Please Don't Fall For The Finger Trap Test

Just what we need: Another ridiculous method to assess whether or not we're beautiful. It’s called the finger-trap test, and the craze is sweeping social media in China and, now, America.

The (totally unscientific) test works like this: Simply place your index finger against your nose and chin as if you’re shushing someone. If, by doing so, you don’t touch your lips, congratulations, you’re beautiful. If you do, you may as well bury your head in the sand.

According to Refinery29, the trend originated from a Japanese meme replicated in a selfie by Chinese actress Xinyi Zhang, who announced online that she didn’t pass the test. She inspired fans to take their own finger-trap photos and the trend took off from there. Although there seems to be little explanation for the test’s rationale, the Daily Mail makes an attempt. According to an article published Friday, “It is loosely based on the 3.1 ratio theory, which is used by cosmetic surgeons to create the 'perfect profile' which equates to your nose, lips, and chin all being in a perfect line down your face.” However, you can apparently skew your results by slightly moving your head.

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Didn’t pass the test? You’re in good company. According to Vocativ, the first news website to identify the trend, Angelina Jolie, Christina Hendricks, and Jessica Alba would all flunk, too.

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Males and females alike are posting photos of themselves attempting the test on Weibo (a Chinese microblogging site), and the test has popped up in more than 20,000 discussions on the site. Many are also tweeting their reactions, calling the test "stupid" and, if they failed, writing: "I guess I'm not pretty!"

Can we all stop with the gimmicky social media standards for assessing people’s beauty? The thigh gap trend (the mostly unattainable space seen between a woman’s thighs when she stands with her legs together that showcases how thin she is) is still going strong on social media and in advertising. The possibly fake bikini bridge craze — dubbed the #thinspo trend of 2014 and defined as "bikini bottoms are suspended between the two hip bones, causing a space between the bikini and the lower abdomen” — was short-lived but equally disturbing.

“These types of online beauty ‘checks’ can be harmful because it’s a quick fix for a larger problem,” Bethany Marshall, PhD, a Beverly Hills, Calif., psychotherapist, tells Yahoo Shine. “If you don't feel beautiful, holding your finger to your lips won’t help because building true self-esteem takes time and effort.” The test also doesn’t leave room for individual interpretations of beauty — it comes with instructions and a clear-cut answer to “Am I beautiful?” Marshall’s advice: "Don’t give someone else the power to determine your self-worth, especially an online quiz."

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