Beauty: This 'creepy' yarn face makeup trend is taking over TikTok - and the internet is divided
- InsightTrendsWorld
- Apr 4
- 8 min read
Why it is the topic trending:
Viral TikTok Trend: The article highlights a new makeup trend that has gained significant traction on TikTok, a major platform for beauty trends and viral content. The widespread attention on TikTok automatically makes it a trending topic.
Divisive Nature: The trend is described as "divisive" and "torn," with strong positive and negative reactions online. This kind of polarizing content often generates more discussion and makes the topic trend as people share their opinions.
Unique and Unconventional: Yarn face makeup is a very distinctive and unusual makeup style, diverging significantly from typical beauty looks. Its novelty and creativity contribute to its trending status as people are intrigued by something so different.
Overview:
The article discusses the emergence of "yarn face makeup" as a viral and divisive beauty trend on TikTok. This trend involves transforming the face to resemble old-fashioned yarn dolls, using techniques like thick yarn illusions glued to the face, brightly blushed cheeks, drawn-on lashes, and glossy lips. Some creators even use real yarn for hair, eyebrows, or facial features. Originating in March 2025 with TikTok creator @annamurphyyy, the trend, inspired by dollcore and cosplay, has since been popularized by influencers like @amandalaurine. While praised by some for its creativity and nostalgic charm, it has been dubbed "creepy" and "nightmare fueling" by others, showcasing a significant divide in online reactions. The article concludes that, like other boundary-pushing beauty trends, yarn face makeup is more about artistic transformation than everyday wearable looks.
Detailed Findings:
A new viral beauty trend called "yarn face makeup" is gaining popularity on TikTok.
The trend involves makeup transformations that mimic the look of stitched, wide-eyed yarn dolls.
It uses thick yarn illusions wrapped around the face with glue, bright blush, drawn-on lashes, and glossy lips.
Some creators use real yarn for hair, eyebrows, and other facial features.
The trend originated in March 2025 with TikTok creator @annamurphyyy, inspired by dollcore and cosplay.
Influencers like @amandalaurine have further popularized the trend.
Pinterest's 2024 trend report hinted at a playful "doll's house" inspired approach to makeup in 2025.
Reactions to the trend are divided, with some praising its creativity and nostalgic nod to childhood, while others find it "creepy" and "nightmare fueling."
The trend is considered more about transformation and artistic expression than everyday beauty.
Captivating variations of the trend are emerging as more creators participate.
Key Takeaway:
Yarn face makeup is a highly creative and divisive beauty trend that has gone viral on TikTok, transforming faces into eerie yet artistic representations of yarn dolls, showcasing the boundary-pushing potential of makeup and eliciting strong, contrasting reactions online.
Main Trend:
The Rise of Hyper-Stylized Transformation Makeup.
Description of the Trend (please name it):
The Rise of Hyper-Stylized Transformation Makeup describes a growing trend within the beauty community, particularly on platforms like TikTok, where makeup is used not just for enhancement but as a tool for complete transformation into fantastical, character-like, or abstract forms. This trend goes beyond traditional beauty norms and focuses on artistic expression, pushing the boundaries of what makeup can achieve and often drawing inspiration from cosplay, art, and nostalgic themes.
What is consumer motivation:
Consumer motivation for engaging with this trend includes:
Artistic Expression: Makeup becomes a medium for creating art on the face, allowing for creativity and unique self-expression.
Pushing Boundaries: This trend challenges conventional beauty standards and explores new and unconventional ways to use makeup.
Performance and Entertainment: These transformations are often documented and shared online for entertainment, showcasing the skill and artistry involved.
Nostalgia: The yarn face makeup trend specifically taps into nostalgia for old-fashioned dolls and childhood toys.
Attention and Viral Potential: Unique and striking looks like yarn face makeup are more likely to capture attention and go viral on social media.
What is driving trend:
Creativity and Innovation in Makeup: The beauty industry is constantly evolving with new techniques and products that allow for more elaborate transformations.
Social Media as a Platform for Artistic Display: Platforms like TikTok provide a space for creators to share their unique and often boundary-pushing makeup artistry with a global audience.
Influence of Cosplay and Character Makeup: The techniques and aesthetics of cosplay are increasingly influencing mainstream makeup trends.
Desire for Unique Content: Creators are constantly seeking new and interesting content to engage their followers, leading to experimentation with hyper-stylized looks.
What is motivation beyond the trend:
Beyond the immediate aspects of creativity and attention, this trend might reflect:
A Form of Escapism: Transforming into a character or doll-like figure can offer a temporary escape from reality.
Rejection of Traditional Beauty Norms: Some individuals may be motivated by a desire to challenge or subvert conventional ideas of beauty.
Description of consumers the article is referring to (what is their age?, what is their gender? What is their income? What is their lifestyle):
The article primarily refers to:
Beauty Creators on TikTok: These are the individuals originating and showcasing the yarn face makeup trend. This demographic likely skews younger, with a strong presence from Gen Z (approximately ages 10-25 in 2025), who are highly active on the platform and known for their creativity and embrace of trends.
Beauty Enthusiasts: Individuals who follow beauty trends and are interested in seeing unique and artistic makeup looks online. This audience likely spans various age groups and genders but is actively engaged with online beauty content.
The article doesn't specify income or lifestyle in detail, but it can be inferred that these are individuals who are comfortable with online platforms, interested in self-expression through makeup, and potentially have the time and resources to experiment with more elaborate looks.
Conclusions:
The article concludes that yarn face makeup, while divisive, is a captivating trend on TikTok that exemplifies the growing use of makeup as a tool for artistic transformation and pushing the boundaries of beauty. It highlights a shift towards more performative and less conventionally "wearable" makeup looks in the online beauty sphere.
Implications for brands:
Makeup Brands: May see a demand for products like strong adhesives (lash glue for yarn), highly pigmented blush, and glossy lip products that can be used to achieve similar transformation effects.
Content Creation: Brands can collaborate with makeup artists skilled in these hyper-stylized looks to create engaging and viral content on platforms like TikTok.
Understanding Evolving Beauty Standards: Brands need to be aware of and potentially tap into these more unconventional beauty trends that resonate with certain segments of their audience.
Implication for society:
Expanding Definition of Beauty: Trends like yarn face makeup contribute to a broader and more inclusive definition of beauty that encompasses artistic expression and transformation.
Increased Acceptance of Unconventional Looks: As these trends gain visibility, society might become more accepting of diverse and non-traditional forms of personal expression.
Implications for consumers:
New Avenues for Creativity: Consumers have new and unique ways to experiment with makeup and express themselves artistically.
Exposure to Diverse Beauty Aesthetics: Trends like this can broaden perspectives on what beauty can be.
Implication for Future:
The future of beauty trends will likely see continued exploration of hyper-stylized and transformation makeup, driven by social media and the desire for unique forms of self-expression. The line between makeup and costume art may continue to blur.
Consumer Trend (name, detailed description):
The Rise of Beauty as Performance Art: This trend describes the increasing use of makeup as a form of performance art, where the face becomes a canvas for creating characters, telling stories, or expressing abstract artistic concepts, often shared through digital platforms.
Consumer Sub Trend (name, detailed description):
TikTok's Influence on Boundary-Pushing Beauty: This sub-trend highlights the significant role of TikTok in fostering and popularizing beauty trends that challenge traditional norms and encourage experimentation and artistic expression, leading to the rapid spread of unique and often visually striking looks.
Big Social Trend (name, detailed description):
The Democratization of Art and Expression: Social media platforms have democratized various forms of art and self-expression, allowing individuals to share their creations and reach global audiences, as seen with the yarn face makeup trend in the beauty sphere.
Worldwide Social Trend (name, detailed description):
Global Spread of Internet Culture and Trends: Trends originating on platforms like TikTok can quickly gain popularity and spread across the globe, showcasing the interconnectedness of online culture and the rapid dissemination of ideas and aesthetics.
Social Drive (name, detailed description):
The Need for Creative Outlets and Self-Expression: Individuals have a fundamental desire to express themselves creatively, and makeup, particularly in its more artistic and transformative forms, provides a powerful outlet for this drive.
Learnings for brands to use in 2025 (bullets, detailed description):
Recognize the Power of TikTok: Understand the platform's significant influence on beauty trends, especially among younger consumers.
Embrace Bold and Unconventional Aesthetics: Be open to featuring and supporting more artistic and boundary-pushing makeup styles in your campaigns and content.
Collaborate with TikTok Creators: Partner with beauty influencers on TikTok who are known for their creative and transformative makeup skills.
Provide Products Suitable for Artistic Makeup: Consider the needs of makeup artists and enthusiasts who are experimenting with more elaborate and unconventional looks.
Strategy Recommendations for brands to follow in 2025 (bullets, detail description):
Launch TikTok-Focused Campaigns: Create specific campaigns on TikTok that encourage users to experiment with creative and transformative makeup looks, potentially featuring user-generated content.
Collaborate on Tutorial Content: Partner with TikTok makeup artists to create tutorials showcasing how to achieve unique and artistic looks using your products.
Sponsor Beauty Challenges and Trends: Engage with viral beauty trends on TikTok by sponsoring challenges or creating content that aligns with popular aesthetics, even if they are unconventional.
Create Product Lines for Artistic Makeup: Consider developing or highlighting products known for their versatility and ability to be used for more artistic and transformative makeup applications.
Final sentence (key concept) describing main trend from article (which is a summary of all trends specified):
The "creepy" yet captivating yarn face makeup trend taking over TikTok exemplifies the rise of hyper-stylized transformation makeup as a form of online artistic expression that is dividing and intriguing the internet.
What brands & companies should do in 2025 to benefit from trend and how to do it:
Beauty brands and companies in 2025 can benefit from this trend by:
Actively Monitoring TikTok: Dedicate resources to tracking emerging beauty trends on TikTok, paying attention to unconventional and artistic styles like yarn face makeup to understand evolving consumer interests.
Engaging with Boundary-Pushing Creators: Collaborate with makeup artists and influencers on TikTok who are known for their creative and often unconventional looks. This can involve sponsoring content, providing products for their artistic endeavors, or even co-creating trend-focused campaigns.
Creating Content That Celebrates Artistic Expression: Develop social media content that showcases the versatility of their products in achieving a wide range of looks, including more hyper-stylized and transformative styles. This can resonate with consumers who see makeup as a form of art.
Final Note:
Core Trend:
Name: Beauty as Transformative Art
Detailed Description: The increasing use of makeup as a medium for artistic expression and complete transformation, going beyond traditional beauty enhancement towards creating characters, abstract designs, and engaging in performance art on the face.
Core Strategy:
Name: Embrace and Amplify Artistic Expression
Detailed Description: Beauty brands should acknowledge and actively support the trend of makeup as transformative art by collaborating with creators, showcasing diverse artistic styles, and providing products that cater to this growing segment of makeup enthusiasts.
Core Industry Trend:
Name: TikTok's Reign in Trendsetting
Detailed Description: TikTok continues to be a dominant force in the beauty industry, rapidly generating and disseminating new trends, making it crucial for brands to actively engage with the platform and its creators.
Core Consumer Motivation:
Name: Creative Self-Expression and Digital Performance
Detailed Description: Consumers are motivated by the desire to express their creativity through makeup and to share their artistic transformations online, often viewing their makeup looks as a form of digital performance.
Final Conclusion: The yarn face makeup trend highlights the dynamic and artistic nature of contemporary beauty trends, driven by social media and a desire for creative self-expression, presenting opportunities for beauty brands to engage with a more experimental and visually driven consumer base.
Core Trend Detailed: Name: Beauty as Transformative Art Detailed Summary of the Core Trend: The core trend of Beauty as Transformative Art describes a significant shift in how makeup is being used and perceived, moving beyond its traditional role of enhancing natural features. Instead, makeup is increasingly adopted as a medium for creative self-expression, with individuals using their faces as canvases to create intricate designs, embody characters, and even explore abstract artistic concepts. This trend is heavily fueled by the rise of social media platforms like TikTok, which provide a global stage for showcasing these elaborate transformations and inspiring others to experiment with more boundary-pushing looks. The focus is less on conventional beauty standards and more on the artistic process and the ability of makeup to completely alter one's appearance, often blurring the lines between beauty and costume art. The yarn face makeup trend is a prime example of this, demonstrating a desire for unique and visually striking creations that capture attention and spark conversation online.
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