The Curious Case of Social Media’s Absurd Obsessions

In the world of ever-evolving social media fads, there’s a growing list of trends that leave us scratching our heads in disbelief. Some are harmless fun, while others make you wonder if humanity collectively decided to ignore common sense. Let’s talk about a few of these ridiculous trends that have somehow found their way into the spotlight—and not in a good way.


Among the questionable fads is the bizarre obsession with “daily shedding.” Apparently, people have decided that exfoliating their skin to the point of practically peeling it off daily is the height of self-care. It’s as if they’ve mistaken themselves for snakes, eagerly awaiting their next molt. Spoiler: over-exfoliation doesn’t lead to radiant skin—it leads to redness, regret, and a newfound resemblance to a tomato. But hey, all in the name of viral content, right?


Then there’s the overconsumption culture. Influencers gleefully unbox and flaunt massive hauls of clothes, makeup, and gadgets, most of which they admit they’ll never use. It’s ironic that “sustainability” is supposedly trending while these hauls scream excess and waste. Watching someone unwrap fifty pairs of identical sneakers somehow makes the rest of us feel inadequate for owning just two. Is fast fashion actually faster than logic? Because that’s how it feels right now.


And perhaps the most absurd phenomenon of all—teenagers treating Sephora as their personal destruction derby. Videos circulate of beauty store testers being obliterated, lipsticks snapped in half, and foundation jars turned into unintentional modern art. It’s unclear if this is a rebellion or just pure boredom, but it’s definitely not edgy. Retail staff deserve medals, hazard pay, and maybe a hug for dealing with the chaos.


At the root of these trends is a simple truth: attention. Social media thrives on shock value, and these fads have mastered the art of making people click. What they lack in purpose, they make up for in absurdity—and unfortunately, the consequences range from irritated skin barriers to overflowing landfills to traumatised Sephora employees.


Instead of leaning into these fads, maybe we can bring back trends that are thoughtful and fun. Weekly skincare routines, thrifting adventures, and DIY projects have just as much potential to go viral—minus the destruction. Let’s make overconsumption and chaos “so last season,” because we’re surely capable of aiming for smarter, kinder, and less ridiculous ways to stay on trend.

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