The slicked-back hair, the gold hoops and the minimalist makeup with clear lip gloss—all defining characteristics of the recently popularized “clean girl” aesthetic. But these features have been around for decades, originating from minority groups that were ridiculed for them. The “clean girl” aesthetic is essentially a rebranded version of Black and Brown culture. White influencers who sport these characteristics are now considered trendy, innovative and put-together. But not even a few years ago, these same features were criticized when worn by minority groups.
As a kid, I remember going to school with my hair coated in oil and slicked back in a bun, with coconut oil lathered onto my lips and immediately feeling embarrassed. Within a minute of entering my school, I could hear the resounding words of “greasy” and “dirty” being hurled at me because of how I looked. As I got older, I stopped using these traditional Indian practices to spare myself from being made fun of. Now, seeing the same people who would have called me “greasy” or “dirty” are using the same practices that I used years ago. It is infuriating. Now, this South Asian practice has been popularized and rebranded as “hair slugging,” with white influencers taking credit for this idea. Seeing something trending with dominantly white women that was once ridiculed when women of color (WOC) were using the same practices is problematic. By ignoring the shame WOC have endured for wearing these same features, this “effortless” aesthetic points out how our society has equated “clean” to fair skin.
To tackle why the “clean girl” aesthetic is problematic, it is important to know the difference between cultural appreciation and cultural appropriation. Cultural appreciation is the practice of recognizing a cultures unique identity and while actively seeking to learn about the culture. Cultural appropriation is when a group or individual selectively chooses an aspect of a culture to adopt and uses it solely for personal gain, all while ignoring the significance of the culture and failing to give credit to the culture.
However, there are ways for the “clean girl” aesthetic trend to become cultural appreciation instead of appropriation. One of the biggest ways is by supporting WOC creators on TikTok, Instagram and other social media. Some of my favorites include @simplyysri and @golloria. I love these influencers just because of how inclusive and honest they are in their product reviews and just all their videos in general. By highlighting and giving exposure to Black and Brown influencers, young girls are able to see themselves not only in viral beauty trends, but in the makeup industry as well, which has been historically white-dominated.
Before participating in the “clean girl aesthetic” trend, it is important to remember that a Black and Brown woman are the inspiration behind it. Many WOC have been subjected to criticism for their own cultural practices when all we’ve wanted is to be able to embrace our own culture, free of judgment. It is imperative to recognize the efforts of Black and Brown women and their role in popularizing trends that they never get credit for.