Another year of masks, “Zoom” faces, and too much screen time appears to have thrown the beauty business off.
TikTok was inundated in unusual, fantastic, and downright strange skin care hacks and beauty recommendations in 2021, the video platform with a track record of catapulting products to such success that they remain sold out for weeks.
Over the past two years, TikTok has established itself as a major player in the beauty industry, influencing consumer behavior by reigniting interest in products that were released years ago (searches for this color corrector from 2016 are just now reaching all-time highs thanks to TikTok) and introducing new trends, including a few that have IRL beauty junkies scratching their heads.
Here are some of the year’s most strange TikTok beauty fads, which include hair hacks, slimy animals, and theatrical makeup looks.
Nose Blush
Soon after the year 2021 began, it became evident that masks were not going away.
Noses were hidden in a variety of scenarios, including on public transportation and while running errands. Some people seemed to have missed this important facial feature more than others, resulting in a stratospheric surge in nose blush.
No one could have imagined that dabbing or slathering bright pink blush on the base of your nose would become a makeup trend. It all started on TikTok as part of the app’s signature E-Girl aesthetic, which is defined by heavy eyeliner, thick brows, and generally a fake heart-shaped freckle.
@styleOKAY but it looks so cute on the nose 🤩 thoughts? @kirsty.belle ##fyp ##foryou ##style ##makeup ##grwm ##glam ##blush ##makeuptutorial ##hack ##hacks ##grwm♬ som original – kourtgf
But this year, as a growing number of TikTokers attained Rudolf-levels of color on the ends of their noses, nose blush became ubiquitous (the hashtag has over 850,000 views).
“Squid Game” Look
A dystopian drama with gore, sweat, and masks may not seem like a natural source of beauty inspiration, but “Squid Game,” a Netflix surprise hit about a competition in which people engage in children’s games with life-or-death stakes, managed to pull it off.
Users, including YouTubers James Charles and Raiza Contawi, developed their own makeup looks inspired by the show’s fictional contestants, such as Kang Sae-Byok, the cagey North Korean refugee, on social media. The looks were inspired by characters from the “Squid Game,” with gaunt eye bags, sweating glows, and even bruises, and a sprinkle of fake freckles to match Sae- Byok’s.
@haiikc i tried to do her look love her smm #saebyeok #junghoyeon #67 #player67 #squidgame #squidgamenetflix ♬ MONEY – 리사 (LISA)
Of course, stars like Lisa from Blackpink dressed up as the show’s horrifying Red Light, Green Light doll for Halloween, replete with drawn-on, larger-than-life eyes and pigtails.
“Cheerful” Eyebags
Gen Z began embracing precisely sculpted eye bags painted in bronzer or eyeshadow, rather than the dewy, youthful radiance once beloved on social media.
@jadenugget #douyin #抖音 #chinesemakeup #fy #faaaariii_ #asianmakeup #aegyosal #asian #chinese ♬ Take a selfie – bonquiqui
However, some of them were after a very specific type of eye-bag shape known in South Korea as “aegyosal.” Aegyosal, which roughly translates to “cute fat,” is a puffy eye bag that, according to the Korean beauty website Soko Glam, makes you “appear younger and your eyes more joyful and inviting.”
More long-term cosmetic procedures such as filler injections and plastic surgery treatments to create the look have also grown up in the United States, in addition to TikTok tutorials and aegyosal-specific products produced by firms such as Etude House.
On TikTok, a popular filter known as “Belle” made the rounds, superimposing aegyosal onto users’ features and generating excitement for championing an Asian beauty standard above a Western one.
The Primer Lube
It’s not uncommon for TikTokers to use strange goods in the name of a beauty hack, but lubricant is one of the most unusual.
Others joined on the bandwagon after TikTok user Luká Kohutek allegedly started the practice this year by commencing his beauty lessons with a smear of Durex. The gel is put all over your face with a brush or your hands, and after it dries clear, foundation and the rest of your makeup is applied on top.
@ameliaolivia09 Thought I’d hop on the trend💦 ib: @Rady #lubeprimer #makeuphacks #testingmakeuphacks ♬ original sound – Amelia Olivia
The lubrication, according to YouTuber Grwady, helps your skin have a “smooth, delicate texture.”
Rice Water Hair Hacks
After they’ve finished washing their rice, most individuals toss the water. Instead, some astute social media users have fermented and bottled the milky liquid.
@abbeyyung Did we just hack rice water… #ricewater #ricewaterhairchallenge #longhair #hairhacks #learnontiktok #tiktokpartner ♬ Intentions (Instrumental Version) [Originally Performed by Justin Bieber & Quavo] – Elliot Van Coup
According to academics, the beauty practice has been established in Japan since ancient times, but it gained popularity around the world this year after social media influencers claimed that washing their hair with rice water made it grow quicker. In one video, Instagrammer @anisasojka claimed her hair had grown “3 inches in one month.”
Snail Facials
Snail mucin, a slimy, protein-rich secretion produced by the mucus glands of snails, has long been a popular component in K-beauty due to its radiance-inducing properties.
TikTok appears to pick up on snail mucus as a holy grail product this year. Corsx, a company that makes snail slime skin treatment, has a TikTok hashtag with 3 million views. This year, Google searches for their product “Cosrx Advanced Snail 96 Mucin Power Essence” increased by 140 percent.
@therealtiktokdoc Does it work? Won’t hurt 🤷🏻♂️ #LearnOnTikTok #tiktokpartner #brownsanatomy #plasticsurgery #snail #facial ♬ Pumpkins – Clutch
However, consumers discovered a less expensive way to obtain this beautifying goo: straight from the snail.
Some TikTok users started putting snails on their faces and allowing them to crawl across the surface before massaging the shimmering path into their skin. Many people have discovered that their big African snail companions may also be used as a beauty treatment at home, while others have rolled up their sleeves and harvested typical garden snails.
TikTok is the place to go if you want to learn the latest cuisine or dance that everyone is doing. It’s jam-packed with techniques and trends, particularly when it comes to skincare and cosmetics advice. Now, we’re already wondering what 2022 brings.
