Welcome to the digital jungle, where office supplies are becoming the latest beauty gadget. The trend that no one expected (but we got it anyway) - ear elastics for less puffiness and tighter skin.
TikTok, that bottomless well of weird, funny, and sometimes miraculously effective beauty tricks, has struck again. This time in the form of… rubber bands. Yes, you read that right – perfectly ordinary rubber bands, the kind you usually find in a drawer with old batteries, notebooks from elementary school, and lost keys to unfamiliar locks.
The claim? Putting an elastic band over your ear for 10 to 30 minutes is said to stimulate lymphatic drainage and reduce facial puffiness. The result is a more defined face, accentuated cheekbones, and less morning puffiness around the eyes.
And if this sounds like a beauty version of an urban legend to you, you're not alone.
Where did this idea come from?
Like many other trends, it traces its alleged roots to South Korea—the world capital of innovative cosmetics, where daily facial care often resembles a laboratory ritual. But now, among the careful layering of serums and essences, this elastic-like experiment is being introduced, and it's said to work almost miraculously.
@drdavidkim Everyone in Korea right now #dermatologist #dermatology #drdavidkimderm #beautyhacks #beauty #skincare #lymphatic drainage #kbeauty #Korean #learnontiktok #skintok ♬ original sound – Taylor Dean
The seemingly simple trick works by tightening an elastic band around your ear—tight enough to feel something, but not so tight that you start to question your life choices. The goal is to stimulate lymph flow around your face, reducing swelling and puffiness.
Science or self-deception?
But here's where things get complicated. Lymphatic drainage is a real and established technique—it's used by professional therapists to reduce swelling, improve circulation, and even detoxify the body. But this technique involves precise, expertly executed massage movements that follow the lymphatic pathways through the neck, face, and body.
Ears? Well, that's not where lymph circulation primarily occurs. There are lymph nodes behind the ears, that's true, but tying an elastic band around the ear is more like squeezing a pipe in the hope that the water will flow faster. Not exactly brilliant hydraulics.
In addition, ears have a lot of nerves, which means that if you squeeze them too hard, you're more likely to get migraines than a slimmer face.
Then why is everyone doing this?
Simple: because TikTok acts as a modern version of folk storytelling. One user posts a video with “proof” that the trick works. An avalanche of copycats, enthusiastic comments, “before and after” comparisons follow, and suddenly ear bands are no longer just for bouquets, but for morning facials.
@kirtitewani Yes it works! @Dr. David Kim ♬ original sound – Kirti Tewani
In this flood of instant beauty solutions, it's not necessarily malicious misinformation - it's often more an expression of a collective desire for quick, easy solutions. A kind of modern beauty placebo, wrapped in an aesthetic filter and a 15-second soundtrack.
Conclusion? Elastics should stay in the office
Although the temptation is great – after all, who wouldn't want a free "facelift" while drinking coffee – it must be acknowledged that this trend is not based on scientific evidence, but rather on visual self-affirmation in a digital mirror.
True puffiness reduction is still best achieved with the classic methods: lymphatic massage, enough sleep, hydration, and – surprisingly – less stress. Elastics should stay true to their original purpose: holding things together, not your face.
