TikTok has become the epicenter for trends consistently for the last three months. The popularity of this app has caused underground artists to be discovered and achieve their chance at fame. From dance trends, skits, to now beauty, the app’s users are taking over any lane that they can. Recently, the #DontRush challenge has been the biggest one to hit the scene. All types of people from gurus, uncles, moms, and HBCU students have all created their own version of the trend on the app. During quarantine, these challenges can provide fun and a distraction to the outside realities. They also help by providing an activity that could help the community take small steps to cope with the sudden depression or anxiety that may have felt manageable because of the change of the seasons from winter to spring, but with this new problem of COVID-19 may feel uncontrollable.
A group of college students across South Africa started the challenge because they simply were tired of not being able to leave their rooms. This challenge originated on Whatsapp. The girls in the video showcased their natural beauty first and then used a makeup brush to cover the camera to then reveal their glam looks. It was in a matter of no time that the Tik-Tok users gravitated toward it and started to put their own twists and spins on it. This challenge has opened up many doors to see this resurgence of colorful and creative makeup looks. In current years there has been a trend of nude and natural looks. These looks one could compare to the makeup looks of the late 90’s and early 2000’s. Of course, beauty gurus continued on with their creative looks but the day-to-day looks were becoming very natural. When the young women were asked in an interview with Refinery29 what made them start this challenge, they simply responded with the fact that not being able to leave their dorm rooms was starting to set in on them. They also explained how for them that with the changing of seasons the spring for them felt like a brighter and better time coming and it was snatched away in a matter of two weeks so the anxiety of not knowing what’s coming next and the feeling of being overly sad because you can not leave the house was starting to set in as well. It just gives people something else to focus on for a day or two.
This #DontRush challenge was also the start for another challenge via Tik-Tok called #ShaketheRoom. These young ladies started the same challenge but dancing to Shake the Room by the late Pop Smoke and Quavo from the hip-hop trio Migos. These women were pushing to show body positivity of curvy women. Both of these challenges have played a big part of the beauty trends that are starting to peak on social media. Whether it is pushing a positive message or just advocating for more fun these trends are creating a bigger message and unity between different communities through 1-minute videos.
