Honey Boo Boo's Latest Instagram Pics Are Raising Eyebrows

Alana "Honey Boo Boo" Thompson has been in the public spotlight from the time she was 6 years old. Her style and personality as a child beauty-pageant contestant made her an instant star on TLC's Toddlers and Tiaras, and her whole family's lifestyle was brought to light in the spinoffs Here Comes Honey Boo Boo and Mama June: From Not to Hot. Sadly, Alana also saw her family making headlines for reasons she probably would have preferred to keep private. Mom June Shannon was arrested in 2019 for possession of crack (per TMZ), and since then, Alana has lived with older sister, Lauryn "Pumpkin" Shannon, who is married with a young daughter (via People).

In the May 2019 season finale of From Not to Hot, the family staged an intervention for Mama June. Through tears, Alana admitted to her mom, "I would love to come home and stay with you and tell you about my day but I can't do that because I'm scared. I'm not even gonna lie to you, I'm scared to stay at your house." Shannon was arrested two days later (via Inside Edition).

Despite family turmoil, the young reality star seems to be rolling with the punches. Last year, Alana reported that she's doing very well in school (via TV Shows Ace), and her Instagram page is filled with smiling selfies (she is 15, after all) and pics of her having fun with Pumpkin and her niece, Ella Grace. But some of her recent posts have her fans wondering if Honey Boo Boo is making some style boo-boos.

Alana Thompson's recent posts show her fish-facing for the camera, wearing verrrry long nails and dramatic false lashes, which some folks found inappropriate. A typical comment went, "You don't need lashes and nails at your age ... Where's the parenting at? Be a little girl, please." Yet another thread mentioned that a TikTok is going around that refers to Alana as a "Hot Cheeto girl." (According to the Urban Dictionary, a Hot Cheeto girl is "that one particular annoying high school girl who feels entitled and thinks they're a baddie that you have in at least one of your classes ... can often be found eating hot chips under their desk.")

Supporters defended Honey Boo Boo, saying that plenty of girls experiment with makeup and nails at that age. "This is a pageant child. Where have you been for the last decade?" a fan commented. "Glitz and glamour is what she does!"

Showing her characteristic sass, Alana did her share of clapping back at the haters: "Y'all act like I'm 8!" she wrote. "Y'all think just cus y'all hating on me ima take them off?" Nor was she going to put up with any criticism of Mama June or Pumpkin, according to In Touch. "My mom is now sober of almost a year and I couldn't be prouder of her and yes I'm raised by my sister, but hey I think she doing a damn good job at it!"

Last October, Alana Thompson shared another selfie with her followers and got a much different reaction. In the Oct. 28 post, Alana is seen with straight hair, a nose ring, and heavy mascara (perhaps a preview of her more dramatic look of late). She also confirmed that she was working toward new fitness goals (via In Touch). The reaction to Alana's more mature look was overwhelmingly positive, with plenty of fire emojis and comments like "ICON," "queeeennnn go off," and "Love this pic." Perhaps her latest style choices were in response to the positive feedback she had received?

As for Alana's update on her mom, viewers will soon get to see how well June Shannon is doing. Last summer, following the season 4 finale of From Hot to Not: Family Crisis, Mama June announced on Instagram Live that another season was greenlit: "Mama June is back! You heard it right here!" (via The Sun). The new WE TV show, titled Mama June: Road to Redemption, will continue to focus on Alana's mom's addiction. It will start airing in March. In the latest teaser, Alana asks her mom, "Why wasn't you there in the moments I needed you most?" (via TV Shows Ace). It's sure to be emotional, and it should be noted that Alana looks nothing like her more recent selfies, with an absence of false lashes, long nails, or makeup.

If you or someone you know is struggling with substance abuse and mental health, please contact SAMHSA's 24-hour National Helpline at 1-800-662-HELP (4357).