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Welcome to TQE’s FYP (that’s For You Page, in case you haven’t heard the jargon), where we bring you the latest and greatest TikTok and Reels trends to charm the algorithm and promptly get stuck in our heads.
This week on TQE's FYP:
- Reclaiming the “born in the wrong generation” trope? A+.
- Users are layering the audio “Side eye, side eye!” over descriptions of weird behaviors, situations, and call-outs.
- People are hyping up friends with an upbeat “you look bonita” audio.
- Add some sparkles and an iMovie effect—it’s visually in.
- Pedro Pascal and Nicolas Cage have a chokehold on American society for very different reasons.
Let’s rethink what we’re saying when we say “born in the wrong generation.”
As a history major, I generally cringe when someone (normally white, cis, hetero) longingly sighs with a “I was born in the wrong generation.”
You can enjoy swing-dancing, heartless roller curls, slow meet-cutes (mayhaps with a chaperone), and more era-marked practices without, uh, conveniently ignoring all the harms of that time period in the pursuit of an aesthetic.
I’m personally loving the small reclamation of TikTok users over the phrase, with many saying they were born in the “right” generation for being able to do the following: solve complex math problems, wear an unsupportive mesh bra (although we do have a rec on that front for you), and stay cozy.
Influencer of The Bachelor fame, Kit Keenan, whose attempted personal brand is “Martha Stewart in Blair Waldorf’s plot line,” attempted the OG “wrong generation” trend by saying she was bad at texting, preferred cooking at home, dresses like a grandma, and people generally call her an “old soul.” Comments on the video call her out on the claim, because girl—you make your dollars on TikTok.
Credit: @kitkeenan. Silk blouses are sooooo grandma.
Side eye. SIDE EYE.
Enter my new favorite phrase. The audio, used in over 210k videos and quickly rising, is generally used by TikTokers to point out things they find a little…sketch. It’s the epitome of the viral image of a stranger on a subway doing something weird. Some of these videos are gently funny and relatable, some are used for cultural commentary and pushback against pop culture discourse, and others are a bit more pointed. Not always the kindest, but sometimes points out a relatable WTF reaction.
The professor’s said two words! Credit: @charismaticblackgirl.
Recently, there’s been a lot of conversation around viral TikToks and Reels focused on oversharing, with commenters saying “you couldn’t pay me to share that with the Internet,” so the phrase has also been used for commentary about complaints and observations that maybe should have stayed in the drafts. Read the comments and you’ll see this Gen Z phrase popping up again and again.
A new audio “bombastic side eye, criminal offensive side eye” takes the trend one step further, similarly at 210k videos and counting, and covers similar topics in users’ posts.
This Burger King/Just Dance man with the headphones is also everywhere.
A popular format on TikTok is to download CapCut (an editing app full of templates) and paste a trending meme over your video. Two weeks ago, it was the haunting Barbie dogs. Now, it’s a boy in headphones jamming out to “One Kiss” by Calvin Harris and Dua Lipa—don’t worry, we’ve compiled all the trending songs for you in a playlist below—before freaking out and throwing his headphones when the video shifts to something startling.
A marketer explaining the trend. Credit: @jonnahamilton.
The CapCut guy also pops up frequently in a meme format to “pass, pass, smash” in which he’s scrolling through a slideshow or montage before landing on a favorite to end on—usually used for humorous effect. The exact phrasing? “Skip. Skip. When does this game get fucking good?” And then, naturally, the first notes of Marvin Gaye’s “Let’s Get It On” start blasting when he reaches his choice.
This one got me. Credit: @xamreo0.
You look bonita.
This cheery audio’s at 215k videos and climbing. I mean, it’s Women’s History Month. It’s the ideal time for a women-supporting-women centric audio to be floating around, although it’s a versatile clip!
Credit: @georgiaordway.
The context seems to be cheering on friends or loved ones who are trying a look or style that’s generally unfamiliar to them. In the example above, it’s for “slut strands,” which are a popular hairstyle used by female skiers and snowboarders to signal femininity on the mountain—tried by a guy. It’s also (quite adorably) adopted by dog accounts and similar.
Credit: @ivansurbabano.
Your PowerPoint never looked so good.
With early aughts fashion enjoying a Gen Z resurgence, and film photography being trendy again, it makes sense that the next thing to go would be our video quality. In this sense, TikTok users are reclaiming the visual effects from apps like Powerpoint and iMovie—jarring transitions, sparkles, all that jazz.
Practically Avatar. Credit: @nat_doll.
Since I’m a big reader, I laughed out loud at this BookTok video using the trend. At only 87k uses, there’s still go-viral potential for the edit, but it’s popular enough that it’s quite literally all I see when I scroll down my feeds.
Credit: @siganab.
The sound’s been used very specifically for creators to share a mundane detail about their day—defrosting salmon, scheduling a doctor’s appointment, etc,.—while pretending it’s a big announcement. Don’t question it.
Pedro Pascal tricked you.
Pedro Pascal and Nicolas Cage currently have a chokehold on the American consciousness. Thanks to hits like The Last of Us, The Mandalorian, and, uh, National Treasure, the actors have *resurged* on TikTok as users discovered their contrasting dispositions—anger and disbelief versus giddy euphoria—in the film The Unbearable Weight of Massive Talent. See the below for reference. Need we explain further?
In which one person realizes they’ve been duped. Credit: @scarymoviereview.
I literally cannot stop watching these. Nicolas Cage’s pessimism. Pedro Pascal’s sunny smile back, nary a care in the world. And everyone can relate in some form or another.
Credit: @thatwanderingjew.
Songs to jam to and songs to post to:
For more trending audios—especially songs blowing up on Instagram and Reels—check out our handy-dandy Spotify playlist curated just for you and updated bi-weekly, featuring Rainbow Kitten Surprise, SZA, Future, and more.
Trending Products
- Rare Beauty Soft Pinch Liquid Blush ($23) — Selena Gomez’s makeup brand has always been TikTok famous, but after some beef these past few weeks with Kylie Kardashian and Hailey Bieber, the brand’s catapulted even more (and is up 600% in searches). Users flock to this highly pigmented liquid blush as the temps warm and a *sunkissed glow* is more appealing than ever.
- Isle of Paradise Self Tanning Drops ($32) — Similarly, it’s spring break szn, and you always feel better with a suntan. These drops are so easy to use: simply mix into your moisturizer and you’re good to go.
- Brushean UV + Ozone Makeup Brush Sanitizer ($89) — I have immediate lust for this makeup brush sanitizer, and TikTok does too. It disinfects your brushes at the click of a button. While it’s currently backordered until April 10 (oh, the tragedy of going viral), it is available from retailers such as Urban Outfitters.
- Stojo Collapsible 16 Oz. Coffee Mug ($20) — While I love a solid to-go travel mug, sometimes the problem is that they’re too solid. My backpack’s full to bursting and my hands are already full, so I along with other TikTok shoppers love the idea of this collapsible coffee mug that stows down to nothing.
Happy scrolling! Email me directly – grace@thequalityedit.com – with any trends or products you think should be included, or DM us over @thequalityedit.
