What are the trends in viral thread makeup?
Makeup artists and enthusiasts are taking part in new trends, using yarn glue and spools to create a strange look.
She is “Los Angeles 10” but “Chicago 7”. “New York 9” but “Miami 5”
While that may seem pointless, these taglines are part of Tiktok’s growing “unrecognized makeup” trend, and the look of the make-up is very transformative, ensuring that the wearer looks like a completely different person.
Tiktok Creator @LottiestArrs is leading the “LA 10” trend. In the video, which has nearly 60 million viewings, she turns from pink hair to a nude face and a blonde bombshell, her weak eyes transformed into a smoky upward appearance with her heart-shaped lips. She “I was bored overnight” and in another video with 22 million views, she transformed herself into “LA 10.” Not only does it look unrecognizable from previous clips, it’s completely different from the other “unrecognizable makeup” look.
Praise flooded her comment section. “I stood and praised,” another said.
Other creators have jumped on the trend, including Nigeria-based beauty content creator Marylyn Chukwuekezie. She recreated the famous makeup looks from SZA to Sabrina Carpenter (a favorite look to date), turning it into “LA 10” using wigs, contours, blushing and eye makeup.
The debate about makeup and “undetectable plastic surgery” has already emerged on social media. Last year, Lindsay Lohan and Christina Aguilera shocked fans with their fresh looks. Make-up is currently taking part in conversation.
In July, “Bridgerton” Netflix star Chalitra Chandran stole Andrew Garfield’s spotlight at Wimbledon after the video sitting behind him went viral. However, when the internet began picking up Chandran’s appearance, posting photos of her side by side with or without makeup, calling her a “mid,” and accusing her of doing plastic surgery with filler, it quickly turned sour.
Some people get mad at these unrecognizable looks. But others argue that it’s all fun and that we shouldn’t take everything on the internet that seriously.
Makeup is “strengthening” and “art.”
The problematic joke of “swimming her on your first date” has been around for nearly a decade. They are tossed by men who claim that early looking at women without makeup is the only way to avoid dating “bamboo stuffed” as unattractive.
In 2021, actress Sidney Sweeney has often been praised for her looks (and recently the subject of a fierce debate over American Eagle ads) – cried live on Instagram on X (at the time Twitter) as she trended the trend for “ugh.” In October 2024, Sweeney was photographed with a brunette curly wig, baggy clothes and an obviously unmakeup set. She was then featured in X-thread in 11 million views entitled “Catfish of the Year,” comparing photos of the red carpet with candid shots of paparazzi.
Another user came to her defense: “‘Sidney Sweeney is a catfish’ Sir ‘If the blonde woman wakes up with jet’s black eyelashes and can’t recognize that she’s not awake with the sparkle of her face, then you might be too stupid to reach.”
Many women oppose criticism of makeup, claiming that makeup is an “art” rather than a “false form.”
“The beautiful woman we were taught is naturally beautiful, with no visible effort on her side,” Leora Tanenbaum, author of “Sexy Selfie Nation,” previously told USA Today. “But we all know that it is impossible to comply with our ideals of social beauty without effort.”
Chukwuekezie likes how she looks without makeup, but wearing it gives her confidence.
“It’s not that pretty when you’re not wearing makeup, but when you’re wearing makeup it actually feels even more beautiful,” she says. “It doesn’t affect the way I see myself. It’s like reinforcement. It’s an art form for me, and I just love putting on makeup.”
When criticism goes too far
Chukwuekezie says people are upset with the trends in easygoing makeup.
“Makeup enhances your functionality, but it doesn’t change your functionality,” she says. “That doesn’t mean someone wearing makeup is wearing makeup because she feels ugly.”
Even in her praise in the comments section, she acknowledges that there are always people who say, “You’re not doing it right.”
Others speculate that she uses makeup to emulate Euro-centric features. “I don’t understand that at all,” she says. “I have to be like, ‘restly calm.’ ”
“I had a comment, ‘La 10 Girls is Skinny, White and and Blonde or Brunette,” she continues. “I’m sorry, but I don’t think this has anything to do with makeup.”
