Is the ‘fox eye challenge’ racist? Why some Asians are giving the side eye to social media trend popularised by stars like Bella Hadid and Kendall Jenner

The look, with almond-shaped eyes lifted at the outer corners, is inspired by celebrities like Bella Hadid, and tips to recreate the look are popular on TikTok

Asians have taken to social media to call the trend out for its replication of a facial feature that, growing up, they were bullied for having

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Kendall Jenner at the 2019 amfAR Cannes Gala in Cap d'Antibes, France. Jenner is one of the many influencers that have popularised the “fox eye” look – and some people aren’t happy about it. Photo: Shutterstock

Published: 6:45am, 28 Apr 2020Updated: 6:11pm, 28 Apr 2020

The “fox eye challenge” is a social media trend inspired by famous women, including model Bella Hadid and actress Megan Fox, who have almond-shaped eyes lifted at the outer corners to smouldering effect. The trend’s hashtag, #foxeye, has gained more than 10.1 million views on TikTok alone.

Ways to achieve the desired look include shaving off the eyebrows after the arch and redrawing them, and applying a heavy-handed cat eye with eyeliner.

Shaving off the end of the brow creates a straight which makes the face appear narrower, while redrawing them with an upwards slant creates the illusion of upturned eyes. Bella Hadid uses thick black liner to make her eyes appear elongated.

Other women use more drastic measures such as brow lifts or thread lifts, in which temporary sutures lift the skin and pull the eyes into the desired shape.

TikTok star Melody Nafari’s video showing how she took on the fox eye challenge has gained more than 1 million views.

The trick for success, as many videos have pointed out, is to make sure the brow is shaved from the point directly above the outer rim of the pupil, while the winged liner should be drawn at a 45-degree angle.