There is a new selfie pose that has taken over the ubiquitous “duckface” expression favored by millennials: meet Generation Z’s “scrunch face”.
@strawberrymilkmob
Why TikTok is talking about ‘Scrunch Face’?
- For years, “duckface” has been the signature, go-to expression favored by millennial selfie-takers.
- The duckface pose saw millennial icons, such as Kim Kardashian, suck in their cheeks and purse their lips to create a playful pout for the camera. The expression became so ubiquitous as a selfie pose that the word duckface was added to English dictionaries in 2015.
- However, according to TikToker @strawberrymilkmob, “scrunch face” is now Generation Z’s favorite pose in 2023 and has replaced the millennial duckface in terms of popularity and coolness. In fact, duckface seems outdated in comparison to scrunch face.
- In a TikTok video posted last month, that has amassed over 1.1 million views, @strawberrymilk says: “You know how we always go through the phases of the faces every girl makes? This is what it is right now.” She then proceeds to do the stink face
- The TikToker shows how the “scrunch face” involves a person scrunching their nose, squinting their eyes, and doing a playful cartoonish grin for the camera.The expression emulates the same face a person makes if they smell something bad but are also “having so much fun” at the same time.
- The scrunch face pose has been popularized by Gen Z icons like Olivia Rodrigo, Kylie Jenner, and most unmistakeably TikTok star Addison Rae whose selfies have made her the poster-girl of the “cute” trend.
- Viewers overwhelmingly agreed with @strawberrymilk’s assessment of the scrunch face usurping duckface in terms of popularity: “You’re so right omg.” Another stunned social media user commented: “I didn’t even realize I was buying into this trend.”
- The recent popularity of the scrunch face can be linked to the trends that see Generation Z reject the highly-edited, picture-perfect aesthetic that they grew up seeing from their millennial counterparts. Generation Z is drawn towards making their selfies seem more candid, spontaneous, and lighthearted — something which the scrunchface pose allows them to do.
