How 'looksmaxxing' self-improvement apps are marketing misogyny to young men

"Within these spaces, users often rank men according to physical attractiveness and argue that dating success is largely determined by genetics. This worldview is sometimes called "the blackpill". Our research suggests that, by scoring faces and suggesting ways people can "optimise" their appearance, looksmaxxing tools are quietly mainstreaming a toxic view of masculinity and monetising insecurities."

"Our TikTok network analysis reveals a dominant subculture around this concept, with so called "blackpill edits" at its heart. These usually show a conventionally less attractive person who is "mogged" (physically dominated based on looks) by a contrast with a person deemed attractive in the looksmaxxing community. Such edits generate massive reach. One looksmaxxing influencer garnered more than 100 million views in 2025 alone."

"Looksmaxxing describes an extreme physical optimisation of a person's appearance, usually within a numerical rating system known as the PSL-scale. Besides blackpill edits, the community also shares tutorial videos purportedly helping to improve one's appearance. These include such dubious tips as recommending "mewing" (adjusting tongue posture) for a stronger jawline."

Looksmaxxing, an extreme physical optimization trend rooted in incel subculture, is rapidly spreading among Australian teenagers via TikTok and smartphone apps. The movement is based on "the blackpill" ideology, which claims dating success is determined primarily by genetics and physical attractiveness. Looksmaxxing content uses numerical rating systems and "blackpill edits" showing physical comparisons between people. Influencers in this space generate hundreds of millions of views. The ecosystem includes numerous apps that score faces and suggest appearance modifications, often promoting dubious techniques like "mewing." These tools quietly mainstream misogynistic worldviews while profiting from user insecurities about appearance.

Read at The Conversation