What Is a Negative Canthal Tilt (and Why Is It Trending on TikTok)?

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Everything you need to know about this recent TikTok beauty trend
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If you’re a TikTok user, you’ve probably come across posts about negative canthal tilts. But what exactly does this facial feature look like, and does it really affect how attractive you are? If you’re looking for the answers to these questions, you’ve come to the right place! We’ve compiled a complete guide on negative canthal tilts, including what they are, why they’re blowing up on TikTok, and whether or not they make someone unattractive (spoiler alert: they don’t!). Keep reading for everything you need to know.

What exactly is a negative canthal tilt?

A negative canthal tilt means that the outer corners of your eyes are positioned lower than the inner corners, which angles your eyes slightly downward. Canthal tilts have been a popular topic on TikTok lately, with users falsely claiming that negative canthal tilts are less attractive than positive canthal tilts.

Section 1 of 5:

What is a negative canthal tilt?

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  1. "Canthal tilt" refers to the angle at which your eyes are positioned. A negative canthal tilt means the outer corners of your eyes are positioned slightly lower than the inner corners, which angles them slightly downward. A positive canthal tilt, on the other hand, means that the outer corners of your eyes are positioned higher than the inner corners, which makes your eyes look like they're angled upward. [1]
    • It’s also possible to have a neutral canthal tilt. This means that the outer and inner corners of your eyes are on the same horizontal level, so your eyes don’t appear to tilt upward or downward. [2]
    • Canthal tilts are primarily determined by genetics (meaning people are just born with their eyes angled a certain way), but aging can also be a factor. As people get older, their eyes can take on more of a downturned appearance. [3]
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Section 2 of 5:

Why is negative canthal tilt a popular TikTok topic?

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  1. This stemmed from a popular filter that claimed to be able to tell users whether they had a positive, negative, or neutral canthal tilt. This would be harmless enough on its own, but users soon began claiming that a negative canthal tilt makes someone less attractive, while a positive canthal tilt makes someone more attractive. [4]
    • In general, they suggested that this was because downturned eyes create a sad or fatigued appearance, while upturned eyes create a more youthful, alert, and feminine appearance.
    • Canthal tilts are also a part of the “looksmaxxing” trend, in which men focus on improving their physical appearances in order to attract women. These men suggest that a negative canthal tilt indicates “prey eyes” (i.e., weakness), while a positive canthal tilt indicates “hunter eyes" (i.e., strength and attractiveness). [5]
    • Claims like these can create harmful and unrealistic beauty standards, and they cause people to develop insecurities about a perfectly normal facial feature.
    • They're also not true—in fact, many celebrities who are considered the epitome of beauty and attractiveness have negative canthal tilts.
    • We’ll get more into canthal tilt’s effect on attractiveness (or lack thereof) below.
Section 3 of 5:

Does negative canthal tilt affect attractiveness?

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  1. Users on TikTok and Reddit have made the claim that negative canthal tilts are unattractive, but this is a major misconception. For one thing, “attractiveness” is subjective, so it means different things to different people. [6] Some people may find upturned eyes more attractive, some may prefer downturned eyes, and others might not have a preference at all. It may sound cliché to say, but it’s entirely true that beauty is in the eye of the beholder.
    • For example, many people find downturned eyes to be dreamy, soulful, and ethereal-looking.
    • In fact, there was even a recent TikTok beauty trend called “puppy dog eyeliner,” which was aimed at giving eyes a more downturned and rounded appearance. [7]
  2. Another piece of evidence against the TikTok trend is the fact that there are many attractive people who do, in fact, have negative canthal tilts and downturned eyes. You can probably think of several people in your own life who fit this description, but here’s a list of a few celebrities with negative canthal tilts to check out:
    • Marilyn Monroe, Anne Hathaway, Sydney Sweeney, Katie Holmes, Laura Harrier, Camilla Belle, Princess Diana, Lucy Hale, Sarah Michelle Gellar, Emma Chamberlain, Britney Spears, Timothée Chalamet, Henry Cavill, James McAvoy, Jacob Elordi
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Section 4 of 5:

Addressing a Negative Canthal Tilt

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  1. First of all, there’s nothing wrong with having a negative canthal tilt, and it’s not something you need to "fix" or change about yourself. However, if you’re unhappy with the appearance of your negative canthal tilt, there are a few things you can do to address this. Here’s a breakdown:
    • Makeup. If you have eyes that angle downward, certain eye makeup looks can make them appear a bit more upturned. For example, cosmetologist Shun Pittman explains that cat eye eyeliner can increase lift. Some TikTok users even use the positive canthal tilt filter as a guide to apply upturned eyeliner.
    • Non-invasive cosmetic treatments. If your eyes appear more downturned because of the natural process of aging, there are a few cosmetic treatments you can try that are aimed at giving the skin a more youthful appearance. This includes things like laser therapy, chemical peels, botox, or fillers.
    • Surgical options. Surgical procedures like a blepharoplasty, brow lift, or mid-face lift are options. Keep in mind that surgery is a big choice and a permanent change, so it’s important to make sure it’s what you truly want. If you choose to go this route, it should be because the choice makes you feel empowered and confident, not because you feel pressured by beauty trends on social media.
    • Lifestyle changes. If your eyes are puffy, they can draw negative attention to the area. Getting enough sleep, staying hydrated, and using cooling eye masks will reduce puffiness/dark circles. While these won’t change the tilt, minimizing these imperfections can enhance facial harmony and limit attention to the area.
Section 5 of 5:

The Bottom Line

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  1. When TikTok users make sweeping claims like “negative canthal tilts are unattractive,” or “positive canthal tilts look more feminine,” it can cause many people to pick apart their appearances and develop insecurities about their facial features. This may lead them to seek out cosmetic procedures to get more upturned eyes, even though they were happy with their appearance before coming across this TikTok trend. [8]
    • Specifically, language about positive canthal tilts and femininity can be harmful to trans women. If a trans woman has a negative canthal tilt and comes across this topic on TikTok, she may think that this is something she needs to change about herself, when in reality, canthal tilt has nothing to do with gender, and there tons of women out there who have negative or neutral canthal tilts.
    • TikTok trends having to do with upturned eyes (including the viral "fox eye" makeup and plastic surgery trends) can also be offensive and appropriative toward Asian people, who have often faced discrimination for the very facial feature that's now becoming popular and coveted on social media. [9]
  2. "Looksmaxxing," for example, encourages men to go to extremes to change their appearance, to the point that some users have suggested “bone smashing" (literally hitting oneself in the face with a hammer) to change bone structure. This is incredibly dangerous and not at all effective. [10]
    • If you’ve come across this discourse on social media and it’s making you feel insecure or worried about your appearance, remember, there is nothing wrong with having a negative canthal tilt. You’re beautiful the way you are, and you don’t need to change a thing!
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      References

      1. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6571330/
      2. ↑ https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC6571330/
      3. ↑ https://health.clevelandclinic.org/the-best-options-for-droopy-eyelids-circles-and-sags
      4. ↑ https://www.newbeauty.com/tiktok-canthal-tilt/
      5. ↑ https://www.vice.com/en/article/hunter-eyes-men-trend/
      6. ↑ https://psychcentral.com/blog/do-looks-matter-in-a-relationship
      7. ↑ https://www.vogue.com/article/puppy-eyeliner
      8. ↑ https://www.newbeauty.com/tiktok-canthal-tilt/
      9. ↑ https://www.teenvogue.com/story/fox-eye-trend-cultural-appropriation-asian-features
      1. ↑ https://www.unmc.edu/healthsecurity/transmission/2023/10/17/bone-smashing-tiktok-trend-here-are-dangers-of-hammering-your-face/

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