Looksmaxxing

Looksmaxxing is a term that refers to maximizing one’s own physical attractiveness that originates from incel internet forums. "Looksmaxxing" can be traced back to mid-2014 and emerged on message boards Lookism, Sluthate, and PUAHate. In the 2020s, the term left relatively obscure internet forums, and was popularised on TikTok.

Proponents of "looksmaxxing" refer to simple practices as "softmaxxing", including proper hygiene, skincare, hairstyles suited to one's face shape, exercise routines, wearing fashionable clothing, as well as "mewing"; a scientifically unsupported tongue posture practice purported to improve jaw structure. "Hardmaxxing" refers to more extreme and permanent methods, including undergoing cosmetic procedures such as jaw surgery.

While some looksmaxxing ideas have been deemed helpful for male self improvement, online forums have been criticized for contributing to male body dysmorphia, and the spread of misogynistic and racist beliefs. The spread of lookmaxxing content on TikTok is said to exclude many of the "toxic" elements seen on forums.

"Softmaxxing"
Looksmaxxing is a practice in which people perform several body care routines in an effort to improve ones physical appearance. Some of these practices are fairly common and standard, such as clearing up facial acne, going to the gym, getting a new haircut, or moisturizing. These practices are the most popular, and are considered "softmaxxing". Additional practices have been associated with looksmaxxing, with a popular example being the act of "mewing", which involves performing various exercises with one's tongue with the goal of achieving a "square jawline". These methods are the most popular ones shared around TikTok, where men are typically the ones giving the advice. These methods were previously popularized with magazines such as GQ, Esquire, and Men's Health sharing around skincare and hairstyle advice. Some that partake in "looksmaxxing" consider themselves to be making "facial gains".

"Hardmaxxing"
Some people who perform looksmaxxing have also performed more extreme methods. This has been coined as "hardmaxxing", and those who practice them refer to themselves as "hardmaxxers". Practices associated with hardmaxxing include getting implants or limb-lengthening surgeries, intentionally starving oneself ("starvemaxxing"), using moisturizers to attempt to appear more white ("whitemaxxing"), and withholding sexual climax in an effort to boost testosterone ("edging"). An additional method, known as "bonesmashing", refers to the act of hitting one's face against objects such as a hammer in order to create a "chiselled look". While this practice is considered an inside joke and few have actually done it, it has been warned as misinformation.

Some that partake in looksmaxxing also look for others to rate their appearance, with some engaging in anonymous message boards associated with incel sub-culture. This rating has been considered to be one's "sexual market value". Those that determine this value usually check for a variety of different facial features. One of the most prominent features checked for is "hunter eyes", which refers to a positive canthal tilt, resembling that of a predatorial animal. Additional features checked for include hollow cheeks and "pursed lips". In order to achieve these features, some perform acts such as the aforementioned "mewing", rubbing against the orbital area, or even getting surgery.

Those who receive a low rating are often harassed for their appearance afterwards, with some forms of harassment including suicide encouragement (known in some legal jurisdictions as "Incitement to Suicide"). Additional terms have been coined by these communities in an effort to "dominate others". These phrases include "mogging", which refers to asserting dominance over another person based on their appearance, and being "Y-pilled", which refers to one viewing themselves as more masculine than the other and is a spin on the phrase "redpilled".

History
The practice originated on "manosphere" message boards such as Lookism.net and Incels.me in the 2010s. In 2015, a forum site named Looksmaxxer.com was registered to the Internet Archive, coining the term "looksmaxxing" and inspiring its usage on anonymous imageboard websites such as 4chan. Looksmaxxing became a TikTok trend in the 2020s, amongst mostly teenagers.

Criticism
Looksmaxxing has been connected to incel sub-culture since its origins within it. Writing for The Conversation, senior lecturer and researcher Jamilla Rosdahl of the Australian College of Applied Psychology considered the practice to convert young men into incels as a result of TikTok algorithms. On the popularity of looksmaxxing amongst young people overall, she wrote that "where young people feel like they can’t control their environment, they may turn to trends such as looksmaxxing as something they can control," attributing several real world problems such as an unstable economy.

Several acts associated with looksmaxxing have been criticized by doctors and dismissed as misinformation, including mewing and bonesmashing.