TikTok has influenced app users in more ways than one

The entertainment app, TikTok, continues to grow by providing users with a page dedicated to their interests Antonbe/Pixabay

The ever-growing video editing app has taken over the social media world, guiding youth on what to wear, eat and read

TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms this past year. Users get to scroll through funny videos, reviews, tutorials, self-care tips and life hacks. These topics have led to a major influence on users worldwide and how they go about their day-to-day lives. 

Trends upon trends have been created through TikTok, where certain products, foods and books have sold out almost completely. 

An example of this is corset tops, which escalated in popularity due to the 2020 hit Netflix series “Bridgerton.” With all the reasons for the corset top trend correlated to the eight-episode period piece, social media is the most prominent reason. The media showing off specific fashion trends can lead to Victoria’s Secret needing to order new lingerie shipments. 

On TikTok, the hashtag “corset” has a total of 1.9 billion views, with the hashtag “corset challenge” just below it with a count of 270.3 million views. Throughout the entire hashtag are videos of users wearing, upcycling and even creating their corsets. 

While Tiktok has influenced the fashion world, it has also shaped the world of self-care. To be specific, certain users on the app have recommended others to start consuming liquid chlorophyll to get clear skin. With a total of 40.7 million views on the hashtag, people across the app have tried the life-hack. 

As this new trend grows more and more, stores that carry the product are starting to notice the pattern. Kendall Kearns, an employee at the Mother’s Market, shares how TikTok was her first thought when questioning the sudden need to restock large amounts of liquid chlorophyll at the grocery store. 

“A couple of days ago at work, I saw a group of teenage girls buying a bunch of liquid chlorophyll,”  Kearns said. “Right after my shift, I immediately went home and searched it up on TikTok. I just knew it; it’s always Tiktok if you see anything suddenly selling out within days.”

The trend has even reached dermatologist offices. Under the hashtag, videos of dermatologists and dietitians explain the reasons why liquid chlorophyll is clearing up skin. One, in particular, shared that consumers should stick to eating vegetables that contain an even larger amount of chlorophyll instead of putting it in your water.  

As TikTok started the corset and the liquid chlorophyll trend, an even bigger movement has recently surfaced through the app: books. Books have become a big part of the app in these past few months.

The community calls itself “Booktok,” and the hashtag has reached about 8.8 billion views in May. The community gives recommendations and creative content on books they think everyone should be reading. 

Juliana Buskirk, a member of the “Booktok” community, shared how the app has introduced her to her favorite book series, “A Court of Thorns and Roses,” written by Sarah J. Mass. 

“I read the first and second book in a little less than a week, and I’m not even a big reader,” Buskirk said. “I saw that the series was being talked about a lot on Booktok, so I caved in and bought the books. Now, I’m even more eager to find books on TikTok similar to that series.”

The success of “A Court of Thorns and Roses” was so impactful that Barnes and Noble have dedicated an entire section of their store to the series. Along with that, they have added another area with the title “Booktok.” Proving yet again just how much influence the entertainment app possesses. 

As TikTok continues to reach wider audiences throughout an array of genres, the trends are increasing daily. The app that started purely for entertainment has grown to influence different minds and various cultures. Whether it’s a clothing item, a skin-clearing remedy or a good book, TikTok has become an influential media outlet – to the point where it’s a part of what dictates popular ideas within society.

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