As social media beauty standards evolve at a breakneck pace, pseudoscience and men’s insecurities combine in the Looksmaxxing community. Looksmaxxing, an online trend popular among young men, promotes the maximization of physical attractiveness through dubious regimens and exercises like mewing, extreme diets, skincare routines and rigorous workouts. However, Looksmaxxing could be better used as an avenue to connect and find compassion with others who want to improve and accept themselves.
The worries of the young men and adolescents who engage in Looksmaxxing content parallel many of my own insecurities as a woman. Much of my adolescence was spent fretting over minuscule parts of my appearance, including my skin, face shape and eyebrows. Similarly, within the Looksmaxxing community, there is a heavy fixation on certain traits that members of the community place value on, such as one’s canthal tilt or midface ratio. However, the main idea that Looksmaxxing promotes — that one’s worth is based on one’s appearance — is not new.
Because of the disproportionate social pressure for women to spend more time pursuing beauty compared to men, Looksmaxxing has been an implicit part of life for many women and members of the LGBTQ+ community, both of which have made strides to expand the scope of what is considered attractive.
Rather than simply being a toxic trend, Looksmaxxing could be a way for men to find common ground with women and the LGBTQ+ community and experiment with behaviors that defy gender expectations of men. Such behaviors could include wearing makeup, expressing oneself through fashion, and taking skincare and grooming advice from women.
Long seen as a gendered practice, wearing makeup is a way for one to alter their appearance through several different styles and techniques. In the context of Looksmaxxing, makeup can encourage men to expand out of gendered stereotypes and embrace a practice that can help them become more comfortable with their appearance. While I recognize that wearing makeup may not tackle the root of one’s appearance-related insecurities, it can allow men to become more familiar with their own appearances and be open-minded about different looks.
Many models idolized in the Looksmaxxing communities, such as Jordan Barrett and Francisco “Chico” Lachowski, also wear makeup for their photoshoots. With this in mind, it’s not a stretch to imagine that the Looksmaxxing trend could be the key to eroding gender stereotypes that have long plagued young men.
Similarly, men could alter their wardrobe as an effort to Looksmaxx and appear more attractive. This may seem a superficial goal at first. Still, over time, that exploration of different styles can transform into a genuine passion for experimenting with new styles and having fun with one’s appearance beyond simply ‘looking good.’
There is a stereotype that the male-dominated Looksmaxxing community despises women and those who identify as LGBTQ+. To an extent, that may be true. However, the targets of these Looksmaxxing videos aren’t necessarily so-called bigots but rather young men who are struggling with their appearance and beauty standards, something that women and queer people can certainly relate to. Because some men who Looksmaxx already use techniques found in women’s magazines and apply them to their own lives, it’s not a stretch to think that much more could be done to shatter the rigid gender norms that prevent young men from being more accepting of their appearance.
It’s important to remember that the current Looksmaxxing trend is quite toxic, as it preys on young men’s insecurities. These insecurities, however, shouldn’t be disregarded or dealt with through facial exercises based on pseudoscience. Instead, an open-minded approach that offers the possibility of greater self-acceptance must be the solution.
Anjali Suva PO ’27 is from Orange County, California. She loves watching horror films, reading fantasy books and just about anything that allows her to avoid touching grass.
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