The problem with the “Clean Girl” aesthetic
Image Courtesy: Graphic Design
The “clean girl” aesthetic, which has gained immense popularity on TikTok in the summer of 2022, revolves around the allure of the no make-up, make-up look, flaunting clear skin, and the illusion of a perfectly organized life. It has put forward the idea that if you achieve this lifestyle, you will finally be happy.
While I would like to have the life most of these influencers post on their social media, it is important to remember that most of that is not real… and also not always inclusive. We are meant to minimize the effort it takes to get ready with the “no make-up, make-up” look and are forced to put on a “minimalist” look or otherwise fall into the crowd of “messy girls”.
This new trend probably started as a harmless makeup trend but has now become a new way to create unrealistic expectations for women to follow. Tinted moisturizer will not cover that pimple I just got on my forehead and if I’m going out at night, I will probably put on a heavy wing and leave a big pile of clothes behind in my room while deciding what to wear.
College is hard. I have a million things to do a day and most of these things could probably be romanticized and documented to look like the clean girl aesthetic but the reality is that they are not. After I finish working out, I look red and sweaty, with my slick-back ponytail that I worked so hard on perfecting completely disheveled. And that is completely okay!
While it is definitely pleasing to watch these put-together and calming videos of the perfect life, most of them are probably not showing you behind the scenes. And although I wish there could be an “aesthetic” that glorifies normal things, sometimes it is fun to put little names on things. If I go out over the weekend I’ll be in my “feral club rat” era but if I stay in I’ll be in my “clean girl healing” era. We put names to things to romanticize life just a little bit more because the reality is that real life is hard, and it’s never as perfect as shown on social media.
The “clean girl” aesthetic sets unrealistic expectations that don’t really showcase how much effort it takes to live that lifestyle. A no-make-up, make-up routine still takes equal effort as any other routine would take and women are trying to meet these new standards society creates for them every day in order to live a perfect life when they don’t have to.
It’s so easy to become self-conscious these days with all the content we see on social media and to envy the lives of those we don’t even know. Trying to romanticize some parts of our lives isn’t all so bad, it’s just always important to remember everything we see on social media is not real. It's okay to just go about your day and do your best without the pressure to create a picture-perfect life. While you might continue to see "clean girl" aesthetics and other polished images on your feed, take a moment to appreciate the simple moments in your own life. Life does not have to be perfect as long as we are happy.
Strike Out,
Writer: Daniela Cejudo
Editor: Kaninika Dey
Graphic Design: Sophia Groen
Boston
