TikTok is a popular short-form video app that has exploded in popularity in recent years. As of 2021, TikTok has over 1 billion monthly active users worldwide (https://directlync.com/blog/tiktok-for-small-businesses). The app allows users to create and share 15 to 60 second videos on any topic, often set to music, ranging from dance trends to comedy sketches and more.
With its huge userbase and constant stream of new content, TikTok has become a hub for the latest viral trends and challenges. New dances, songs, memes, and other trends frequently emerge on the platform and quickly spread as users film their own takes. Given TikTok’s influence on youth culture and popularity, many people are interested in staying up to date on the latest trends happening on the app.
This article provides an overview of current, popular TikTok trends across different categories like dance, food, fashion, and more. Identifying and understanding these trends can help users better engage with content on the platform.
Dance Trends
TikTok has exploded in popularity largely thanks to its fun and catchy dance challenges. Dances like the Renegade, Blinding Lights, and Savage have blown up and been replicated by millions of users. In 2022, some of the most popular dance trends include:
The He’s a 10 dance challenge features moves set to the remix of “He’s a 10” by artist Beauty Bar Baby. It’s a fast-paced and high energy dance.
Megan Thee Stallion’s “Savage” dance challenge is still going strong in 2022. Set to her hit song of the same name, it features bouncy hip hop choreography.
Doja Cat’s song “Woman” inspired a smooth hip swaying dance that many users have put their own spin on. It’s all about confidence and celebrating femininity.
Pushin P by Gunna sparked a catchy dance featuring a repeated arm swirl motion. The simple yet distinct move made it go viral.
Dances set to the TikTok remixes of hit songs like About Damn Time by Lizzo allow creators to put their own stamp on familiar songs.
Comedy/Memes
TikTok has become a popular platform for sharing comedy videos and memes. Some of the biggest meme trends in 2022 included the “It’s the, for me” meme, where users would react to something silly or outrageous. The “Main Character” meme also took off, where people would act out scenarios portraying themselves as the protagonist.
In terms of stand-up style comedy, TikTok stars like Tabitha Brown and Khaby Lame have amassed huge audiences creating funny reaction videos and sketches. Trending jokes often center around relatable topics like work, relationships, food, and pop culture. Audio clips from comedy shows like The Office are also popular for creating funny TikTok videos.
Overall, meme culture and humor are a core part of TikTok. Following trending sounds, hashes, and influencers is the best way to stay on top of the latest viral comedy sensations on the platform.
Food Trends
TikTok has become a hotspot for viral food trends and recipes. Some of the most popular food trends in 2022 included cloud bread, baked oats, charcuterie boards, pasta chips, mug cakes, and Birria tacos.
Cloud bread was one of the biggest trends, garnering over 3.4 billion views on TikTok [1]. It’s a light, airy bread made by whipping egg whites into stiff peaks and folding in cream cheese and sometimes sugar or herbs. The fluffy texture and simple ingredients make it an ideal low-carb bread alternative.
Baked oats also went hugely viral with 1.3 billion TikTok views [2]. They’re made by mixing oats with milk, eggs, and toppings like fruit, chocolate chips or peanut butter, then baking into bars or muffins. They’re touted as a healthy, protein-packed breakfast.
Mug cakes were another big trend, providing an easy single-serving cake cooked right in the microwave. TikTokers got creative with flavors like chocolate, red velvet and lemon. Hashtags like #mugcake and #oneminutecake brought in over 5 billion views.
Food hacks also took off, like pasta chips, charcuterie boards, and Birria tacos. TikTok remains a hub for the latest viral recipes and cooking shortcuts.
Beauty Trends
TikTok has become a hotbed for beauty and skincare trends over the past couple years. Many viral videos showcase creative tips, tricks, and product recommendations. Some of the biggest beauty trends on TikTok in 2022 include:
Glazed donut nails – This nail art trend went viral in 2022, with creators painting their nails to look like frosted donuts. The iridescent, glossy manicures became hugely popular.
Skin cycling – Dermatologist Dr. Whitney Bowe’s skin cycling method became a sensation on TikTok in 2022. The technique involves switching up your skincare routine every few nights to target different skin concerns. Videos demystifying the process racked up millions of views.
Euphoria makeup – Inspired by the HBO show, shimmery Euphoria-style makeup looks took over TikTok. Rhinestones around the eyes, glitter tears, and bold graphic liner were everywhere.
Face water dumps – Videos of people dunking their faces in bowls of water, claiming it delivers instant results for clear skin, also went viral. However, experts generally advise against this risky trend.
Some beauty products that gained immense popularity after going viral on TikTok include the Ilia Limitless Lash Mascara,Laneige Lip Sleeping Mask, and The Ordinary Peeling Solution.[1] Beauty content remains among the most engaging on the platform.
Fashion Trends
Some of the biggest fashion trends on TikTok in 2022 included Y2K and retro styles, Barbiecore, indie sleaze, and e-girl aesthetics. The Y2K trend brought back popular early 2000s styles like low rise jeans, halter tops, mini skirts, and belly chains. The Barbiecore trend was inspired by Barbie’s iconic pink, plastic aesthetic. This led to a surge in hot pink clothing and accessories. Indie sleaze style features hipster clothing from the 2000s like trucker hats, mini skirts, and graphic band tees. The e-girl look centers around mixing feminine pieces like skirts with an edgy, alternative vibe through chained accessories and dark makeup.
Some popular fashion hacks that took off on TikTok included shapewear layering, taping clothes for a better fit, and clothes styling tricks. For example, many videos demonstrated shapewear layering by wearing multiple pairs of bike shorts or shapewear under dresses and skirts to create a smooth silhouette and accentuate curves. Clothing tape became a trend for making tops and dresses fit better. Styling hack videos also showed clever ways to wear versatile clothing pieces like button-downs and cardigans.
Song Trends
TikTok has become a major platform for breaking new songs and propelling them up the charts. Several tracks have gone viral on TikTok in 2022, becoming the audio for countless videos and dances. Some of the biggest TikTok hits this year include:
“Sunroof” by Nicky Youre & dazy – This feel-good summer jam was used in over 4 million TikTok videos. It peaked at #3 on the Billboard Hot 100 chart (Source: Forbes).
“Ginseng Strip 2002” by Yung Lean – This dreamy cloud rap track is the backdrop for the popular “whip and dab” dance trend. It appeared in over 1.5 million videos (Source: Radio X).
“About Damn Time” by Lizzo – The pop star’s infectious self-love anthem inspired a dance challenge that users put their own spin on. It was used in over 500,000 videos (Source: Fanbytes).
Several older songs have also gone viral again on TikTok this year, being rediscovered and popularized by a new generation of users. From Kate Bush to Sean Paul, TikTok breathed new life into catalog classics in 2022.
Hashtag Challenges
Hashtag challenges are immensely popular on TikTok as a way for creators to engage their audience and potentially go viral. Some of the most popular recent hashtag challenges include:
#RainbowChallenge – Users post creative videos showing off rainbow-colored outfits, makeup, food, and more. This challenge has over 12 billion views. (1)
#SilhouetteChallenge – Users pose in creative silhouettes for dramatic dancing videos. This challenge has over 8 billion views. (2)
#FlipTheSwitch – Users stand in front of a mirror and “flip the switch” to transform into each other. This challenge has over 4 billion views. (3)
#WipeItDown – Users wipe down mirrors or windows to transition into different outfits and looks. This challenge has over 3.5 billion views. (1)
#BlindingLights – Users choreograph dances to The Weeknd’s song Blinding Lights. This challenge has over 2.5 billion views. (2)
Challenges like these spread rapidly on TikTok as users add their own creative spins. Using popular dance songs and hashtag challenges is an effective way for creators to gain more exposure.
(1) https://ads.tiktok.com/business/creativecenter/inspiration/popular/hashtag/pc/en
(2) https://blog.hootsuite.com/tiktok-hashtags/
Influencers
TikTok has become home to many top influencers who drive the latest trends. According to a TikTok article titled “Top TikTok influencers 2022” https://www.tiktok.com/discover/top-tiktok-influencers-2022?lang=ar, some of the highest profile creators in 2022 include Khaby Lame, Bella Poarch, and Charli D’Amelio. These megastars have over 100 million followers each and frequently kick off viral dances, comedy bits, songs, and more. Beyond the top names, there are many mid-tier and micro influencers ranging from lifestyle vloggers to dancers who influence niche trends and niche communities. Brands looking to find relevant TikTok influencers can search by keywords like “top tiktok influencers 2022” according to Humanz article https://www.humanz.com/find-tiktok-influencers/. Monitoring hashtags and viral sounds can also reveal rising influencers driving the latest crazes.
Conclusion
TikTok has many popular trends that continuously evolve and change over time. This article covered some of the major categories where viral trends often emerge, such as dance, comedy/memes, food, beauty, fashion, songs, hashtag challenges, and influences.
To summarize, some of the most notable TikTok trends covered include dance challenges like the Renegade and Muggles Challenge for dance trends. For comedy and memes, trends like the Silhouette Challenge and KAM/Karen memes are popular. Viral food trends include Dalgona coffee and baked feta pasta, while beauty trends consist of fox eye makeup and coconut girl aesthetic.
Fashion-wise, cottagecore and e-girl/e-boy style is prevalent on TikTok. Big songs that go viral on the platform turn into popular TikTok sounds and dance trends. Hashtag challenges like #FlipTheSwitch and #WipeItDown20 gain widespread participation. Finally, TikTok influencers with large followings often spark new trends.
TikTok trends come and go rapidly, which is part of what makes the app so exciting. This article provided a snapshot of some current popular trends across top categories, but there will always be new viral sensations on the rise on TikTok.
