In May, beauty trends on TikTok varied from scent to science. While some were turning their used deodorant packaging into facial rollers for skincare, many were immersing themselves in the world of fragrances for hair, and others were focusing on SPF education for the upcoming summer months. Here's what else happened on TikTok during May, selected by BeautyMatter:
Aloe Vera Face Roller: The latest DIY beauty trend to land on TikTok has left several turning empty roll-on deodorant packaging into an aloe vera facial roller. As showcased by beauty guru Rose Friederike, the skincare roller is easy to create, achieved by pulling the ball out of the body of a deodorant's packaging and placing both parts into a bowl of soapy water to remove excess product. The packaging is then filled with aloe vera, the roller ball is put back into place, and a self-made facial roller filled with aloe vera is created. The TikToker also encouraged her followers to decorate the deodorant packaging with their favorite stickers, making each one personal to the user. Friederike's video received 39 million views and 2.4 million likes, as several fans began to create their own versions. Popular skincare influencer Jake Jamie also posted a video trying the trend, which received 240K views and 15.7K likes within 24 hours of being published. The creator shared the video with a caption explaining the benefits of such a product: reducing puffiness, soothing the skin, and acting as an easy de-stressor in any self-care routine.
UV Protection Testing: According to Skinproud, 79% of Gen Z don't wear SPF daily, and only 28% know that sun exposure can cause skin damage. On TikTok, those who are aware of the dangers sun can cause to the skin are pioneering for education surrounding SPF protection. This is being done through the use of UV testing devices such as UVReveal, a camera that shows consumers where their SPF products have been applied, making it easier to identify spots that are often missed due to the sheer color of many SPF products. Many users are testing out different SPF products and comparing their coverage, longevity, and effectiveness. The trend has gained so much traction that accounts dedicated solely to SPF protection testing are beginning to show up across FYPs (For You Pages). A popular account is @Hausofaesthetics, committed to SPF product testing, providing content regularly for its 142.9K followers. The account tests different brands, types, and strengths of SPF offerings, from moisturizers to primers and sunscreens. There is an apparent audience for this content across TikTok, with many of @Hausofaesthetics posts accumulating millions of views per video, with the most viewed video, testing e.l.f’s Whoa Glow SPF, currently holding 10.4 million views and 1.2 million likes.
Hair Perfume: #PerfumeTok has a new focus—fragrances for hair. According to Spate, "Hair Perfume" has seen a 35% MoM increase in searches on TikTok and currently holds over 78 million views. Under the search term, multiple types of videos are being posted, from the best hair perfumes to the benefits of hair perfumes and hair perfume wear tests; several angles are being taken for content with this product as the focus. A video posted by @catherinemaaaae titled "The best hair perfumes that will get you the most compliments" showcases hair perfumes stocked at Sephora, and has received over 475K views and 39K likes. Within the video, several fragrances are mentioned, yet the one that often receives the most attention is Gisou's Honey Infused Hair Perfume, which holds a strong spot on hair perfume TikTok, with the term "Gisou hair perfume review" having 348.2 million views. Some users have taken the trend one step further, using rollerball perfumes to spread scent across their hairbrushes in the hope of a longer-lasting fragrance. A video from @theperfumegeek doing so has received 847K views and over 185K likes.
Ear Wax Removal: Some elements of beauty and personal care can often be more gory than glorious. For several years, pimple-popping videos have been a viral sensation that many cannot resist watching despite the graphic images of the process. Most recently, pimple-popping has been given a run for its money by professional ear wax removal videos. While the trend of ear wax removal is not a new one, there has been a recent increase in content surrounding the practice on TikTok. Under the tag #earwaxremoval, which has 6.7 billion views, videos of doctors draining the wax from clients' ears can be found. Methods vary from techniques that use a syringe to melt the wax, leading to it falling out, using a special tool that resembles tweezers to pull hardened wax out, and tubes that use suction to remove the wax. Along with the trend, many TikTok users have been purchasing at-home devices that act as a camera to help people see inside their ears, with a tool on the end to remove the wax from the ear canal during the process. While this product has infiltrated through several videos and made its way to TikTok Shop, many medical professionals and consumers alike are warning of the dangers of using such a product unsupervised. One user commented on a product review of the tool, "Please do not get this or waste your money. The clip literally broke off in my ear and was stuck." Several doctors have also warned against the dangers, including @dr.godinez.audiologist, who posts videos of professional ear wax removal on his page for his 648K followers.
