How the viral Moo Deng-inspired makeup is moving the internet and what is it all about?
After the baby pygmy hippo from a Thailand zoo went viral online, beauty enthusiasts are now recreating looks inspired by Moo Deng’s dewy hues.
If you recently came across a video of a grey, glistening and pudgy hippo on your explore page on Instagram, it is none other than Moo Deng, a baby pygmy hippopotamus, who has caused a fan frenzy on social media. With her name in Thai translating to “bouncy pork”, this slimy baby hypo has caused tens of thousands of visitors waiting to see her at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chon Buri, Thailand. Native to West Africa, the two-month old playful menace has the internet on a chokehold with her cheeky antics like splashing water, frolicking, biting caretakers and perpetual screaming. So, it is no surprise that the beauty industry didn’t come up with the latest fad inspired by this slimy four-legged creature.
Influencers around the globe are now creating looks, inspired by Deng. Sanaya Dotiwala, makeup artiste, says, “Moo Deng is now glam’s most influential ‘it’ girl. Her glassy, smooth skin and pink, rosy cheeks make her a beauty icon.”
Based on the blush blindness effect, it uses rosy pink blush and grey eyeshadow on the eyes. Makeup artiste Juveria Khan shares, “Since the baby hippo has this poreless skin with pink flushed cheeks, it’s cute and adorable. With the overuse of blush, it’s a trend that makes one look young and fresh. This is a testament to the fact that no matter what, a good flush of colour on your cheeks can never go wrong.”
She adds, “Even though this trend, centres itself around the baby hippo, it’s all about the youthful flush of colour on the cheeks with dewy skin, which again goes towards the glass skin trend.”
To achieve the look, Dotiwala suggests, “Her look is achieved by lots of grey hues in the form of eyeshadow or lip colour, piling on pastel-hued blush in hydrating cream formulas and layering face gloss over the top to achieve the baby hippo’s 24/7 moisturised sheen.”
Khan shares, “Applying concealer after cream blush really helps. Then, set it with some powder blush on top or translucent setting powder to help balance it. Understanding your face shape and the placement of the blush makes a difference too.”
