Taking in criticism, be it constructive or destructive, is a stereotypical human experience. Before the advent of short-form video content and a laser-specific algorithm, we were only getting comments from our close friends and family, our inner critic, and perhaps the comment section of our most-used social media platforms.
On average, TikTok receives a whopping 34 million uploads per day, and users spend about 100 minutes on the app on a daily basis. Interspersed between the dances and challenges are trends.
For the beauty world, aside from the latest and hottest products and makeup looks, are buzzy pieces that attempt to dissect what makes a pleasing face. From topics discussing facial harmony and visual weights to categorising the “types” of pretty you fit into (there’s bunny, deer, fox, cat, male gaze, and female gaze), these “trends” distort our perception of our unique beauty.
A Game of He Said, She Said
To the layperson, videos of this nature can come across as harmless. However, many documented studies signal the opposite. The format itself is engineered to be addictive. Amongst the countless other downsides of set-up is that it impairs our ability to voluntarily choose what to focus on and what to ignore. In turn, it diminishes executive functions—and this includes our capacity to reason. Marketers everywhere have used this to their advantage, and industries have racked up boatloads of revenue through this method.
The public knows that it’s a wild, wild west of an echo chamber out there. One person puts a term on the map, and it takes off like a bullet. Just look at how the demure trend gained traction—it’s practically breakneck. As far as beauty trends go, we’ve seen that it doesn’t even take an expert or a key opinion leader to trigger such events. But between the habit-forming structure, that For You Page you built brick by brick, and the exploited mental faculty, it’s a recipe for one heck of a storm.
Remember This
When it comes to appearances, it’s an accepted norm only to point out something that people can fix in five seconds or less. It’s only polite. The content surrounding facial harmony and visual weights tends to require viewers to go under the knife if they want to “correct” it; makeup can only go so far. For a huge segment of the population, making that appointment is simply a luxury that’s not within their reach. Even for those with access to surgery, it should be done after immense consideration.
On top of that, should you fall prey to these trends, it fuels it. It’s a form of co-signing. It begs the question: “What about those who share similar features? Should they, too, consider doing the same?” There’s always going to be the next big thing taking over our feeds, so it’s a vicious cycle doomed to happen.
Aside from the superficiality of it all, our facial features serve clear purposes. A monolid that’s supposedly throwing off your golden ratio actually can protect you against a blindingly bright environment—that’s why the Inuits have them. That nose that does not align in the viral vertical fifth filter is an inheritance from ancestors. Guess what? It is also shaped by the air we breathe. For us Asians, it’s mainly warm and humid, so our nostrils and nose bridges are open and wide to fit our daily needs.
And on the topic of ancestors, our faces can offer a strong link to them. Removing a characteristic feature has the potential to damage, or even erase, the connection to our heritage, all while discounting the allure of our predecessors in one go. Don’t we all deserve to live full lives that honour their existence? Because if the shoe is on the other foot, wouldn’t we like to be extended the same love and appreciation?
Don’t Lie in the Wake
Not fitting into these filters and “types” of beauty certainly does not make anybody imperfect. It could very well mean the opposite. It’s a sign that your version of beauty is one that can’t fit inside a box. And when we look at the most impactful beauties that are reigning supreme right now, like Anok Yai, Alexandra Daddario, and Salma Hayek, they certainly do not conform to a simplified genre of beauty.
Our takeaway is this: don’t let these 15-second videos sway your opinion of yourself—or others. Your existence is proof that generations of your face have been loved. And loving the features of it celebrates those that come before you. And if trends are something that’s always at the front of your mind, don’t you sweat it. The face that you already have today is timeless.
This story first appeared in GRAZIA Malaysia September 2024 Issue.
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