![“[Building nerf blasters] became this outlet of creativity for me that hasn't been matched by anything else. The process [of] making a build complete to your desire is such a painstakingly difficult process, but I've had to learn from [the skills needed from] soldering to proper painting. There's so many different options for everything, if you think about it, it exists. The best part is [that] if it doesn't exist, you can build it yourself," Ishaan Parate said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/DSC_8149-900x604.jpg)
![“When I came into high school, I was ready to be a follower. But DECA was a game changer for me. It helped me overcome my fear of public speaking, and it's played such a major role in who I've become today. To be able to successfully lead a chapter of 150 students, an officer team and be one of the upperclassmen I once really admired is something I'm [really] proud of,” Anvitha Tummala ('21) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2021/07/Screen-Shot-2021-07-25-at-9.50.05-AM-900x594.png)
![“I think getting up in the morning and having a sense of purpose [is exciting]. I think without a certain amount of drive, life is kind of obsolete and mundane, and I think having that every single day is what makes each day unique and kind of makes life exciting,” Neymika Jain (12) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2017/06/Screen-Shot-2017-06-03-at-4.54.16-PM.png)
![“My slogan is ‘slow feet, don’t eat, and I’m hungry.’ You need to run fast to get where you are–you aren't going to get those championships if you aren't fast,” Angel Cervantes (12) said. “I want to do well in school on my tests and in track and win championships for my team. I live by that, [and] I can do that anywhere: in the classroom or on the field.”](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2018/06/DSC5146-900x601.jpg)
![“[Volleyball has] taught me how to fall correctly, and another thing it taught is that you don’t have to be the best at something to be good at it. If you just hit the ball in a smart way, then it still scores points and you’re good at it. You could be a background player and still make a much bigger impact on the team than you would think,” Anya Gert (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AnnaGert_JinTuan_HoHPhotoEdited-600x900.jpeg)
![“I'm not nearly there yet, but [my confidence has] definitely been getting better since I was pretty shy and timid coming into Harker my freshman year. I know that there's a lot of people that are really confident in what they do, and I really admire them. Everyone's so driven and that has really pushed me to kind of try to find my own place in high school and be more confident,” Alyssa Huang (’20) said.](https://harkeraquila.com/wp-content/uploads/2020/06/AlyssaHuang_EmilyChen_HoHPhoto-900x749.jpeg)
Spiky false lashes. Bright eye glitter. Heavy pink blush. These East Asian makeup trends have taken over TikTok in the past months. With over one billion users, the app’s influence creates a platform for niche makeup styles to quickly rise to fame.
Unlike older makeup trends often geared towards Western features, many recent makeup trends originate from Asian beauty trends and specifically compliment Asian features. Asian beauty’s rise in popularity also reflects the growing popularity of Asian culture as a whole in Western media.
TikTok user Alena Suleiman (12) noticed increasing diversity in recent trends.
“I’ve been seeing a lot of trends that are catered to specific aesthetics,” Alena said. “I think it’s a lot more experimental for a lot of creators, which I think is really cool.”
Among countless TikTok makeup trends, Douyin makeup remains unmatched in its popularity. The makeup style emerged from the Douyin app, a version of TikTok exclusive to China, and took Western media by storm. Focused on creating a doll-like look, Douyin makeup emphasizes the eyes with fake manhua lashes, colored contacts and bright eye glitter.
Brittany Tsui (12) incorporates Douyin-style elements into her everyday makeup routine.
“Exploring these makeup trends feels like discovering a new form of self-expression,” Brittany said. “Seeing tutorials for different makeup styles on my For You Page and girls who have similar eye shapes and features helps me with my own makeup routine.”
The Douyin Makeup hashtag has accumulated over three billion views on TikTok. Its popularity has launched Chinese beauty trends into the spotlight.
Despite the name Douyin makeup, most videos under this hashtag are sourced from Chinese social media app Xiao Hong Shu (Little Red Book). Unlike Douyin, which is only accessible in China, Xiao Hong Shu reaches over 200 million users around the world. Specifically geared towards enhancing Asian features, the tutorials gained popularity among Asian teenagers and young adults.
“When I first started getting into makeup or skincare, there used to be a lot of Western-focused skincare and makeup, but I found that those products and techniques didn’t match my facial features,” Alena said. “I think the products that are made specifically for Asian features and skin types are a lot more suitable for my face.”
In fact, Asian beauty influences many current makeup trends. Japanese makeup artist, Shinobu Igari popularized Igari makeup. The makeup style gained the nickname “hangover makeup” because the heavy blush resembles the natural flush that appears on East Asians after drinking.
TikTok creators have since rebranded the “hangover” image. In their tutorials, the heavy blush and pastel palette of Igari makeup create a soft, feminine look suitable for everyday wear.
Asian Baby Girl (ABG) adapts Western makeup to Asian features. The ABG aesthetic first rose to popularity during the 2010s and describes a category of Asian girls who enjoy boba, sport butterfly tattoos and wear a distinct makeup style. The makeup style varies, but thick false lashes, sharp eyebrows and a matte base remain constant. It also features sharp nose contour and bright highlighter, creating a bolder look than Douyin and Igari makeup.
ABG makeup maintains its relevance in the new era of Asian makeup trends as it caters towards tan skin tones by using Western cosmetic products. Douyin and Igari makeup use lightly pigmented makeup for pale skin tones, failing to incorporate darker ones. ABG makeup brings more inclusivity in skin tones to the recent Asian makeup trends.
In light of the recent popularity of makeup trends geared towards East Asians, Zoe Wang (9), who closely follows Asian media and trends, speculates a reason for this new pattern.
“Over Covid, a lot of Asian media started trending and became more widespread,” Zoe said. “Also, because K-dramas, K-pop and anime have become more widespread, the trends in Asia have grown more popular in America and around the world.”
These TikTok makeup trends reflect the growing popularity of Asian pop culture and inclusivity in makeup.
“For trends like Douyin makeup to have an influence right now in our age group is really important because if [teenagers] don’t really see [creators] who look like them, they will think ‘even if I use these products, I won’t look like them’,” Alena said. “It’s honestly been really great to see a lot of diversity—not just on my For You Page, but everywhere on social media.”
