What is Douyin makeup? Unpacking the East Asian beauty aesthetic all over TikTok
WORDS BY MAGGIE ZHOU
Fresh-faced.
Makeup styles, much like fashion trends, cycle through waves of popularity. As much as cult products like Anastasia Beverly Hills brow pomade appear to have popped up out of nowhere and defined an era, beauty trends are always rooted in context. A makeup trend could’ve come from a celebrity’s marketing campaign or it might’ve come from a specific culture.
One of this year’s most popular makeup trends is Douyin makeup. Melbourne-based makeup artist Jane Truong describes it as “a fresh, youthful and feminine East Asian style of [makeup] look”. The effect of Douyin makeup is doll-like, bright and soft.
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Where does the name come from? Douyin is actually the name of a social media video-sharing platform owned by Bytedance; it’s essentially China’s version of TikTok. Naturally, the rise of Douyin makeup has been spurred on by TikTok – the hashtag #douyinmakeup has over 2.1 billion views.
“I think Asian-style makeup has risen in popularity due to a number of contributing factors,” Jane says. “It’s become more accessible globally with the popularity of social media [and] people have become more curious and open [to] experimenting with different makeup looks.”
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According to Jane, it’s a reflection of a more inclusive beauty industry, one that works to accentuate a variety of facial features (rather than conform to a Eurocentric beauty standard). “This softer style [can be] more suited to [some people’s] makeup preferences and [may be] more flattering for features such as smaller or hooded eyes,” she says.
Though its origins are found in China, it doesn’t mean this makeup style is exclusively worn by East Asian folk. Over on TikTok, you can find people from various backgrounds experimenting with the style. Australian content creator Dom Skii adds that the style may be seen as an oversimplification of Chinese makeup styles.
“It’s important to understand that Douyin makeup is a Westernised [and] broad term [for] Chinese makeup styles and techniques,” he said on social media. “It’s important to be respectful and know where these techniques come from and credit where [credit] is due.”
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Jane points to four main features of Douyin makeup: glassy skin, high placement of blush, an emphasis on doll-like eyes, and diffused two-toned lips. “[Douyin makeup] is quite accessible to recreate as you can mostly create this style of look with the makeup you have, you just need to be strategic with the placement of product,” she says. Below, Jane shares her top tips on how to nail the makeup style.
“It’s always important to do skin prep prior to the makeup application for a more flawless base. Apply [foundation] in light layers for a more seamless look,” Jane says. Douyin makeup hopes to achieve a soft, blurred complexion and TikTok users suggest using powder on top of your foundation.
Eyes are arguably the most important feature of Douyin makeup. “Use brown eyeliner instead of black for a softer look that still enhances the eyes,” Jane says. “Draw your eyeliner straight (instead of a flick), this elongates the eyes while maintaining the softness. For [a] glittery eye look, layer a cream [or] liquid glitter then a sparkly eyeshadow on top for more pop, definition and longevity.”
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“Select false lashes that are longer along the middle for a round-eye look. You can create a more spikey manga-style look by applying mascara on top and then using tweezers to clump the lashes together for a doll-like look,” she adds.
Part of the trend sees people accentuating their aegyo sal, which is the pocket of fat underneath your eye. “The idea is to make the eye area look bigger and also have a more youthful [and] cute look. I even get this requested for my event [and] bridal clients,” Jane says. “To do this you just need your contour powder and a highlighter [to] emphasise this area.”
When it comes to the eyebrows, Jane recommends keeping them “soft and more straight” for a natural and subtle look. “Don’t be shy [with] blush,” she says. “Apply blush higher up on your face than you normally would, in the area right under your eyes.”
To end, Douyin makeup borrows from the just-bitten, gradient Korean lipstick trend. “Use two different shades of lipsticks for the two-toned look or apply colour more intensely in the centre of the lips and blend with a fluffy brush to diffuse the edges,” Jane says.
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