A bizarre makeup trend using hot melt glue has gone viral in Japan.

A new Japanese makeup trend involving using hot glue to create tear-shaped droplets that are then applied to the face is going viral among teenage schoolgirls, according to a report published in the magazine. South China Morning Post (SCMP). The fashion style known as “3D teardrop makeup” gives girls a delicate look designed to evoke sympathy by making them look like they are crying. The trend has spread quickly across Japanese schools, with some areas also reporting shortages of hot melt glue guns.

According to experts, such bizarre trends regularly appear on the country’s social networks and last for several weeks. The makeup process involves applying hot glue to a smooth surface, such as a plastic sheet. Once the glue has cooled and hardened, it can be removed and attached to your face using false eyelash glue.

However, the trend has drawn criticism from netizens, many of whom are concerned that some impressionable teenagers may harm themselves by using hot glue. Many called the whole trend “ridiculous” and “weird” and criticized those involved.

“Seriously? Are middle school girls really into such an inappropriate trend these days?” The publication quoted one user as saying, while another commented: “Wait, doesn’t this hot glue tear makeup look suspiciously like sperm?”

This isn’t the first time the hot-melt adhesive trend has picked up steam. Last year, TikTok beauty creator Vanessa Funes, better known as @cutcreaser, posted a video in which she used a hot glue gun to create space-age eyeliner.

“The first design I made was inspired by the Mandalorian’s Beskar armor, but it melted. So I thought about molten metal and what it would look like as eyeliner,” said Ms. Funes, whose #hotgluemakeup video has 14.9 million views.

Experts advise that you should never apply hot glue directly to your face. If you want to follow this trend, it is recommended to use a stainless steel surface or parchment paper as a base to draw your desired designs.

Also read | TikTok users eat dirt in viral beauty trend and claim it’s healthy

Unconventional beauty trends

In September this year, a viral beauty trend in the US encouraged netizens to eat dirt as a cure for health problems. Touted for improving gut health, skin problems and even obesity, this peculiar practice has gained significant popularity on TikTok.

Edible products made from clay and soil were sold on e-commerce platforms such as Amazon and Etsy, ranging from powders to clay lumps, priced between Rs 900 and Rs 2,200.