TikTok Beauty Trends - July 2023
Each month, NellyRodi beauty experts present their selection of the most interesting trends seen on TikTok. Here’s what’s happening in June 2023!
Don’t age or age better?
A new filter that mimics the effects of aging and adds 30 years to internauts’ faces is taking TikTok by storm. The phenomenon is starting new discussions about getting older, a subject that’s already going strong on the platform. As with the Bold Glamour filter, two opposing viewpoints – the rejection or acceptance of aging – seem to be emerging.
Kylie Jenner is one of the internauts who refuses to age. In a video that hit 98 million views in only two days, the influencer tries the filter and expresses her unhappiness at the result. The fear of growing old is widespread on TikTok, and techniques to fight the signs of aging are especially popular with the younger generations. In fact, according to the International Master Course of Aging Skin professional organization, French people between 18 and 34 years old undergo more cosmetic surgery than those between 50 and 60. The phenomenon is illustrated by the recent baby botox trend, which reached 157 million views on the platform. The technique advocates using microdoses of botox before wrinkles form, meaning before 25 years old. On TikTok it has become normal to share behind-the-scenes looks at cosmetic surgery, and this new filter even lets some users justify those procedures.
On the other side, some internauts are taking a stance against this movement: they don’t reject the signs of aging, but they want to age better. One internaut used the filter and was delighted to imagine herself in 30 years with wrinkles. She went even further, hoping to be happy and fulfilled when she’ll look like that. In this vein, many users share more holistic tips to deal with signs of aging. They suggest techniques that are less invasive than cosmetic surgery, such as facial massage, lymphatic drainage, or a balanced diet – a viewpoint that promotes self-acceptance.
This new TikTok filter illustrates the polarization of attitudes concerning beauty and growing old. On one side, some consumers want to exercise a kind of control over time and sculpt their faces. On the other, some believe in a more holistic beauty and prefer to age better.
@kyliejenner♬ original sound – Kylie Jenner
@rachel.ann.thomas I think i make a cute old person 🙂 #oldfilter #oldfilterchallenge #oldface #filters ♬ The Bug Collector – Haley Heynderickx
Super UV protection
TikTok users are real skincare experts, questioning the performance of certain products and the promises of certain brands. With summer starting, young internauts are focused on sunscreens and looking for added performance and innovation.
NellyRodi’s “Unfolding Gen Z Beauty” report shows that 35% of those questioned used a SPF product in their daily skincare routine. So on TikTok, users want reassurance about how well their sunscreens work. Some have adopted the UVReveal tool, which uses blue light technology to show if a product is correctly applied to the face. The @hausofaesthetics account is even dedicated exclusively to testing SPF products, with videos comparing their coverage and performance over time.
In the constant quest for expertise in protection from the sun, new kinds of products are also emerging on the platform. In parallel with the skinification of haircare and the growing importance given to haircare products, sunscreens for the scalp are also appearing on TikTok. A user recently presented an innovative product for quickly cleaning roots while protecting the scalp from the sun’s rays.
On TikTok, internauts are trying to increase their beauty expertise. Beyond their interest in sunscreens, they’re always looking for better performing, more innovative products.
@hausofaesthetics Replying to @f6mmaaa If you love a light weight SPF – @Neutrogena Hydroboost is for you 🫧 @Then I Met You comparison – which SPF are you adding to your 🛒 #testingsunscreen #hydroboost #neutrogena ♬ Search & Rescue – Drake
@rudiberry protect that scalp and clean your roots at the same time 🏖️☀️🤝🏼 #powderspf #dryshampoo #scalpspf #sunscreen #suncare #supergooppowderspf #scalpsunscreen ♬ Smooth Operator – Tiktok Remix – Scammacist
The clean girl has become rich
The clean girl esthetic, already a firm fixture on TikTok, is now evolving to become the rich girl esthetic. The shift is part of the worldwide quiet luxury movement, which involves appearing to be rich as discreetly as possible.
With 2 billion views on TikTok, the rich girl targets healthy, radiant skin which seems to benefit from the most upmarket treatments. The esthetic is especially represented by Sofia Richie, whose marriage was a TikTok sensation. On Vogue’s YouTube channel and the Glossier site she presents her makeup routine for creating a light, subtle look: her skin is glowing and slightly rosy with delicately tinted lips, and her hair is pulled back. The result is clearly different from the Kardashians’ sculpted faces which established contouring and endless beauty routines as the market norms.
But the esthetic isn’t a unanimous favorite: the rich girl trend seems to go against ideas about inclusivity supported by a large number of TikTokers. The fact is, it promotes perfect skin, which means excluding skin with imperfections. The esthetic is also criticized for being represented mostly by young women with white skin and the privileged lifestyles that give them access to expensive treatments and products. This major trend excludes a large part of the TikTok audience.
The esthetic, inspired by the clean girl codes, is part of the quiet luxury movement. It seems to mark the end of the chapter of our vision of a more opulent beauty represented by the Kardashians. But this new definition of beauty does not necessarily promote inclusivity.
@livmannisofia richie inspired & my new go to look 🦢♬ original sound – Sofia Richie Grainge
@mikacassandra21 clean rich girl aesthetic 😭✨ oh to be like her !!!! #nudestix #sofiarichiestyle #jomalone #sofiarichiemakeup ♬ original sound – Sofia Richie Grainge
