You've seen it. That split-screen chaos where one person is calmly explaining a complex geopolitical crisis or a deep-seated psychological trauma while the other is aggressively blending foundation. Or maybe it’s the classic "POV: You’re watching your friend get ready for a 9 PM reservation at 8:45 PM." The girls doing makeup meme isn't just one single image; it's a massive, multi-platform genre of digital comedy that explains exactly how we process information in the 2020s. We are basically a generation that can't focus on serious news unless there is a beauty blender involved.
Honestly, it’s a vibe.
This specific meme culture didn't just appear out of nowhere. It evolved from the early days of YouTube "Get Ready With Me" (GRWM) videos, but it took a sharp turn into irony and satire once TikTok and Reels took over the world. It’s about the juxtaposition. We love seeing high-stakes drama paired with the mundane, repetitive motion of applying mascara. It creates this weirdly hypnotic tension. One side of the screen is "my life is falling apart," and the other side is "but look at this wing transition."
The Evolution of the Girls Doing Makeup Meme
Remember 2016? The "Instagram Face" era was at its peak. Everything was about perfection, heavy contour, and those dip-brow pomades that made everyone look like they were permanently surprised. Back then, makeup content was aspirational. It was serious business. If you were doing a tutorial, you were a "Guru." But the internet gets bored of perfection pretty quickly. We started to crave the "mess."
The shift happened when creators realized that the act of doing makeup is actually the perfect background noise for storytelling. This birthed the "Storytime" era. But the girls doing makeup meme specifically refers to the moments where the makeup process itself becomes the punchline or the vehicle for a totally unrelated, often unhinged, narrative.
Think about the "Get Ready With Me" trend on TikTok. It started as a way to show off products. Then, it became a way to vent about a bad date. Eventually, it morphed into the "True Crime Makeup" genre—pioneered by creators like Bailey Sarian—which is perhaps the most famous iteration of the concept. Sarian basically proved that you could talk about the most grisly historical murders while carefully applying a shimmery eyeshadow. People loved it. They also hated it. It sparked massive debates about the ethics of "edutainment," yet it remains a cornerstone of how the girls doing makeup meme functions: distracting the eye while engaging the ears.
Why the "Hurry Up" Aesthetic Works
There’s another side to this. It’s the "Get Ready With Me... Fast" version. You know the ones. The audio is usually a high-pitched, sped-up version of a song, or someone yelling about being late. This specific sub-genre of the girls doing makeup meme captures the frantic energy of girlhood and womanhood. It’s the "panicked concealer" look.
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The humor comes from the relatability of the struggle.
- You’re trying to do a cat-eye.
- Your Uber is two minutes away.
- You haven't even picked out an outfit.
- Your friend is texting "I'm outside."
When people post these memes, they aren't showing off their skills. They are showing off their stress. It’s a complete reversal of the 2016 perfectionism. We aren't gurus anymore; we’re just people trying to look presentable while our lives are a "bit of a situation."
Breaking Down the "Storytime" Juxtaposition
Why do we find it so funny when someone explains a breakup while doing their lashes? Psychology actually has a few things to say about this, even if the meme-makers aren't thinking about it. It’s called "cognitive easing." When we see someone performing a routine, familiar task—like brushing on blush—it lowers our defenses. We become more receptive to the story they are telling.
But it’s also just hilarious.
There is a specific TikTok trend where people use a filter that makes them look like they are doing their makeup badly—smearing lipstick across their cheeks or using a giant brush for tiny details—while talking about something incredibly serious, like their student loan debt or a career change. This parody of the girls doing makeup meme shows that the internet has become self-aware. We know the format is ridiculous. We’re leaning into the absurdity.
The "Orange Face" and "British Girl" Variations
We can't talk about this without mentioning the "British Girl Makeup" or "Chav" aesthetic memes that blew up a few years ago. These videos featured girls applying massive amounts of foundation that didn't match their neck, drawing on huge eyebrows, and eating a "maccies" (McDonald's).
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This version of the girls doing makeup meme relied heavily on regional stereotypes and "POV" humor. It wasn't just about the makeup; it was about a specific subculture. It became a global phenomenon because, regardless of where you live, everyone knows a version of that person. The "M-to-the-B" song by Millie B became the unofficial anthem of this meme, showing how music, makeup, and comedy all collide to create a viral moment.
The Cultural Impact and the "Male Version"
One of the funniest things about the girls doing makeup meme is how it has been adapted by men. You’ve probably seen the videos where guys try to replicate the "GRWM" energy but with "masculine" tasks. "Get ready with me to go to the hardware store," they say, while aggressively splashing water on their face or putting on a single pair of socks with the same dramatic flair a beauty influencer uses for a $60 primer.
This cross-pollination shows that the format itself—the "talking to the camera while performing a ritual"—is the new standard for digital communication. It’s no longer just for "girls." It’s a template for storytelling.
Misconceptions: Is it "Vapid"?
A common criticism of these memes, especially the ones involving serious topics like politics or history, is that they are "vapid" or "disrespectful." Critics argue that talking about a tragedy while blending out a contour line trivializes the subject matter.
However, many creators argue the opposite. They claim that in an age of 15-second attention spans, the girls doing makeup meme is one of the only ways to get young audiences to pay attention to long-form information. If you post a "dry" video about the history of the labor movement, it might get 1,000 views. If you talk about the labor movement while doing a "strawberry girl" makeup look, it might get 1,000,000. It’s a tool for engagement.
Is it perfect? No. But it is effective.
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How to Make the Meme Work for You
If you’re a creator, or just someone trying to understand why your "Explore" page looks the way it does, there are a few "rules" to how this meme functions in the wild.
- The Audio is King. Whether it’s a trending sound or a voiceover of a chaotic story, the audio usually does the heavy lifting.
- The "Check." Every good girls doing makeup meme includes a moment where the person looks at themselves in the camera "mirror," pauses, and then continues. It builds rhythm.
- The Contrast. The more serious the topic, the more "normal" the makeup should be—or vice versa. High contrast equals high engagement.
- The Relatable Fail. Nobody wants to see a perfect wing on the first try. If you mess up and have to wipe it off with a Q-tip while explaining how you got ghosted, that’s gold.
The Future of the "Makeup Background"
We’re moving toward a "multitasking" content era. We don't just want to hear a story; we want to see a process. The girls doing makeup meme has paved the way for "clean with me," "cook with me," and "organize my fridge with me" videos. But the makeup version remains the most personal. It’s filmed in the bathroom or at a vanity—intimate spaces.
It feels like FaceTime with a friend.
As AI-generated content becomes more prevalent, these raw, slightly messy, very human videos are going to become even more valuable. You can't fake the specific way a person’s face moves when they are trying to apply eyeliner while also trying not to cry about their ex. That’s a level of human nuance that a bot just hasn't mastered yet.
Actionable Insights for Navigating Meme Culture
- Observe the "Sound Bites": If you want to understand a trending meme, look at the "Original Audio" tab. You'll see thousands of people doing the exact same makeup routine to the same sound. That’s the "core" of the meme.
- Identify the Sub-Genres: Not all makeup memes are the same. Some are satirical (making fun of influencers), some are sincere (storytimes), and some are aesthetic (showing off products).
- Check the Comments: The "real" meme often happens in the comment section. Users will point out specific timestamps where the creator's facial expression shifted, or they'll debate the story being told.
- Don't Overthink the Production: The most successful girls doing makeup meme posts are often shot on an iPhone with natural lighting. "Over-produced" content usually feels fake in this specific niche.
The reality is that we’ve moved past the era of the "unreachable celebrity." We want the girl who is running 20 minutes late, has a coffee stain on her shirt, and is telling us a wild story while she fixes her face. That is the heart of the girls doing makeup meme, and it’s why we keep scrolling.
The next time you see someone blending their foundation while explaining the Roman Empire, don't roll your eyes. You’re watching a masterclass in modern attention-grabbing. It’s weird, it’s chaotic, and it’s exactly how we talk to each other now.
To dive deeper into this, you should start paying attention to "De-influencing" trends. It’s the natural successor to the makeup meme. People are now using the same "getting ready" format to tell you what not to buy, which adds another layer of honesty to the whole "makeup storytime" ecosystem. Watch a few of those, and you'll see the cycle of internet trends in real-time. It’s all about trust—and a really good concealer.