Moo Deng

Aesthetics develop from the most unusual of places, especially in the age of the Internet. 

Moo Deng, a pygmy hippo and resident of Khao Kheow Open Zoo in Chonburi, Thailand, began going viral in late August 2024. Her keeper, Atthapon Nundee, has been regularly uploading footage of the animals in his care for five years. The two-month-old Moo Deng just happened to become an Internet sensation. 

  With her chubby pink cheeks and large brown eyes, it is no wonder the masses are drawn to Moo Deng’s cuteness. Visitors from Thailand and abroad have been flocking to the zoo to get a peek. The pricing to see the hippo varies. Some sources say $20-$22 USD for adults and roughly $19 USD for children, while others say 200-350 Baht (~$8 USD) for adults and even less for children. Moo Deng is in such high demand that she may only be seen for 5 minutes! However, this popularity is not without its drawbacks. Reports have been trickling in of visitors throwing things at the hippo. 

Due to her popularity, many have been seeking to capitalize off of the creature. Moo Deng merchandise has been popping up all over the web. Many artists have been drawing the hippo’s likeness, and Sephora Thailand posted a guide on their Instagram, advertising products to achieve blush like Moo Deng. Her pink cheeks are quite the sensation. Instagram user Mei Pang (@meicrosoft) also used Moo Deng as makeup inspiration, but with an avant-garde twist. Pang’s post amassed almost 13 million views in less than two days.  

A similar animal-inspired makeup trend made its rounds a year prior to Moo Deng. A post on Chinese social media platform Douyin (抖音) featuring a bunny’s tongue quickly went viral due to many deeming it the ideal lippie shade. Netizens scrambled to find lip products of a similar hue. Some of the most popular matches being NYX Butter Gloss in shade Crème Brulee and Tower 28’s ShineOn Lip Jelly in shade Coconut. Many K-beauty products can also be used to achieve this coveted look. 

Animals are having an increasing influence on not only beauty trends, but also archetypes. This has been popular within East Asia for sometime, only in recent years has it made its way into the West. Posts showing different styles of looks have been popping up for quite some time. Many have begun to base their makeup routines around fitting a certain animal type. This is the key difference in animal influence. 

In the East, each animal archetype is made up of different facial features. In the West, the animal archetypes act not only as a makeup style but also as a lifestyle. Aesthetics serve as guides, purchasable packages. For example, someone who wishes to embody “deer beauty” or “deer pretty” should wear pink satin bows in her hair, Brandy Melville tops, pleated skirts and mary janes. She should line her eyes to make them look larger and doe like, and ought to dust her cheeks with Dior blush and wear Chanel No. 5. She shall be innocent or at least appear to be. 

At their core, aesthetics have a predatory nature. They encourage consumption. You must buy the aesthetic. The Chanel No. 5, the Dior blush, the Brandy Melville tops, the Ugg boots.  It is no longer about the visual. A girl is not just a girl, she is an object. Viewed through a spyglass, she is examined. Her human traits, stripped from her as she becomes a series of labels jumbled together. A girl is not a girl. She is a deer pretty, coquette, bedrotting, girlblogger. In the eyes of capitalism, Moo Deng is not Moo Deng, she is a Kosas blush in shade Hype. In our modern era, we are commodities packaged and sold. Moo Deng is no exception.