In the ever-evolving world of beauty, new trends pop up every day, often promising to revolutionize our makeup routines. However, when it comes to experimenting with these trends, they don’t always work for everyone. One such trend is the ‘clean girl’ aesthetic which revolves around natural, effortless makeup. This trend may work wonders for some and not so much for others. Especially for people with pale skin tones, this aesthetic may make them look unfinished, or at worst, ill.
So, what’s the alternative? Interestingly, TikTok presented a solution to this common quandary faced by makeup enthusiasts. The social media platform suggested that perhaps it is not the trend that’s the problem, but rather the way makeup is being applied. People have different facial “weights,” or prominent features, and the style of makeup should be applied according to these features.
While scrolling through TikTok, it can be observed that there are many videos that help identify whether your facial features fall into low or high visual weight. Also, it is important to note that visual weight is a spectrum, meaning that one can also have a middle visual weight. Julianna Lee, a popular TikTok creator, explains that visual weight refers to assessing how prominent your facial features are, in comparison to the rest of your face.
High visual weight refers to those who have large and noticeable facial features, such as big lips or eyes. Even a sharp bone structure can indicate high visual weight. Celebrities such as Angelina Jolie, Tyra Banks, Anya Taylor-Joy, and Anne Hathaway are typically used as examples to demonstrate high visual weight. When it comes to makeup, faces with high visual weight can carry off dramatic or heavy makeup looks without being overwhelmed. Bright lipstick and smokey eyes, which are considered heavier styles, may even suit these types of faces better than softer makeup styles.
On the other hand, low visual weight refers to faces where the overall features are less pronounced, meaning no single feature stands out more than the rest. Low visual weight facial features tend to be rounder and softer. Celebrities included in this category are Hailey Bieber, Gigi Hadid, Selena Gomez, among others. Individuals with low visual weight should opt for more natural makeup looks, like the “clean girl” aesthetic which aligns better with their facial features.
If you think you might belong to neither of the two categories completely, you likely have middle visual weight, just like celebrities Kylie Jenner, Leighton Meester, and Zendaya. For such faces, the ideal makeup look involves equal emphasis on the eyes and lips, ensuring a balanced look.
If you’re still not sure which category you belong to, TikTok provides several ways to determine it. For instance, there’s the Bold Glam filter, which when looks good on you, indicates you might have high visual weight. However, this could be dependent on individual tastes. Another popular method is the photo contrast test, which involves adjusting the contrast of a black and white picture of yourself.
If your features appear more prominent when the contrast is turned up to 100, it’s an indication of high visual weight. But, if they appear more balanced at -100, then you have low visual weight. Whichever category you belong to, one thing to remember is makeup is all about enhancing your natural features and experimenting until you find the look that suits you the best. Will you be trying this new makeup hack? Let us know!
