First it was Facebook, followed by Snapchat and Instagram, but come 2019 into 2020, TikTok stepped into the spotlight, quickly becoming the social media app taking over the world. Besides its famous dances and lip-synching, TikTok fashion and beauty trends dominate feeds. The app has over 1 billion users and if you’re a part of the target audience (ages 13 to 30) you most likely either have or know of this app. 

I resisted joining TikTok for a long time. I would watch the videos if I came across them on other platforms, but refused to download it, thinking it was silly and a waste of time. However, come quarantine, after plenty of days of boredom, I decided to bite the bullet and download it. It has been a downward spiral of TikTok addiction ever since. I am slightly embarrassed to say how much I now love this app. It feels like a hybrid of Vine and Musical.ly and is full of people my age making interesting, catchy and funny content. 

Since TikTok has taken off, a culture has been built around the app and it has become a bit of a tastemaker among younger audiences. Below are a few of the most interesting fashion and beauty trends I have seen overtake the app and even trickle into mainstream culture. 

Fashion Trends

One thing I have noticed about TikTok fashion and beauty is that it is heavily focused on loungewear, styling hacks, and challenges.  A few of my favorite fashion trends that I’ve been seeing recently on the app are tie dye sweatsuits, biker shorts, and oversized crewneck sweatshirts. These trends pair function and fashion together, as TikTok is known for its dance community, so movement and comfort are crucial components of TikTok style.

DIY tutorials on how to make tie-dye sweatshirts and sweatpants in particular have been growing in popularity for their ease, affordability and brightness. TikTok users show how simple it is to create one of these sets for yourself by taking affordable white crewnecks and sweatpants and a tie-dye kit and doing it yourself for around $20. Some of the popular colors are pink, blue, purple and acid-washed tie-dye effects. 

Styling Hacks

Styling hacks involving shoelaces have also become popular on the app. One hack features tying a shoelace like a belt around the waist of ill-fitting jeans in order to cinch and prevent gaps. Shoelaces can also be used to create a cropped look for t-shirts. Simply tie a shoelace around your torso in the place where you’d like your shirt to hit. Then, tuck the edges of the shirt under the shoelace until you have the desired crop. 

Beauty Trends

In terms of beauty trends, E-girl striped hair and E-girl makeup looks dominate TikTok feeds. Creaseless matte foundation hacks and the Eyes, Lips, Face challenge also have significant traction.

E-girl hair refers to the grungy style where the two front strands of hair are a different color than the rest of the head. They create a whimsical, trendy effect. Quarantine is the perfect time to try out new looks and experiment with your hair – people everywhere have been dyeing their hair out of boredom. E-girl makeup, similarly, centers around having fun with color and drawing on the face. Makeup looks within this aesthetic often feature peachy, pink eyeshadow, heavy blush and winged liner. E-girls also favor drawn-on hearts, stars, smiley faces or fake freckles. 

Beauty Challenges and Hacks

A creaseless foundation hack has also taken TikTok by storm since it first appeared in late February in a video by user Jarida, or @ridaaaamat. 2.7 million people have viewed the video to date. The hack begins by applying moisturizer to your face followed by a light layer of translucent powder applied with a fluffy brush. From there, apply setting spray and let dry. Then proceed to add primer and foundation as one would normally. The result? A long-lasting, creaseless face, perfect for a long day with no time to touch-up. 

What would a beauty analysis be without including James Charles? Although YouTube is still his primary platform, the beauty influencer and makeup artist has built a significant following on his TikTok channel, boasting 13.3 millions followers currently. His makeup challenges are highly popular on the app. For example, many TikTokers have created spin-off videos based on James’ Eyes, Lips, Face challenge. 

Overall, the TikTok beauty and fashion scene centers around youth, innovation, experimentation, and having fun. TikTok serves as a hub for teenage self-expression and style. Will TikTok become the new moodboard for fashion designers and brands? Who’s to say? All we know for now is that the app is ever-growing and has users feeling both addicted and inspired.