Oh TikTok. You just can’t get over the eye shape trends, can you? It seems like only yesterday that we were discussing the problematic fox eye trend and here we are again, observing yet another obsession with the shape of the eyes, this time with something called the siren eye.
We get it. We’re in the cosmetic business. The eyes are a key part of our facial anatomy and, hey, who hasn’t had fun trying out new looks with a bit of eyeliner and shadow?
What we find a bit alarming on social media though is how important the eye shape seems to be to TikTokers. With the eyeshape hashtag getting over 46 million views (and that was about a month ago), we feel we need to delve into and demystify this new siren eye trend.
Is there a difference between the Fox Eye and the Siren Eye?
Before we get into whether there’s actually a difference between the fox eye and the siren eye, let’s just rewind a bit. If you happen not to be part of the 46 million people and counting to have shown interest in the eye shape trends, you may not know what the terms fox eye or siren eye represent.
The fox eye in particular was a trend that was sparked by the eye shape of celebrities like Kendall Jenner and Bella Hadid amongst others, really just not too long ago. Many TikTok videos showed the shape of the eye being manipulated either with make-up or with cosmetic treatments like the thread lift, in order to pull/lift the corners of the eyes and manipulate the eyebrows in order create a kind of severe almond shaped eye.
@aestheticcliniclondon What do fox eyes look like 2 weeks later .? #threadlift #foxeyes #fyp #beforeandafter #didyouknow #learnontiktok ♬ Darling – Trees and Lucy
There were many fox eye poses as well with TikTokers pulling at the corner of the eyes or manipulating the image of their eyes in order to give them what is supposed to be a kind of sexy, slanted, cat-eye appearance.
The fox eye trend quickly fell through the cracks though, with many women from the Asian community finding the trend to be highly racialized and for some even triggering, taking them back to the days of when the shape of their eyes wasn’t considered beautiful but rather at the root of racial slurs and taunts.
Now it seems that yet another eye shape trend has taken the reigns as the eye shape to have, the “siren eye.” So what’s the difference between the siren eye and the fox eye? TBH, from a purely cosmetic and anatomical perspective, there is none. The siren eye and the fox eye are essentially the same.
Both trends manipulate the eye, whether it’s through the strategic application of make-up or with non-surgical treatments, to give the eye a severe almond shaped quality as opposed to a rounded eye for instance, which in the TikTok realm has been named “the doe” eye.
And we’re not the only ones to conclude that the siren eye and the fox eye are pretty much the same. Again, many Asian influencers and allies are calling out the siren eye as simply a repackaging of the fox eye trend.
@360aesthetics Fox eyes #foxeyes #foxeye #foxeyethreadlift #foxeyethreads #foxeyesuk #foxeyeslondon #threads #threadlift #threadsuk #threadslondon ♬ Strawberry – Prod. By Rose
Why We Think You Look Best When You Do You
What can be problematic and even dangerous with trends like the fox eye and siren eye is that they kind of take on a life of their own making those who view them feel inadequate, insecure, or less beautiful if the shape of their eyes are not whatever the new trend dictates.
For the cosmetic industry in particular, trends are also problematic. At least here at MD Beauty Clinic we’re not in the business of changing your anatomy. Our non-surgical treatments from Botox to lip filler to thread lift treatments, are all meant to work with what you already have.
We’re not going to overfill your lips to mimic a trending look if that’s not going to naturally work with the shape of your lips. If your eyes are round as opposed to almond shaped, it’s best we enhance that shape rather than attempt to alter it completely. For starters it will give you the most beautiful result, because it’ll look natural. But more importantly, it’s waaaaay safer.
One of the biggest issues we have with eye shape trends is that it’s really not a good idea for anyone to either surgically or non-surgically try to transform the actual shape of your eyes. Again, surgical and non-surgical treatments can lift sunken areas and tighten the skin in certain areas but these procedures are working with the shape you already have, not altering it. They’re designed to address concerns or things you don’t totally love, but not to give you someone else’s face (and by the way, your own face is lovely).
Take thread lifts, for instance. Many TikTok videos are showing thread lifts creating that siren eye look. And yes the treatment can do this safely and effectively with a gorgeous result, but only if your eye anatomy is naturally conducive to the siren eye look.
That’s actually what we love so much about thread lifting overall. It is such a versatile treatment that is excellent as an approach for working with your own anatomy, lifting and re-positioning tissue, as well as building collagen to maintain your results over time.
However, when it comes to the eyes in particular it can be super dangerous to attempt to significantly alter their shape whether surgically or non. This is not only because you may land on someone inexperienced (and believe me, you want an expert to perform your thread lifting) but because it can also cause other issues related to your vision.
The last thing we’ll say about trends—for eyes, for lips, for any part of your body—is that they are fleeting. They come and go all the time. You don’t want to significantly alter your shape only to find you can’t reverse it after the trend has dissipated.
That’s why we never encourage following the trends. You, your beauty, your anatomy, you are your own ultimate trend. Follow your trend. Do you.
