2024 was the year we felt like we took a world tour with all the viral makeup challenges that went around on TikTok. While makeup transition videos had already existed before, this year seemed to put them on blast, with the Internet now openly asking their favorite content creators and celebrities for their entries to these challenges like they were homework. And yes, more often than not, they did the assignment and delivered with flying colors. To give you a quick summary, we rounded up all the challenges that you might want to refer to for next year and even after.
Here are the makeup challenges that went viral on TikTok in 2024
Asoka
This comes first on the list because let's be honest, we're all still humming the tune to it. The inspiration for the Asoka Makeup Challenge is often credited to Indonesian content creators. However, the makeup style and song used come from the 2001 Bollywood movie Asoka and the song within the film, "San Sanana." Because of its popularity on TikTok, Filipino beauty content creators and even celebrities made sure to put their take on the challenge. Among the most notable ones come from Lenie Aycardo, who has 7.1 million followers on the app. Meanwhile, her Asoka makeup challenge has amassed over 240 million plays and over 21 million likes.
@lenie_aycardo Serving you my 2nd version of Asoka Makeup Trend. Darker,Bolder & Fiercer ? As you all requested! ♥??????????? (lb: @jharna bhagwani ? suara asli - Sita Suwarnadwipa
2000s/Y2K
Our FYPs traveled to 2000s South Korea with this one. The 2000s or Y2K makeup challenge may have taken many names, but was popularly done with "10 Minutes" by Lee Hyori as its audio. The trend made its way around TikTok during the first half of the year. Among the earlier (and honestly more doable challenges for most), a couple of celebrities shared their takes on this look. The list includes Maris Racal, Andrea Brillantes, and the TikTok-dubbed winner of the challenge, Iwa Moto.
@iam_iwa Dahil nirequest niyo. Eto na???????????? #2000makeuptrend ? 10 Minutes - Lee Hyori
Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas
Filipinos are known for proudly celebrating their Filipino heritage, but standing up for the country during its most challenging moments is a rare act of courage. This was the powerful message conveyed by comedienne Vice Ganda through her entry for the "Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas" challenge. Sung by Angeline Quinto, the song elicits a strong sense of love for the country. While many used the challenge as a way to showcase everything that is good and should be celebrated about the country (which is nice), Vice bravely questioned, challenged, and shared a message of actively choosing the country, even when it's not the easiest to do at times with everything going on. The Piliin Mo Ang Pilipinas challenge, if anything, showed us that social awareness can exist in trends, and what Vice did was a good use of both the trend and her platform.
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Marimar
The OG didn't come to play as she slayed her entry to the Marimar challenge. Marian Rivera started another viral makeup challenge as she shared her take on the Asoka trend. However, instead of doing Indian-style makeup, she took her spin on the transitions and did a throwback to her 2007 Marimar look. Many years have passed since but her face card hasn't declined. Celebrities like Alex Gonzaga and Andrea Brillantes have also shared their remakes of the classic look which consists of curly hair and long layers of pearl necklaces.
Habibi/Arabian Nights
While makeup challenges seem to be all fun and games, it's also of equal importance to do the necessary research before hopping on the trends. This is so you can ensure that while you intend to share your passion for recreating makeup looks, you're not unintentionally disrespecting the culture or significance behind the trend. This happened when the Habibi trend first came out around the middle of 2024.
Discussions surrounding how to dress and act in the video entries properly were made to ensure respect for the communities where the trend stems. This is why, instead of joining the Habibi trend and risking improper use of the hijab and disrespect to the Muslim community, some shared their entries to the "Arabian Nights" audio instead. Some of the content creators who joined the trend were half-Filipino half-Lebanese sisters Zeinab and Rana Harake and half-Filipino, half-Moroccan actress Ivana Alawi.
