The Douyin Makeup Trend Promotes Soft Femininity, And We're Here For It

One of the best things about social media is its ability to connect creators and audiences around the globe. Although those of us in the Western world watch for beauty trends on TikTok, Chinese social media users turn to a similar video-based app known as Douyin for their style tips. According to Business of Apps, over 700 million users in China currently use Douyin — and many of the app's makeup trends have caught on in the Western beauty community. Fusing together elements of various Asian beauty trends, China's ultrafeminine "Douyin makeup" has become one of the most influential looks on #BeautyTok. At the time of writing, the #douyinmakeup hashtag has amassed over one billion views on TikTok globally.

Douyin makeup emphasizes techniques that aren't typically found in Western beauty tutorials, like drawing attention to the roll of skin under one's eyes with shimmer or glitter. This K-beauty highlighting trend is often referred to as "aegyo sal", which roughly translates to mean "charming fat". The appearance of aegyo sal is seen as youthful and cute, and there are many beauty products specifically designed to accentuate this desirable feature. Other popular styles include wispy, doe-eyed manga lashes and flushed Douyin lips. Some influencers choose to incorporate several striking trends at once, while others stick to one or two at a time for a softer approach. Ready to see more Douyin makeup trends? Ahead, we'll look at some of the most prevalent looks tied to this growing aesthetic.

There are several varieties of Douyin lip tutorials, ranging from soft, matte looks to glossy vampire-inspired finishes. While some Douyin lip styles aim to conceal and refine portions of the lips for a crisper outline, others utilize a gradient effect that overlines the borders, similar to the viral popsicle lip trend. One popular Douyin lip look, shown here, uses an easy-to-follow guide to concentrate color on the center of the lips. Some of the most commonly used shades in Asian beauty tutorials include corals, pinks, and deep berry hues — but you can use whichever color you like to create your own Douyin lips.

In the world of K-beauty, aegyo sal is viewed as one of the trendiest eye looks around. And while some of us naturally have more undereye fat than others, anyone can create the impression of cute undereye creases in an instant. Many beauty fans choose to emphasize their under eyes with extra shadow and highlighter for a more pronounced crease, but you can also draw a thin crease closer to the lower lash line with liner for a subtler effect. For extra dimension, consider using a pressed or liquid eye highlighter to accentuate the center of your undereye crease. The use of undereye glitter is fairly common in Douyin makeup looks, ranging from barely-there shimmer liners to full-on crystal embellishments.

Like Douyin lips, Douyin blush tutorials are fairly straightforward. Although nose blush has become an increasingly common theme in Western makeup, Douyin blush is also applied on several other areas, like the under eyes and chin. Liquid or cream blush products are frequently used to achieve modern Douyin looks, but powder blush is a very popular product as well. That said, don't be afraid to play with color or intensity — this style of blush can be applied as dramatically or demurely as you wish.

When it comes to liquid eyeliner, everyday Douyin looks generally use a light-handed approach. A delicate, crisp cat-eye is preferred, but you can also draw in some feathery "false lashes" beneath your lower lash line. While black eyeliner is perfectly acceptable, many Douyin makeup devotees enjoy the look of brown or rust-colored liquid liners. It's important to note, however, that this is just one variation of Douyin liner — there are several styles that feature more dramatic elements.

Manhua lashes, also known as manga lashes, are beloved by many Douyin makeup fans for good reason — they're beautiful when paired with Douyin liner, but they're also incredibly flattering when worn alone. Depending on your preference, the playful Douyin lash style can be achieved through the use of individual lashes or strip lashes. To get the look, try using Asian mascara to prep your lashes, as Asian mascara formulas are lightweight enough to offer curl and lift without compromising the delicate doe-eyed finish. Of course, if you still struggle to get a lasting curl, you may want to think about trying a new eyelash curling technique.