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What is the Moo Deng beauty trend? Why everyone wants to be a rosy-cheeked hippopotamus

Posted on by angelo
What is the Moo Deng beauty trend? Why everyone wants to be a rosy-cheeked hippopotamus

An image of Moo Deng the baby hippo and TikTok influencers

He’s an unlikely celebrity. (Photo: AP/Tik Tok)

The internet has proclaimed its latest “it-girl” and makeup influencer, and it’s a baby pygmy hippopotamus. Yes, you read that correctly.

Moo Deng, a playful, pink and chubby hippopotamus, rose to fame this month after zookeeper Atthapon Nundee posted videos of her bathing, sleeping and biting.

Her fan base immediately grew and she has already amassed 2.5 million followers on her TikTok account.

The hippopotamus, who is barely two months old, has even been declared an “icon” and “legend” by Time Magazine.

And now she’s inspiring makeup looks.

Her natural glow and rosy cheeks have become the ultimate beauty goal, with content creators around the world trying to recreate this aesthetic.

Moo Deng, a two-month-old baby hippopotamus, plays with a zookeeper at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, Thursday, September 19, 2024. (AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)

Moo Deng, a mischievous, pink and chubby hippopotamus rose to fame this month (Photo: AP)

Who is Moo Deng?

The adorable hippo lives at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand – and his name means “inflatable pig”.

Moo Deng’s three siblings are also named after the pig: Moo Wan, meaning Thai sweet pork; Pha Lor, which means pork belly stew; and Moo Tun, which means pork stew.

Speaking about her rapid rise to fame, Atthapon said: “The moment I saw Moo-Deng born, I set my sights on making her famous, but I didn’t expect it to catch on abroad. I thought she might be famous in Thailand but not internationally.

But his fame is not without its drawbacks. Some zoo visitors began throwing water and shells at the sleeping pygmy hippopotamus while she slept to get her to react.

Moo Deng now has a security guard to protect her, and zoo director Narongwit Chodchoi has threatened legal action against visitors who misbehave.

Moo Deng’s name means “inflatable pig” (Credits: Chaiwat Subprasom/SOPA Images)

Narongwit said the zoo receives more than 4,000 visitors on weekdays, compared to just 800 people, and more than 10,000 on weekends, compared to about 3,000.

Due to overcrowding, Moo Deng fans will now only be able to visit him on weekends, with each viewing lasting only five minutes.

Moo Deng’s species is listed as endangered. Estimates from the Pgymy Hippo Foundation suggest there are currently no more than 2,000 living in the wild.

Attaphon added: “I hope Moo-Deng’s kindness will raise awareness for people to come and learn more about the species.”

Why do people like Moo Deng?

Moo Deng is undeniably adorable – his big eyes, rosy cheeks, and round, baby-like face might elicit a sullen response.

Dr Therese Rehn, a researcher at the Department of Animal Environment and Health at the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences, previously told Metro.co.uk that baby animals could cause a similar response to babies because they look like them.

epa11625926 Two-month-old female pygmy hippo named Moo Deng pictured at the Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi province, Thailand, September 26, 2024. Moo Deng, a baby female pygmy hippo, has become the zoo's starlet and a global online celebrity after zookeeper Atthapon Nundee posted videos of her on social media. The zoo launched a 24-hour live broadcast to serve its fans around the world and sold Moo Deng's souvenirs. Moo Deng's popularity led to a 50 percent increase in visitors to the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, with more than 81,000 people visiting the zoo between September 1 and 19, helping the zoo gain more than 12 million baht (365,000 US dollars or 327,000 euros), according to the director of the Khao Kheow Open Zoo, Narongwit Chodchoy. EPA/RUNGROJ YONGRIT

Moo Deng’s babyish features might provoke a sullen response (Credits: EPA)

She said: “Many baby mammals seem to spark a need to care for us humans, and this is likely linked to the disproportionate characteristics of most baby mammals, including human babies, such as a large head and large eyes.”

Ethologist Konrad Lorenz, who discovered the “baby schema” in 1946, proposed that baby animals and human infants have similar characteristics, such as a large head, large eyes and round face, which trigger instincts nourishers and protectors in humans.

This may explain why the internet just can’t get enough of Moo Deng.

Adopt the Moo Deng look

Moo Deng’s adorable features have also served as an aesthetic aspiration, with many online content creators aiming to emulate the little hippo’s glow and rosy cheeks.

The makeup artists shared their Moo Deng looks online, complementing their very blush look with a gray lip and using pale eyeshadow shades of pink, gray and white to make their eyes pop.

The first content creator to create a Moo Deng-inspired look was makeup artist Mei Pang, who shared the “experimental” tutorial with her three million TikTok followers.

In the video, which has since garnered more than eight million views, she said her look was inspired by the “legend herself.”

‘Why do you ask?’ she said. “Because she has everything, she has pink skin, a big haloed eye and a zest for life.”

To transform into a baby pygmy hippo, Mei first sprays herself with a moisturizing spray before highlighting her cheekbones with a pale pink blush, creating a gray-rimmed eye and highlighting her inner corners with white.

She completes the look by lining her lips with a pale shade of pink and filling them in with a Moo Deng shade of gray.

Since then, other content creators have followed suit, sharing their recreations of the famous face. Drag queen and makeup artist “Rude Velvet” shared her version with her 180,000 TikTok followers.

Pairing a mix of pale peach brushes with smoky purple eyeshadow and a shimmering red lip, the content creator said, “I think Moo Deng would be proud, or at least she would try to bite me.”

Makeup brands have also joined the trend, with Sephora Thailand sharing tips on “how to wear your blush like a baby hippo”.

Makeup By Mario’s Creamy Peach Blush and Pixi’s Tinted Blush Moisturizing Stick were among the items listed.

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