One thing about TikTok? It loves a good code word. And chances are you’ve heard the latest while mindlessly scrolling through your FYP: mascara. A lot of people have been talking about mascara lately…without anyone *actually* talking about it and with no real tubes of it in sight.
The #MascaraTrend is mostly set to Duster’s “Constellations” sound and currently has 39.2 million TikTok views. Clearly, it’s a full grown ~thing~, so what the hell is it about then? That would be sex, dating and relationships. Yes! Really, so randomly, but also not???
If you’ve gone down a deep, dark rabbit hole to find out what the #mascara trend is and got absolutely nothing back, allow me to reclaim your time. Here’s everything you need to know about the trend.
What does “mascara” mean on TikTok?
The #MascaraTrend is basically a coded way for people to talk about their past and present romantic relationships, how good or bad they were and, um, what the sex was like. For example, one TikToker wrote, “The one mascara I ever really liked damaged my lashes really badly so now I’m too scared to try new mascaras because I can’t stand my lashes getting damaged again.” “
While another user said (jokingly?) “My favorite mascara couldn’t keep its wand in its tube,” the trend is also used to talk about being happy in your ship. As one poster put it: “I’ve had my mascara since I was 14. I’m 24 now. The only mascara I’ve ever tried, but I know there’s nowhere else like it. I even made a smaller version because I like it so much.” Adorable.
But it can also apply to other sexualities than straight
Obviously the images of a wand allude to penises but other users have used the metaphor to talk about why they don’t engage with these wands loving that for them.
FYI, if you see a reference to “lip gloss” (in the comments or in videos), it means vaginas. The more you know! Also important side note: Is this for Lil Mama? Yes, really meant when she said her lip gloss was poppin??? Told my group chat it was.
The videos can also get a little, uh, NSFW
Since users speak in code, they can ~go~ if they really want to and celebrate (and sometimes shade!) their exes. Witness:
RIP to the guys seeing their GFs that they want a longer mascara because their current one is too short 🫠.
This seems extra. Why don’t people just say what they really mean?
It’s basically that they aren’t censored by the app, and the workaround is actually pretty awesome. However, using a codeword to avoid content moderation is nothing new — social media apps (and their content policies) have actually led to users creating a whole new set of languages ​​called “Algospeak,” reported Taylor Lorenz. You’ve seen it: people using the corn emoji for the word “porn”; “le dollar bean” to write “Le$bian” (since speech-to-text reads it that way); “spicy eggplant” means “vibrator” or “nip nops” for nipples. So, using “mascara” to talk about something that the app might deem inappropriate essentially deters users from having their content moderated by the TikTok Powers At Be. Finally, 2023 in: Calling a Penis “Mascara”. Out: I’m just saying tail. Written down!
TBD on who started the trend themselves but very thankful they blessed the FYP with a new little sexual innuendo!
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