But Mommy, I Want a Drunk Elephant Serum! | By Amirah Farisyah
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Illustrated by Kayley (@deanchora) and Samantha (@enqicho)
"Do you have high visual weight or low visual weight?" "Are you cat pretty, fox pretty, bunny pretty, or alien pretty?" "Strawberry makeup, blueberry nails, latte makeup?" None of these words are in any holy text! The quick rinse-and-repeat nature of TikTok beauty trends are addictive brain rot material and we should talk about that. Especially recently, TikTok has become one of the primary social media platforms used by younger generations, Generation Z specifically. Statistics show that 1 in 4 TikTok users are aged 20 and under, with over half of the users being women. Noticeably, TikTok also has a way of bringing like-minded people together depending on their algorithm. This creates the different ‘sides’ of TikTok, such as BeautyTok, BookTok, FashionTok, and so much more. It’s certainly beautiful to see how anybody can find a community on this platform and converse about their interests in a mostly judgement-free environment. However, this comes at the risk of creating an echo chamber where people bounce criticisms and standards back and forth within their community. Case in point, let’s talk about BeautyTok.
Types of BeautyTok Trends
There are a wide range of trends on BeautyTok; from specific makeup looks, filters and facial evaluations, to brands and products widely used by known influencers. These makeup trends are so popular that almost everyone knows about them, whether they’re a member of BeautyTok or not! Even without dipping your toes in BeautyTok, I’m sure you’ve heard of the rockstar girlfriend makeup look, the clean girl aesthetic, and more recently — the latte makeup and strawberry girl look. All of these involve trying out specific styles of makeup that allow you to explore the world of makeup and find out what look fits your identity.
The second type of trend — the filters — are the simpler, more accessible type as it doesn’t require any skill or time! The filters on BeautyTok differ from the typical filters we normally see on our For You Page, like the “Why are you still single?” filters. These filters tend to study your face shape and identify certain features, such as your canthal tilt. What is a canthal tilt, you might be wondering? Fun fact: your canthal tilt is the angle of the eyes if a line were drawn connecting the outer corner of each eye. Besides that, some filters classify your ‘type of pretty’. For example, you’re ‘fox pretty’ if you have sharp, defined, and seductive features, like a fox. There’s a plethora of trends like these, but essentially, the filter trend on TikTok is just a fun and quick way to get to know what you identify as in the niche world of BeautyTok.
Finally, there’s another niche trend on BeautyTok that doesn’t actually depend on your looks itself, but more on the products used. With the uprising of Get Ready With Me (GRWM) TikToks going viral, influencers who use the same products within their skincare routine gain traction. Case in point, we can take Katie Fang as an example. I myself am a fan of hers, and anybody who has seen her videos would know that she is known for the Glow Recipe toner she uses in the beginning of each of her videos. She also used to make Drunk Elephant ‘smoothies’, which are Drunk Elephant serums mixed together. Ever since her account started growing, there has been a significant rise in popularity and claim surrounding Glow Recipe toners, Drunk Elephant serums, and other brands widely used by GRWM influencers.
Why Do These Trends Spread So Fast?
As trends are, they come and they go within a split second. The virality of TikTok among younger generations allows for trends, especially regarding beauty and expression, to quickly catch on and become the new standard. BeautyTok trends spread fast among people as it involves self-presentation, like the makeup trends.
The makeup trends spread fast as they becomes a method of exploration and self-expression, especially for those beginning to try out different makeup looks and finding which one feels right for them. In this case, it has become normal to see newer makeup trends among people around us. For instance, walking around campus and seeing someone with ‘Beabadoobee’ makeup or a ‘Tara Yummy’ look. Picking up new skills and creating art through the form of makeup can help us enhance our confidence and push us to explore new sides to ourselves we have yet to discover.
The filter trend spreads fast because, well, it’s easy and straight-to-the-point. It requires no skill, added time, or money. A few seconds on a popular TikTok sound, then bam! You find out you have a neutral canthal tilt, low visual weight, and you’re a gold jewellery person. Which brings me to my next point: it assigns you with a niche identity. Playing with these filters often gives us a sense of satisfaction. Picture it like you’re in Hogwarts, you’re wearing the sorting hat, and it tells you you’re a Gryffindor. Knowing these extra details about ourselves adds more personalisation to our identity and it generally feels good to know more about who we are. Of course, these niche details about our appearance aren’t recognised outside of TikTok, but it does help in finding out what type of accessories and colours complement us and bring out our beauty more.
We also feel compelled to get the products widely claimed by BeautyTok influencers because, as shallow as it sounds, they’re attractive and successful. This can be explained by classical conditioning, shoutout to Ivan Pavlov for that one! We see the GRWM influencers who use these products have nice skin, gain loads of views and likes, do sponsorships and collaborations with big brands and we associate it with the product being of good quality. If the brand or product is associated with success, it must be good, right? Therefore, we gravitate towards buying these product brands as well. On top of that, owning certain branded products makes us feel as if we are part of a community, one where all of us fancy the same branded products.
Are There Any Effects From These Trends?
For the most part, these trends are harmless. The makeup trends contribute to building character and personality, as we try out different styles and experiment with makeup. It allows for self-growth and skill enhancement, and we may even find a sense of community with other makeup-lovers too! However, there are a few potentially harmful effects of the other trends that should be acknowledged.
The filters trend fixates on small, otherwise unnoticeable features on our faces and forms judgements based on them, which creates an environment fostering insecurity and negative self-image. The clearest example of this would be the aforementioned canthal tilt filter, as people have associated negative canthal tilt with unattractiveness and positive canthal tilts as desirable. In a society with pre-existing high beauty standards, trends like these will only create more harm and hostility towards those with weaker self-esteems, especially young and impressionable people. Insecurity is already most rampant among teenagers, and with them being the majority age demographic on TikTok, this would only worsen their state. Furthermore, insecurities regarding appearances can become deep-rooted during formative years and can have long-term, generational impacts if not addressed properly. Instilling fixations on appearance into younger children can have detrimental effects on their mental health and self-esteem, going so far as to require deep and serious therapeutic intervention to recover.
Conclusion
At the end of the day, trends are meant to be enjoyed! As much as I critique these trends, I'd be lying if I said I didn't enjoy hopping on as well. There’s no denying that BeautyTok trends have definitely helped people better express themselves through makeup as well as allowed them to explore useful skincare products for better self-care. It is important to be mindful when consuming this content and to always put your self-esteem and mental health first. Everyone is beautiful in their own way and we shouldn't let niche TikTok trends determine if you are or aren't based on the angle of your eyes.
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