Social media filters: originally a way to create silly videos of yourself vomiting rainbows, they quickly evolved into a dystopian, face-altering technology that manipulates your face into the beauty standards du jour – whether that’s plumped-up lips, slimmed-down noses, smooth, flawless skin or heavy lashes.

Although these filters aren’t real, the impact of them is: they are having a detrimental impact on our mental health and self-esteem. In fact, the phrase “Snapchat dysmorphia” was coined after cosmetic surgeons noticed that people were increasingly bringing filtered selfies to consultations, hoping to recreate the look IRL. Meanwhile research by Dove found that 50 per cent of girls believe they don’t look good enough without photo editing and 60 per cent feel upset when their real appearance doesn’t match the digital version.

Which is why TikTok’s latest trend is such a welcome and refreshing change. Dubbed the healthiest trend on the app, it involves people rejecting filters in favour their own natural beauty.

Set to the lyrics “The songs on the radio are okay/ But my taste in music is your face” from “Tear In My Heart” by Twenty One Pilots, the trend sees people begin with a filter that gives them a full face of make-up, including a smokey eye look, a tan and blush. It then sees them remove the filter to reveal their natural face, sans make-up and filters, in a celebration of their natural beauty. 

The trend has become popular with users on the app, including Ashley Tisdale, who are lauding it for being ‘healthy’ and ‘cute’. 

“OMG a trend where it’s encouraged to NOT wear a filter!!? This is the best and healthiest trend to happen on TikTok yet” wrote user @ozzybris, while @brookemonk_ captioned her video “Yeah make-up is fun but it’s not better than your face,” and @emeliasleepp said, “I LOVE this trend because the best thing I ever did for my confidence was quit make up”.

Like 2020’s trend that celebrated “undesirable” physical features through historical images and works of art, this latest trend shows that social media can sometimes be used as a force for good. Watch some of the best videos below.