As beauty standards evolve and change, it comes as no surprise that new trends and styles emerge on the scene. Enter looksmaxxing, the internet’s most recent obsession.
According to Google Trends, the word ‘looksmaxxing’ is currently at an all-time peak in terms of usage. But what does the new term actually mean? Looksmaxxing refers to adopting a series of micro-habits to improve your appearance. For example, getting your nails done, tinting your eyebrows and changing your hairstyle can all be considered different forms of looksmaxxing. However, the term has much darker origins. With the term emerging from niche red-pill incel (involuntary celibate) communities and Reddit forums, many fear that looksmaxxing is contributing towards self-confidence issues, particularly for Gen Alpha.
The concept started gaining much more traction in 2023 when the practice suddenly jumped from 4chan and other messaging platforms to TikTok. With influencers such as Adixovic jumping onto the trend, looksmaxxing began to take over the social network. Having garnered an impressive TikTok following of 216K, Adixovic is one of the key advocates for the trend. In particular, one of Adixovic’s videos explaining ‘hunter eyes’, another term intrinsic to the looksmaxxing community, gained over 9.2M views.
Looksmaxxers believe that by having a positive canthal tilt, one has ‘hunter eyes’ and is therefore viewed as more desirable to the opposite sex (in comparison to their negative canthal tilt ‘prey eyes’ counterpart). As a result, teens flock to various tutorials in a bid to change their entire eye shape – a feat not easily done without surgery. Yet, we can see similar patterns for other looksmaxxing trends too.
Looksmaxxing practices can be divided into two brackets. Softmaxxing is the habit-forming, introductory entry point for those just discovering the community. Consisting of and promoting basic hygiene practices such as teeth brushing, teeth whitening, removal of body hair and mewing (tongue exercises which can strengthen one’s jawline and chin), softmaxxing doesn’t seem too toxic at first glance. However, that’s just the beginning.
Softmaxxing quickly evolves into the more extreme hardmaxxing – where one changes one’s appearance by any means possible. From steroids to surgery, hardmaxxing covers it all. And the measures taken to adapt one’s face shape seem to get progressively more dangerous. For example, ‘bone-smashing’ is on the rise. ‘Bone-smashing’ involves using a hammer to literally break bones and carve one’s jawline to add definition and adhere to masculine face shape ideals.
At its surface, various looksmaxxing practices don’t appear too harmful. But that’s just an illusion. Even if one tries to avoid toxic body-altering videos, it’s close to impossible. With social media algorithms somehow frequently leading to the looksmaxxing community, it’s difficult to escape the chasm of pseudo-scientific trends. Playing into this idea that some traits appear more ‘alpha’ or masculine than others harkens back to dangerous sentiments projected by public figures such as Andrew Tate.
In the age of misinformation and widespread aesthetic pressure, it’s evident that the male gaze has turned back on itself. In life’s ceaseless race for beauty and perfection, perhaps it’s better not to hit yourself in the face with a hammer.
Homepage image by Ralph Olazo.
