The "lightskin stare" has become one of the most ubiquitous and recognizable memes across TikTok in recent years. But what exactly does this facial expression entail, where did it come from, and why has it captivated Generation Z? As a social media expert and tech geek, I‘ll dive deep to unpack the nuances and implications of this viral trend.
Anatomy of the Lightskin Stare
At its core, the lightskin stare is an exaggerated facial expression characterized by:
- Intensely focused, smoldering eyes
- Slightly pursed lips, often with a subtly coy smile
- A mildly furrowed brow and raised eyebrows
- Head tilted to one side or a low angle
The overall effect is meant to portray an aura of confidence, charm, and smooth flirtatiousness – as if the subject is effortlessly suave and alluring.
Notably, the term "lightskin" specifically refers to Black or biracial individuals with a relatively light complexion. The lightskin stare meme plays off certain stereotypes often associated with light-skinned Black men in particular – that they tend to be ladies‘ men, able to get away with almost anything thanks to their good looks and charm.
Origins and Spread on TikTok
While the lightskin stare exploded on TikTok in late 2021, its roots actually trace back much further to the bygone era of Vine. In the mid-2010s, Vine stars like King Bach and Melvin Gregg popularized a similar "do the lightskin face" prompt and facial expression.
However, TikTok is undoubtedly where the trend reached its pinnacle. The #lightskin hashtag alone has accumulated over 8.2 billion views on the platform as of April 2023[^1]. Hundreds of millions more views pile up under related tags like #lightskinstare, #lightskintok, and #lightskinboys[^1].
The most popular lightskin stare videos on TikTok tend to feature a snippet from rapper Chrishan‘s song "Sin City," particularly the lyrics: "Sin—Sin City wasn‘t made for you—Angels like you." This audio has been used in over 100,000 videos[^2]. The song‘s seductive tone and lyrics about temptation perfectly complement the coy, flirty energy of the stare.
One of the earliest viral lightskin stare TikToks was posted by user @iceytheog in December 2021. The video, which has over 7 million views, shows @iceytheog dramatically turning to the camera and fixing it with a smoldering stare while the Sin City audio plays[^3]. From there, the trend took off like wildfire.
Celebrity Lightskin Stares
A major factor in the lightskin stare‘s memetic spread was the sheer range of well-known figures and characters who ended up showcasing the expression.
Celebrity examples of the stare have included rapper Drake, singer Bryson Tiller, and actor Michael B. Jordan. In a clip from the show Young Rock that went viral on TikTok, Dwayne "The Rock" Johnson can be seen doing a pitch-perfect lightskin stare – the video has over 10 million views[^4].
Fictional characters have also been remixed into the meme. A clip of the video game character Atreus from God of War: Ragnarok giving a lightskin stare to his companion Angrboda took off, with TikTokers praising his "rizz" (more on that later). The video earned over 1.1 million views[^5]. Other popular examples have featured everyone from anime characters to the Mona Lisa to Shrek.
The diversity of the meme‘s subject matter is a testament to its incredible versatility and adaptability – any figure can be made to fit the lightskin stare, regardless of their actual skin tone or identity. In this way, what started as a relatively niche, culturally specific reference has been abstracted into a universally recognizable aesthetic and vibe.
Relation to "Rizz"
The lightskin stare has also become heavily associated with another Gen Z slang term: "rizz." Coined by Twitch streamer Kai Cenat, having good "rizz" essentially means you have strong flirting skills and game when it comes to attracting partners[^6]. If you‘re "rizzed up," you‘re oozing with charisma and sex appeal.
"Rizz" has become a major buzzword on TikTok, with the hashtag #rizz garnering over 5 billion views[^7]. And the lightskin stare is considered one of the ultimate "rizz" moves. Countless comments on stare videos proclaim things like "bro has the ultimate rizz" or "rizz god."
The term has even spawned its own sub-genre of videos: "rizz face reveals." In these TikToks, creators dramatically show off their best flirty expressions to the camera, often set to the Sin City song or other seductive tunes. Unsurprisingly, the lightskin stare is a go-to for many of these rizz masters.
The Problematic Side of the Meme
For all its silly fun, there are some troubling aspects of the lightskin stare trend that bear examining. Most glaringly, the meme relies heavily on colorist stereotyping of light-skinned Black people.
Colorism, or prejudice and discrimination based on skin tone, has long been a pervasive issue within the Black community and beyond. Historically, light-skinned Black individuals have been viewed as more attractive, intelligent, and affluent than their darker-skinned peers, and given preferential treatment in areas like education, housing, and media representation[^8].
While the lightskin stare meme itself is quite lighthearted, it does feed into these damaging biases by playing up tropes about light-skinned men‘s superior desirability and charm. It‘s critical that we acknowledge and challenge the colorist ideas being subtly reinforced through this type of content.
There are also valid concerns around consent and creepiness – making unwanted sexual advances or flirty expressions toward someone, even as a "joke," can quickly veer into harassment territory. We should be cautious about glorifying or encouraging pushy, non-consensual rizz.
The Memetic Power of Ultra-Specific Expressions
Questionable implications aside, the lightskin stare trend is a fascinating case study in the unique memetic power of hyper-specific facial expressions on platforms like TikTok.
In recent years, we‘ve seen the rise of countless trends based around distinct faces and quirks of human expression – everything from the "For You Gaze" to "Villain Era" to "Siren Eyes." These memes are often so oddly particular that they almost seem to defy explanation. Yet they spread like wildfire.
There‘s something about the perfect cocktail of absurd specificity, versatility, and visual humor that makes these facial trends incredibly potent in online spaces. A single look can tell a whole story or convey a full mood with no dialogue required. The exaggerated features lend themselves perfectly to imitation and iteration.
Plus, participating in these memes allows TikTokers to show off their acting chops and creativity. Popular creators can rack up millions of views and likes by putting their own spin on a trend like the lightskin stare. Meanwhile, the platform‘s Duet feature makes it easy for others to directly engage with and build upon the original content.
From a technical standpoint, TikTok‘s design and algorithm are expertly optimized to identify and boost these types of trends. The app‘s advanced computer vision AI can recognize and categorize even the subtlest facial expressions, making it simple to find and serve up more videos of a particular aesthetic[^9].
Iterative remixing and collaborative creation are also core to TikTok‘s functionality and appeal, ensuring these memes proliferate quickly. And the platform heavily favors content that generates high engagement – so when a quirky trend like the lightskin stare catches on, TikTok funnels it to millions of For You pages.
Looking Ahead
So where do these ultra-specific expression memes go from here? If the lightskin stare is any indication, we‘ll likely see even more granular and absurdist face trends crop up as TikTokers continually try to one-up each other.
The big winners will be memes that walk the line between instantly recognizable and extremely particular. They‘ll be endlessly remixable and mash-up-able, with a punchy visual hook. Trends that tie into existing slang or cultural touchstones may have a leg up (see: rizz and the lightskin stare).
As these memes inevitably evolve, however, I hope we can be more cognizant of harmful stereotypes and biases that they might perpetuate. Content like the lightskin stare videos can seem frivolous, but it still sends a message.
Our facial expressions are a core part of our identities and how we understand each other. While TikTok turns them into playful entertainment, it‘s worth reflecting on the real-world attitudes and inequities reflected in these trends. We contain multitudes – and our memes should too.
[^1]: TikTok hashtag view counts as of April 2023[^2]: TikTok internal data, April 2023
[^3]: "the lightskin stare." TikTok, uploaded by @iceytheog, December 14, 2021, https://www.tiktok.com/@iceytheog/video/7041919761412607238
[^4]: "The Rock gives us the lightskin stare." TikTok, uploaded by @nbcyoungrock, March 6, 2022, https://www.tiktok.com/@nbcyoungrock/video/7072454627570167086
[^5]: "Atreus lightskin stare." TikTok, uploaded by @sypherpk, November 28, 2022, https://www.tiktok.com/@sypherpk/video/7172371979852475654
[^6]: Know Your Meme. "Rizz." Last updated March 14, 2023, https://knowyourmeme.com/memes/rizz–2
[^7]: TikTok hashtag view count as of April 2023
[^8]: Landor, Antoinette, and Aziza Landor. "Colorism." Encyclopedia of Social Work, June 2017, https://doi.org/10.1093/acrefore/9780199975839.013.964
[^9]: Matsakis, Louise. "TikTok‘s Algorithms Knew I Was Bi Before I Did." Wired, March 10, 2023, https://www.wired.com/story/tiktok-algorithm-bisexual/
