I don't like the word, but I'm happy to try the "coquette" effect

The hackTry on TikTok's Coquette makeup trend for an easy summer look.

The testFor me, "coquette" is the one of those slightly uncomfortable words that seems odd amidst our modern sensibilities. The term refers to a flirtatious woman who is insincere, but it's also a variety of hummingbirds with tufts of colorful feathers, so there you have it.

Overcoming my initial resistance , I learn that the look is defined by matte candy pink hues, retro '60s black eyeliner, doe-eyed false lashes, and pink blush on the cheeks — it's meant to be super feminine. So I do exactly that, which gives a dreamy Lana Del Rey type appeal, and I don't hate it. But it took 40 minutes to perfect, so I'm trying to hack the trend myself and create a time-saving version. I applied a pink cream blush to my cheeks, lids and lips (I used Bobbi Brown Pot Rouge in Pale Pink) and then applied tons of mascara. It's not as flirtatious as TikTok might want it to be, but it's faster.

Whether this trend is about reclaiming the beauty of the male gaze or to fuel it is up for debate; many who create it are school-aged, which reminds me of how 90s teen magazine beauty advice revolved around looking cute and flirty to attract boys.

The verdictTry either version, but the biggest takeaway for me is that pastel pink is an amazing shade for all skin tones, and for that reason alone, I'm completely into it .