Lockdown and 2020 gave birth to so many trends, “cores”, and aesthetics, that after a point, everything began to contradict itself. For every minimalist, “old money” aesthetic, there is a maximalist, logomaniac. For every wellness girlie having a “Euro summer”, there are those in Ibiza, having a “Brat summer”. So naturally, when the clean girl, no-makeup makeup became popular, “unapproachable makeup” became equally popular.
On the outside, this looks like a celebration of human differences—an understanding of our many nuances as a society. And “unapproachable makeup” looks like a way to unleash creativity, a fun way to hit pan on our makeup products. But “unapproachable makeup” represents something more. Why are we making ourselves unapproachable? Who exactly do we not want approaching us? And more importantly, what does this say about our society?
If TikTok didn’t show it to you yet, “unapproachable makeup” is bold, dramatic makeup, made to look scary, intimidating, perhaps a little evil. We’re talking vibrant eyeshadows, graphic liners, bold lips, bleached brows, maybe even no brows! With over 90 million views and counting, this trend holds something beyond fascination—women participate because they actively wish to repeal men.
Over the years, there has been a growing gender divide in political ideology between men and women. Especially within Gen Z, which reports show has the biggest divide in ideology. Gen Z men tend to lean conservative, whereas Gen Z women lean towards a more progressive ideology. This ideological gap has created resentment and frustration between the two, and as a result, we have new movements and trends that reflect this.
Within men, this ideological gap has fostered the ‘manosphere’, a collection of ideologies that promote traditional gender roles, masculinity, and misogyny. Such ideology has nurtured the rise of cybercrimes and misogyny-based violence against women and girls. So, women are reacting accordingly. Fed up with the everyday challenges of a patriarchal society, the rise of misogynistic thinking, and growing gender inequality, women have begun to decenter their focus on men and wish to deter male attention. In South Korea, that looks like the 4B movement—a radical feminist movement where women refuse to engage with men, whether that’s romantically or platonically. Online, that looks like “unapproachable makeup”, wearing makeup in the exact opposite way men prefer it. With men online mentioning how they prefer women with no makeup, or natural-looking makeup, women rebel with heavy bronzer, elongated eyeliner, and colourful eyeshadow.
On the other hand, women have used “unapproachable makeup” as a tool to build confidence. Many online have expressed how participating in the trend makes them feel bold, powerful, even sexy. If you can pull off blue eyeshadow and no eyebrows, that means you are secure in yourself just as you are. And if self-assurance is what repels men from approaching, then it is beyond catering to men’s preferences and more to do with the growing discomfort men might have with a flipped power dynamic.
“Unapproachable makeup” is a subtle but clear form of dissent, rejecting the male gaze and male fantasies, and refocusing the power back to the self. It is also a woman’s form of defence—you cannot become a victim of the system if you refuse to participate in it. So in a world with a growing gender gap, reactionary violence, and differences in traditional and progressive thinking, the girls have decided to fight back in their own way—with lip gloss and a full beat.
