Pulling Back the Curtain on Influencer Boot Camps

Cedar Lake Estates is the Waldorf Astoria of camping: the food is gourmet, the bunks are air-conditioned, and there are bathrooms and, you know, four walls. We're barely getting our shoes dirty. Phyllis Nefler would live here if she had room service and a Barney's down the road.

While our bags are being dropped off at the cabins, contestants split into their respective teams, The Voice-style: there's Team Starrr, coached by Patrick Starrr; Team Mean, coached by Jasmine Brown; Team How You Doin', coached by Nicol Concilio; and Team Amorcitos, coached by Mariale Marrero. As each team member is announced, they make their way to the stage overlooking the lake to meet and get a photo with their mentor for the week. "Y'all better FaceTune us!" quips Concilio.

Camp is less about the activities and more about being selected out of 17,000 entries: being here is a win in itself. Building a relationship with your coach, or any of the coaches, is like One Direction competing on The X Factor: you don't have to win to achieve massive success when Simon Cowell is on your side. For the 20 contestants, working with the coaches is like hitting the social media lottery: Starrr, Concilio, Brown, and Marrero each have over 1 million followers on Instagram and more than 700,000 on YouTube. Even a post with them on their Instagram Stories or Snapchat could catapult a person into the beauty stratosphere.

The contestants understand how high the stakes are and how this opportunity — the $50,000, the six Instagram Stories with Benefit, and getting featured at Benefit boutiques — could launch them to the next level of Insta fame. Many influencers on this trip are considered micro-influencers, sitting below 100K followers. The person with the most followers (at 250K), Cohl Woolbright, says that he has a car and home because of his fans and supporters but that winning the Brow Search would take him to the next level.

There are 14 women and six men competing, with two of the men returning from last year, which has raised some perfectly groomed eyebrows. But by the end of tomorrow, the pool will be narrowed down to 12 by the coaches, based on the following criteria: 50 percent makeup technical skill, 25 percent artistry/creativity, and 25 percent Benefit DNA/storytelling ability.

After the teams have been announced, it's time to create a team chant and get ready for the first big event of the competition: Arch Tank — Benefit's take on, you guessed it, Shark Tank. It requires the contestants to give a three-minute presentation on a new product, new brow service, or social episode for Benefit's channels to the coaches and Jared Bailey, Benefit's global brow expert and our camp leader for the week.

As campers are released to their rooms to get ready, we have our first drama: not one but two makeup bags went missing between arriving at Camp Benefit and Arch Tank. I was a little concerned with how chill the Benefit team and the two contestants were about the missing bags. Granted, we're at a cosmetics Summer camp; it's not the worst place to lose your kit. In the vein of many competitions, you're not there to make friends; you're there to carve some brows — isn't losing your makeup kit a major disadvantage? To be fair, this camp may be about winning, but everyone here seems to be genuinely thrilled that they were even asked to attend. Nobody is bad-mouthing anyone — I'm genuinely surprised that I haven't heard a catty comment, especially with the prize at stake. The contestants appear to truly like and support one another, which is smart, given they can each help one another thrive in the future.

Each contestant is given three minutes to present and two minutes for follow-up questions. People are shaking. Some have arrived in turtlenecks — it's 90 degrees outside. Anything for the glam, honey. I observe roughly 75 percent of the presentations, and it seems that if you finished your presentation and had minimal questions from the judges, you probably knocked it out of the park. It's not clear if the winner will actually get their product made or series green-lit by the brand; this seems to be a focus group Benefit has curated to develop products and ideas for the future.

I initially thought if you didn't do well at Arch Tank, you probably weren't moving on to the top 12. But as I mentioned, it's more about the actual makeup skill than the presentation or idea, which behooves many of the contestants. They might have killer makeup skills, but Mark Cuban would have eaten many of them alive.

Arch Tank was insightful for the brand, and frankly for myself as a reporter — we learned what consumers think is lacking in the brow marketplace. The overwhelming majority of contestants presented a brow pencil even thinner than Precisely, My Brow. I don't know (or truly understand) the laws of physics, but it feels like an impossible ask. Many wanted to create a product that was waterproof and sweat-proof and that created three hair-strokes at a time to mimic microblading. Bippity Boppity Brows, the brainchild of Seals, is a watercolor brow pen that looks like a brush. It sounds similar to how They're Real Gel Eyeliner works, with product being pushed up through the packaging. The ink won't bleed because the cap has a flat bottom, so you can store the product upright. (She would later tell Bailey that the name is available for trademark.)

Safai Kelly waltzed into this competition like a boss: articulate and with an entertaining presentation about a social series that she would ultimately want to pitch to Netflix, with teases on Instagram, YouTube, and Facebook. Jose Rodriguez introduces his idea: an eyebrow quad, similar to a palette, that's portable and comes with a detachable mirror. Zackary Vang, a bubbly makeup artist from Vegas, pitches the "Graphically Defined Brow," inspired by an animated look.

After all presentations have come to a close, it's time to get our drink on to take the edge off and enjoy a night by the campfire with s'mores.

It's day two, and this damn wig is driving me nuts. Roughly 85 percent of the Benebabes have referred to me by my real name, but the charade is still on. I've been planting the seed that an influencer working with a publisher is great for notoriety because (a) it's true, (b) with the rise of social media, I'm not sure the campers understand its relevance or importance in terms of their careers, and (c) at this point, the campers know there is another "big prize," but they don't know what just yet. When I asked them what they thought it could be, one camper responded, "Merch?"

It should be noted that many of the finalists are aware I'm wearing a wig. Most haven't said anything, but I see the looks. Some have — but not in a "Why are you wearing a wig?" way. In fact, wearing a wig isn't abnormal for anyone in the beauty community, which has worked to my advantage.

There are two challenges the campers must execute before the top 12 are announced to test their artistry. First up: Build-a-Brow. Pick a prop, any prop, from a treasure chest and craft a brow inspired by it. There are a few different items to choose from: pearls, chain mail, sequined gloves, and flower crowns. This is where we get to see the contestants' creativity. Can they think on their feet? Can they design a cohesive theme? And will their execution be beautiful? Contestants have a full hour to construct the brow and photograph, edit, and post it to their Instagrams — many of which have now already been deleted from their carefully crafted grids.

"You could start the next viral squiggle brow," says one of the brand's brow artists.

"I couldn't. For the dignity of my page! I'm sorry," a contestant replied.

"I don't hate it, though," said Seals.

The next individual challenge: Arch and Crafts. Campers are tasked with creating a brow look out of items like pipe cleaners, pom-poms, crystals, and buttons. Imagination is rampant during this challenge, but the execution is lacking for most. And Houston, we have a problem: one of the girls brought gold leaf foil in her makeup bag and used it instead of the assorted crafts to create her brow. The judges say all is fair in love and brows, but this does not go over well with a few contestants. Luckily, it doesn't matter — Garrett Hahn ends up winning the competition with his crystal brow, blowing everyone out of the water.

Tensions are high. Nerves are shot — neither the contestants nor the judges are looking forward to this. One person has admitted to barfing. "Just so you know, I'm going to jump in this lake and drown," says Starrr. This elimination takes the contestants down from 20 to 12.

The results? All six boys are moving forward, splitting the dozen equally between men and women. The remaining contestants will be voted on by the coaches' fans on social media. Social voting is important, but for this elimination, it's outweighed by the aforementioned criteria — makeup technical skill, artistry/creativity, and Benefit DNA/storytelling ability — plus the photo appeal based on social votes.

After an obstacle course, the four teams meet to create a skit, which will be performed after dinner. The winners of the skit challenge will receive the next three Benefit PR sends. The teams that won did a great job, although there was a strategy in picking the winner: Team Marrero has extremely high engagement, and Benefit is predicting her team will ultimately produce the Brow Search winner — at least when it comes to the social voting. If that's a possibility, they want to choose two teams to win the skit competition, based on their performances: Team Starrr and Team Mean, as Team How You Doin' won an obstacle course challenge earlier in the day.

After a dinner in the garden and a Troop Beverly Hills screening near the lake, it's time for bed.

We wake up the next morning, and it's doomsday. After a few short hours, the top three from each team will be whittled down to the top pick, representing their team in the final four. There's a big incentive to win for your team: everyone on the winner's team will be flown to San Francisco — where Benefit is headquartered — and will receive personal affiliate codes, meaning they'll get links to make some cash when promoting Benefit products.

As the final four are announced, you can see contestants are visibly shaken — some with happiness, some with disappointment. Seals goes on to represent Team Mean in the finals — to be honest, she was a clear choice based on her artistry and her presentation at Arch Tank; same with Kelly, who has moved forward for Team How You Doin'. Team Starrr, which had three of the six men in the semifinals, has Woolbright as a finalist, and Slobodianik represents Team Amorocitos, recording the announcement and reaction for her vlog.

Some contestants are sobbing after learning they aren't moving forward today. "I really needed this," one contestant confided. "I need the money. I need to get to LA." Those who were cut after the first round are actively supporting both the top four and those who got eliminated — if they're jealous or upset, they aren't showing it; instead, they're lending a shoulder to cry on for their friends.

The final four have been posted on Benefit's Instagram, and at 2:15 p.m., it's clear that Mar's team, as expected, is in the social lead. Benefit utilizes Simply Measured, a software program that allows brands to measure engagement, like comments, by certain criteria: hashtags, text, and even handles, which is how it's able to scope which contestant is in the lead. For the grand prize, social voting makes up 40 percent of the judging criteria, with skill, creativity, and brand DNA all at 20 percent each.

It's time to map out how we're going to reveal that I'm not Alison Clemens, and I hope these influencers actually give a damn. As someone who cringes at the thought of making a scene, I am horrified to do this; as someone who has an inner messy queen and lives for theatrics, I embraced it. We decide I will have a coughing attack right before the winner is announced, interrupting Bailey and thus getting me on stage.

I planted the seeds through dinner: little coughs here and there. (I couldn't randomly start hacking up a lung after being silent for three courses.) Starrr was also aware of the plan, which helped infuse some extra drama into the mix.

As I cough uncontrollably, I get up and cross in front of the stage, hurled over. I must have been pretty convincing, because afterward people told me they were legitimately concerned for my health. Note to Shonda Rhimes: should you need me for an episode of Grey's, I'm available.

Bailey ends up pulling me on stage, and now it's time to kill Alison Clemens. My wig has been snatched, my true identity has been revealed, and I've explained the surprise feature on POPSUGAR. Mouths are agape, laughing has commenced, people have hands on their hearts. It was wild, but it worked.

The shenanery ends, and after picking up close to 45 bobby pins from the floor (which were used to keep my hair coiffed under the wig), it is time to crown our Brow Search queen. The winner of 50,000 big ones and a campaign with one of the biggest social brands in the world is . . .

Slobodianik — the Venezuelan mom and full-time makeup artist. Team Amorocitos took the crown. With her prize winnings, she plans to put a down payment on a house so she can provide a stable home for her family in Miami, including her baby.

The rest of the night is filled with banana cream pie, cocktails, karaoke, and dance moves that will throw out my back for a few days — plus tons of selfies and Instagram exchanges. Apparently, Bailey had told a small group of campers that something "wasn't right" with Alison Clemens, and I'm pretty sure some of them thought I stole a phone and the two missing makeup bags. (Thanks, Jared!) Most of the night is spent clearing up rumors and getting to interact with these 20 contestants who are now my children. (Putting them through school is going to be a doozy.)

Admittedly, I went into this experience expecting to report on chaos, but I was surprised by the lack of catfights and drama. I did expect a lot of smoke and mirrors — it's a social media competition, after all! — and while you can't believe everything you see on Instagram, these contestants proved themselves. They were kind, talented, and quick on their feet. Many displayed the qualities and acumen needed to create and run their own businesses. Everyone was truly supportive of one another — even those who were upset by not moving forward developed close friendships with the people who did. "It wasn't like a cutthroat competition, but more like a family reunion!" Brown would later write on her Instagram. Some influencers clearly "do it for the 'gram" and don't fully represent who they are online in person, but it isn't a charade. They are most comfortable online, and they may feel compelled to be more authentic there than anywhere else.

As for the brand? It's easy to see why these camps can be beneficial in the long run. They cost a lot of money to produce, but building up smaller influencers ensure brand loyalty and gratis promo in the future — a worthy ROI.

Oh, and don't worry — those missing makeup bags? They were found and returned.