Gen Z Says is a bimonthly column chronicling the latest trends in the fashion-and-beauty space through the lens of Who What Wear’s own Gen Z editors. Expect a download on the upcoming class of tastemakers, emerging designers, and shopping and style choices straight from the generation setting the trends.
One minute, we were scrolling carelessly through viral makeup tutorials, pop culture compilations, and edits set to Hozier hits, and the next, we couldn’t anymore. If you experienced the so-called TikTok ban live, then you’re probably aware of how chaotic it felt in the days leading up to it. For hours ahead of what was supposed to be a midnight deadline, I scrolled through thousands of my favorite videos and sounds, saving content to my camera roll that I refused to lose.
As a Gen Z beauty editor, I remember having one recurring thought throughout the entire ordeal: how much inspiring beauty content would be lost to American audiences. Not only would I and thousands of other users no longer be able to look to the platform for clues into a 20-something’s psyche, shopping patterns, and undying love for beauty products, but the steady stream of tutorials, product dupes, and routines would also be gone. Naturally, the first thing I did when the app made its reappearance—a mere 14 hours after it was taken offline—was pull together an edit of the best beauty advice I had gained from the app.
Below, I’m sharing all the best tips and tricks I learned from my countless hours of scrolling #BeautyTok since 2021, from how to pull off flawless-looking glass skin with a simple routine to how to figure out the perfect eyebrow shape for you using an eyebrow-mapping filter as your guide. I’m also sharing the viral products that went triple platinum in the minds of beauty content creators worldwide. Whether you caught on to these beauty secrets pre–TikTok ban or this is your introduction to them, you’ll now always have access to them in one place. You’re welcome!
1. All-Day Makeup
After spending a good chunk of time on your makeup, it’s only natural to want extended wear time for your look. From the hundreds of tutorials claiming to reveal how to achieve all-day makeup, I identified four defining products: a gel-based primer, translucent setting powder, soft-focus setting spray, and nonfading lip stain. If you’ve been struggling to keep your makeup masterpiece in place, try any one of the trending TikTok products below for a long-lasting finish.
In a makeup tutorial, Lisa Joy—a beauty content creator and 2023 Sephora Squad member—starts her long-wearing makeup by using a translucent powder on top of primer before applying foundation. “Doing this will help absorb any excess oil and prevent it from breaking down the foundation,” she says. Next, Joy uses a hydrating setting mist to lock the powder in place before using an oil-free foundation. When applying foundation, she recommends focusing on the areas of the face where you sweat less. To finish her makeup, she goes back in with more setting spray.
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Power Grip Primer
Countless beauty creators highlighted this primer as one of the best on the market to create budgeproof makeup looks. E.l.f. Cosmetics’ gel-based Power Grip Primer hydrates and soothes your skin to deliver the most translucent, natural-looking finish. In addition to keeping your makeup in place, its formula is noncomedogenic, meaning it won’t clog your pores!
Customer Review: “I love how this primer sets my foundation. It doesn’t feel heavy or sticky, but it does an amazing job and helps my makeup last for hours. A little goes a long way. I finally found a primer that works for me.”
Hourglass
Veil Setting Spray Soft Focus Effect
Here’s another product TikTok makeup enthusiasts have praised as a holy grail. Hourglass’s weightless spray uses an ultrafine, water-resistant formula to set your makeup, blur imperfections, and create a smooth and radiant appearance for 24 hours. Its lightweight formula allows users to spritz it anytime throughout the day to rehydrate skin.
Customer Review: “I have been using the Hourglass Veil Soft Focus Setting Spray for a few weeks now and it’s a fantastic product. I love all the Hourglass products and I find this leaves my skin so soft and hydrated and ensures makeup stays on all day without feeling oily, dry or separating. Love it, will continue to repurchase!”
Laura Mercier
Ultra-Blur Talc-Free Translucent Loose Setting Powder
Wondering which setting powder TikTok has dubbed a must-have for all-day makeup looks? While there are many that have graced our For You pages, this Laura Mercier powder remains one of the best for all skin types and textures. Its talc-free formula is infused with hyaluronic acid and ultra-blurring ingredients to address imperfections.
Customer Review: “After using this product several times, I am adding it to my makeup staples. I don’t use loose setting powder often but this rose one has been a game changer. I feel like I usually look cakey under my eyes with setting powder but I love the blurred effect. Also has a pleasant scent to it.”
Sacheu
Peel Off Lip Liner Stay-N
Many of us have tried lip stains, but I would venture to say that peel-off lip liner is still a new concept in the beauty space. However, that doesn’t discourage TikTok beauty lovers from touting it every chance they get! This one is infused with skin-loving ingredients like hyaluronic acid and vitamin E to nourish and soothe the lips, and gentle color pigments deliver long-lasting coverage.
Customer Review: “I’ve been looking for a lip stain for forever! I saw this on TikTok and decided to buy it. I work in a professional setting and can’t always just reapply lipstick, so this is so useful and I cant wait to tell my friends about it!”
2. Blush Placement
If you’ve been on #BeautyTok over the past few years, there’s a fair chance you’ve come across multiple videos dedicated to blush placement, whether it’s applying blush vertically, horizontally, beneath the cheekbones, etc. One tutorial by Emilie Tømmerberg has earned over 4.8 million views on the app. It involves using your hand as a guide to ensure the most flattering blush placement. She places her thumb right beside her nose and uses her other fingers to hug her face up and out toward her temple. Then, with her other hand, she applies her preferred blush formula.
On the opposite side of her face, she demonstrates how to create a lifted blush look. Once again using her fingers as a guide, she positions her index and middle fingers in a V shape with the latter resting on the outer corner of the eye. She then applies the blush in the space in between, tapping the brush upward to give the face a more sculpted appearance. Below, shop four cream- and gel-formula blush products that have captured the attention of TikTok users.
Anastasia Beverly Hills
Blurring Serum Liquid Blush
Who What Wear editors are no strangers to a TikTok trend, and new blush formulas are frequently at the top of our to-try lists. Anastasia Beverly Hills’ newest launch has been making its rounds over the past few weeks. The brand’s serum-enriched, hydrating blush creates a stunning soft-matte finish with buildable color. The formula is enriched with niacinamide and pomegranate-peel extract.
Customer Review: “I was pleasantly surprised by this blush. This was my first time using a serum blush of any kind and really loved how smooth it went on and blended effortlessly with my makeup. The color payoff is great being that I am of a darker complexion. I will definitely be trying out the other colors in this collection.”
Chantecaille
Cheek Gelée
If you’re more drawn to highly pigmented, cream-based blush, you’ll want to take notes from TikTok beauty lovers and get your hands on Chantecaille’s Cheek Gelée. Described by the brand as “merging the freshness of emulsion with the lasting radiance of a stain,” this viral formula uses sheer pigments to create a youthful and radiant glow.
Customer Review: “This Cheek Gelée is wonderful! Feels cool going on the skin, leaves a little bit of a glow. Can wear alone for a no makeup natural look or great under powder blush. Soft glow! Have purchased a second time.”
I always look forward to seeing multipurpose beauty essentials on #BeautyTok. RMS Beauty’s Lip2Cheek is one I snagged seconds after it hit my For You page. There are two reasons. It delivers a youthful, sheer wash of color for the lips and cheeks, and the formula uses a nourishing blend of buriti oil, shea butter, and cocoa butter to seal in moisture.
Customer Review: “Love these! Like how I have a choice of color to add to cheeks and/or lips depending on my days mood. The colors give a nature color to the cheeks. I’m happy with the product.”
Victoria Beckham Beauty
Cheeky Posh
This velvety, botanical-enriched blush by Victoria Beckham Beauty has also appeared on all the Who What Wear editors’ FYPs. It melts seamlessly into the skin for a long-lasting, soft-focus wash of color. It also offers skin benefits thanks to jojoba esters, blue lotus wax, and more.
Customer Review: “This is the best blush I have ever used. The color is a gorgeous coral. It blends like a dream with no need to reapply throughout the day. I love how natural it looks. I have a lot of blushes in my bag, but this is the only one I reach for time and time again. I will definitely purchase more shades.”
3. Eyebrow Mapping
Eyebrow mapping is the process of using precise measurements to find the best brow shape for your face shape, and it involves marking the beginning, arch, and tail end of the brows. One thing all Who What Wear beauty editors can vouch for? Eyebrows can completely transform your look—even the slightest lift of a tail or a highlight under the arch. Luckily, an eyebrow-mapping filter created by content creator Grace Choi helps users determine how to alter their eyebrow shape. The filter draws seven virtual lines on the face in a V shape extending from the top of the lips upward to the nose, outer eyes, and finally the ends of the eyebrows.
Using the eyebrow map, users can digitally compare their current eyebrow shape to the one displayed on the screen. Some users have adapted their brows to the virtual eyebrow map by shading in sparse spots for fullness and adding highlighter beneath the arches. Others have taken it one step further by shaving off the ends of their brows to fit the filter’s suggested length. “This feels good—being this violently humbled by a TikTok filter,” says user Krista Saltmarsh Hemsley after changing her brow shape to coincide with the filter for a stunning result.
Benefit Cosmetics
Mighty Fine Waterproof Brow Pen
To get your desired shape and fullness, the Mighty Fine Waterproof Brow Pen is essential. The viral new launch from Benefit Cosmetics is a triple-tip brow pen that quickly fills in brows to mimic the look of natural hair. Sparse brows are no match for this
Customer Review: “I recently tried the New! Mighty Fine Brow Pen from Benefit Cosmetics, and this is my new favorite thing. It has the finest tip I have ever seen on a brow pen, and the spoolie is perfect. I want a half dozen in varying shades to match all my wigs.”
e.l.f. Cosmetics
Brow Lift
I’m planning to hop on the soap-brow trend with this extreme-hold eyebrow-shaping wax by E.l.f. Cosmetics. It tames and sculpts brows for a clear, natural hold with an aloe-infused conditioning formula that nourishes the brow hairs.
Customer Review: “I find this product is extremely useful after doing a makeup look or even just a clean up for my brows. They hold so well and I find the product very easy to use.”
If you’re on the hunt for another brow pen to add to your makeup routine, try the Il Makiage Brow Pen. This TikTok find allows you to fill and shape your brows with a waterproof formula in one of five shades. It features a slim twist-up applicator and an ultra-precise tip that houses the pen’s smudge-proof, waterproof, sweat-resistant formula.
Customer Review: “I’m so happy with my eyebrow purchase! The color is a perfect match and enhances my natural look beautifully. Since my first buy, I’ve become a loyal customer. The product applies smoothly, lasts all day, and consistently delivers great results. Highly recommend!”
Milk Makeup
Kush Fiber Eyebrow Gel
Another buzzy eyebrow product that’s been dominating the social media circuit is Milk Makeup’s Kush Fiber Eyebrow Gel. The tinted formula uses heart-shaped fibers that lock onto the brows for long-lasting volume. Hemp-derived cannabis-seed oil conditions and fuses the fibers to the brows. I love how it sets the brows without leaving them stiff or flaky.
Customer Review: “My eyebrows are already pretty full but this gel does a great job adding some volume to the sparse areas. I have medium/dark hair and this color is a little dark on me though. A little bit goes a long way!”
4. Glass Skin
The glass skin trend is all over our FYPs. The trend originated in Korea, and it’s all about creating even, glowy skin with minimal products, mimicking the smooth, reflective look of glass. There are countless Korean skincare products you can use to re-create this look.
While Korean skincare has a long history extending back thousands of years, it’s recently gained widespread attention on TikTok. Anthony Youn, MD, FACS, posted a viral TikTok video describing how to achieve glowy, glass-like skin in a few simple steps. “Make sure you’re using peptides in your skincare. Peptides are small proteins that send signals to our skin cells to create more collagen,” he says. “Loss of collagen is one of the main reasons why our skin thins as we get older.” He also recommends vitamin C and niacinamide to combat dark spots.
Anua
Heartleaf Pore Control Cleansing Oil
The secret to getting the glass skin look? Using a gentle cleanser that’s hard on makeup, blackheads, and sebum. This Anua cleansing oil has been touted on TikTok as one of the best products for getting glass skin thanks to its botanical blend of soothing heartleaf extract and skin-renewing vitamin E.
Customer Review: “I’ve tried so many different brands and facial cleansers and nothing has worked out. But, omg this is amazing! Literally gentle on the skin as well and I have sensitive skin. It removed my makeup so nicely with no irritation.”
SkinCeuticals
Triple Lipid Restore 242
Glass skin can mean something different for everyone, but SkinCeuticals’ Triple Lipid Restore 242 has shown up in a good number of popular glass skin routines. It uses a blend of essential lipids with antioxidants, vitamins, and other nutrients to fight free radical damage and smooth skin texture. It also boosts elasticity, moisture levels, and radiance.
Customer Review: “The is the best moisturizer out there. I have tried cheaper alternatives but always come back to this. Leaves my skin soft and smooth and doesn’t irritate my sensitive skin.”
The Ordinary
Hyaluronic Acid 2% + B5 Hydrating Serum
Another must-have item is this iconic hyaluronic acid serum. It instantly works to hydrate and plump the skin while smoothing texture and wrinkles with ceramides, vitamin B5, and five forms of hyaluronic acid.
Customer Review: “One of my favorite serum to use for my face. I love how with consistent use my skin has completely transformed. The texture has changed and it is a lot brighter. I love how soft my skin feels now and my dark spots has been fading.”
TikTok-viral Korean skincare brands like Tirtir have been on the rise, and products like the brand’s Milk Skin Toner are at the helm. This hydrating toner features a nourishing blend of niacinamide, ceramide, rice bran extract, and more to brighten and reduce dark spots, smooth fine lines, and create a supple canvas for the rest of your skincare and makeup products.
Customer Review: “I’ve seen this go viral on TikTok and was resistant but decades to try it. I’m buying my fourth bottle! I got the light version. I dab some on a cotton pad and wipe my face. When you think your face is clean, it’s not. It gets all the gunk off. You’d be surprised.”
5. Luscious Lashes
If you’re wondering how to create long, full lashes without wearing falsies or chemically altering the natural texture of your lashes, TikTok’s got your back. One of the most popular videos on how to jump-start lash growth comes from licensed esthetician and content creator Sarah Saleen, who shared the lashcare routine she swears by. In the minute-long video, Saleen shares that she applies lash serum three times a week to boost growth.
Saleen then lists the rest of the things she does to encourage lash growth: avoiding tugging or rubbing, never using harsh makeup wipes (she prefers a cleansing balm), and not using waterproof mascara since many formulas contain drying waxes. Another popular way to boost lash growth is using castor oil to naturally nourish the lashes.
Kate Blanc Cosmetics
Castor Oil
Castor oil is nothing new, but TikTokers have recently been touting it as a must for boosting their lash health. This Kate Blanc Cosmetics Castor Oil, which has over 80k five-star ratings on Amazon, promotes both eyelash and eyebrow growth. It can also be used to combat dandruff, brittle hair, and dry scalp.
Customer Review: “I’ve been using castor oil for my dry flaky skin and it’s been incredible! It’s thick but feels good as part of my night time routine. I’ve also noticed that it help soothe irritated patches, calming the redness and reducing flakiness. It’s a natural and inexpensive alternative for really dry skin. I love it!”
Olaplex
Lashbond Building and Enhancing Serum
This viral serum is a surefire way to give your lashes the TLC they need to reach their greatest potential. Olaplex’s Lashbond Building and Enhancing Serum combines the brand’s patented Peptide Complex and Bond Building technologies to support the natural growth cycle, retain length, and promote a healthier environment for natural lash growth.
Customer Review: “Started using product after I removed lash extensions and my lashes were very thin. After a month of daily/nightly application, my lashes have definitely lengthened and feel & look stronger. I re-ordered and would definitely recommend.”
RevitaLash
Signature Eyelash Curler
Everyone needs a good lash curler in their collection, and the RevitaLash Signature Eyelash Curler is a favorite on the app. It gently lifts and curls the lashes into place with precision and comfort thanks to a soft silicone pad and easy-to-use clamp. To get the lashes of your dreams every time, replace the curler pad every two months.
Customer Review: “There are so many eyelash curlers to choose from, but this one is always the best. It won’t pull out or cut your lashes! It’s formed well, so it fits to do a good job curling.”
Typology
L37 Eyebrow & Eyelash Serum
Another eyebrow and eyelash serum that’s been celebrated on TikTok is the Typology L37 Eyebrow & Eyelash Serum. It uses castor oil, 2% pea peptides, biotinyl-GHK, and panthenol to nourish and strengthen the lashes and brows while accelerating natural growth. For best results, try applying it directly on the brows with the brush as part of your nighttime routine.
Customer Review: “I’ve been using this serum for over a month now and my lashes look longer and fuller! I seem to be losing them less too. Easy to apply and pleasant without discomfort.”
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