online as Guava Beauty, known for tasting her products as she tested them, has died aged 24
‘Thank you to everyone who has liked, left a message and laughed with her, and thank you for your love and support. She really keeps it in her heart and cherishes it very much,’ the statement continued.
They concluded: ‘Guava Shuishui simply continues to glow in a different place. When we meet again one day, she should be unboxing angels’ exclusive makeup for eating broadcasts over.’
That post was her last until May 24, when her profile bio was changed to: ‘Logging out from the world. Setting off on a new journey. All business collaborations are suspended.’
In one popular video from late 2024 that she had pinned to her page, the influencer used a jelly blush before sticking a fork in the container and scooping the entire product out to take a bite.
In the caption, she acknowledged eating beauty products is ‘controversial,’ stating that children under six weren’t allowed to watch her content.
Some concerned fans commented on the video, worried she was setting a bad example for younger followers, and about the possible toxicity from the products.
‘Please can you stop this behavior… You can eat in private, you can eat whatever you like. Really don’t promote the act of «eating makeup,»‘ one user commented as per the English translation.
‘It’s still toxic, be careful,’ warned another at the time.
She amassed over 12,400 followers on Instagram through her reviews of makeup products
Some concerned fans commented on the video, worried she was setting a bad example for younger followers, and about the possible toxicity from the products
‘I can understand that although it is inevitable to eat some lipstick, it’s bad to eat it deliberately – please don’t promote the act,’ complained another.
The world of ‘mukbang’ – where online creators share videos of them eating (often excessive) amounts of food while chatting to followers – has been attracting growing criticism as it grows in popularity.
The trend – which has seen itself escalate in extremes, pushing creators to gorge on meals until it makes them unwell – is also tragically behind the deaths of at least three influencers, some as young as 24, in the last three years.
Worried experts have also expressed concern that the move normalizes poor and unhealthy diets – as well as leading to potential nutrition deficiencies.
