You’ve heard of the saying “you are what you eat” — I knew what I eat might affect my health, but I never thought it would affect what I put on my face. Thanks to TikTok, we can’t get enough of makeup trends inspired food. This summer alone we have seen rise to tomato girl makeup, strawberry makeup, latte makeup and even hybrids like strawberry-latte makeup.
Inside the world of food-related beauty…
Arguably, the fusion of beauty and food gained traction after Hailey Bieber coined the term ‘glazed donut skin.’ Glazed donut skin is as it sounds: skin that appears glow-y and glistening, just like a freshly glazed donut. The connection between beauty and food was solidified when Hailey’s beauty brand, Rhode, launched their highly popular lip peptide treatments named after various foods. The products have achieved wild success — you often have to join a waitlist to get your hands on them.
Via @haileybieber on Instagram
Rhode’s success can be largely attributed to their unique approach of associating food into beauty products. Take their “vanilla cake” flavor, for instance, which is described as tasting “like a slice of fluffy birthday cake.” This description not only engages the sensory experiences but taps into the joyous associations we have with birthdays. Similarly, their recent collaboration with Krispy Kreme capitalizes on a product that we already love, one that is associated with quite literally sweet memories.
Associating beauty with food is nothing new though. I’m sure you can remember walking into Claire’s and buying the latest Lip Smacker flavor. If you are one of the few who don’t remember, a Lip Smacker is what I consider the naughties version of Rhode’s lip peptide treatment. The flavors ranged from Coca-Cola to Skittles to Reese’s Pieces, all of which are foods and drinks we adore and connect with fond memories.
Via @haileybieber on Instagram
Besides Rhode’s penchant for food, a number of other food-related beauty trends have emerged. Take the latte trend which features bronzed skin and rich brown eyeshadows. We’re all familiar with a bronzed makeup look, however, why are well so obsessed with it now that it’s named after a latte? Is it that we associate a cream bronzer to one of Arabica’s caffe lattes? Or perhaps a nude lip triggers memories of lounging in one of Dubai’s minimalistic, chic, slightly overpriced, yet incredibly aesthetic cafes?
The same can be said about the strawberry makeup trend — envision creamy blushes in pink and red hues with faux freckles. This trend taps into summer memories of getting flushed and sun-kissed in the summer sun, or even more literally, going strawberry picking at a farm.
Via @haileybieber on Instagram
The connection between beauty and food has ultimately changed the way we view beauty. While it’s obviously an easy way to engage consumers, the way we’ve embraced this trend reveals that it’s also a celebration of the personal relationship we have with what we eat, what we remember, and how we express ourselves through beauty. It’s fair to say that beauty truly is a feast for both the senses and the soul.