The TikTok Trend That Sparked Asian Appropriation Debate
The “fox eye” makeup trend, exploding on TikTok in summer 2020, involved pulling eyes upward at temples with hands or tape while posing, creating an elongated almond eye shape. The trend—popularized by Kendall Jenner, Bella Hadid, and TikTok influencers—faced immediate backlash for appropriating Asian facial features while Asian people faced COVID-19 related racism and historical mockery for similar eye shapes.
The Technique
The fox eye look combined several elements:
- Pulling skin at temples upward to slant eyes
- Winged eyeliner extending outward
- Highlighting inner corners and browbones
- Threading or shaving browbones for elongated shape
- Some got surgical “fox eye lifts” (canthoplasty)
TikTok videos showed creators demonstrating the pose, often set to music, with millions of imitations. The aesthetic was presented as trendy and desirable—a fashion-forward beauty enhancement.
The Cultural Appropriation Backlash
Asian creators and activists immediately called out the hypocrisy:
- Asian people had been mocked for eye shape for generations (bullied, called slurs)
- “Pulling eyes back” gesture was racist taunt used against Asians
- Trend emerged amid COVID-19 anti-Asian violence surge
- White/non-Asian influencers profiting from Asian features while Asians faced discrimination
The timing was particularly egregious—Asian people were being assaulted in hate crimes while influencers mimicked their features for aesthetic clout.
The Surgical Controversy
The “fox eye lift” plastic surgery procedure (canthoplasty) predated the TikTok trend but gained popularity alongside it. Celebrities including Bella Hadid were speculated to have had the procedure.
The surgery raised ethical questions: Was this different from other cosmetic procedures, or specifically problematic because it mimicked Asian features? Medical professionals warned about complications from the procedure, including vision problems.
The Industry Response
Some beauty brands initially capitalized on the trend with fox eye makeup tutorials and products. But backlash forced reconsideration:
- Major influencers apologized and deleted fox eye content
- Beauty publications pulled fox eye articles
- Makeup brands stopped promoting the trend
- TikTok users began educating about cultural appropriation
The rapid pivot demonstrated social media’s power to police cultural boundaries—what brands saw as innocent beauty trend, activists identified as harmful appropriation.
The Broader Conversation
The fox eye controversy contributed to larger discussions:
- Which aesthetic features are “neutral” vs. culturally specific?
- Why are Asian features trendy on non-Asians but mocked on Asians?
- The difference between appreciation and appropriation
- Beauty industry’s history of profiting from minority features while discriminating against minorities
By late 2020, the trend was widely recognized as appropriative and largely abandoned. It became case study in how viral beauty trends can perpetuate harmful racial dynamics despite appearing harmless.
Source: TikTok trend analysis, Asian American advocacy group statements, dermatology journals