Are Under‑Eye Patches Just a Prop Now? Inside TikTok’s ‘Performative Skincare’ Backlash

Beauty TikTok is currently locked in a surprisingly intense debate over under‑eye patches, those gel pads people stick beneath their eyes. The spark was a viral video in which a creator asked: “Are we actually using these for skincare, or just to show that we’re the kind of person who does skincare?”

Over the past few years, buzzy American brands like Rhode and Topicals have turned eye patches from clinical‑looking treatment products into lifestyle accessories. Campaigns style them with silk pajamas and claw clips; content creators film entire GRWM and nighttime routine videos wearing patches the whole time. For Gen Z, having glittery or pastel patches on in front of the camera became visual shorthand for being a “put‑together” person.

Now, a backlash is brewing. Critics say that if you truly care about results, you’d spend that masking time away from blue light and performance, not playing to the algorithm. They argue that yet another corner of skincare has been absorbed into the aesthetics economy. Defenders respond that skincare is also about mood management, and that feeling cute and intentional can be as important as minor changes in hydration. For Japanese consumers used to sheet‑mask selfies, the conversation offers a useful lens on how far “performative wellness” can go before it starts to feel hollow.