What Is The Meaning Of 'Lightskin Stare?' The TikTok Meme Explained

Lightskins vs. darkskins is a meme trope as old as, well… As old as Vine. For some reason, Black creators on that app started a stereotype about the effeminate ways in which lightskinned men do anything. This includes the lightskin stare, which is incredibly zesty but also has unspoken rizz, portrayed in multiple TikTok memes that are trending right now.

"Lightskin stare" memes are popping up all over TikTok that label cartoon characters, video game characters and movie characters as having charismatic prowess of the ironic nature. Like, why does Megamind have that gaze when he's supposed to have no b*****s?

Still confused about what the "lightskin stare" is and where it came from? Let's explain.

What Is The Meaning Of 'Lightskin Stare?'

A "lightskin stare" can be characterized by piercing eyes, furrowed eyebrows and pursed lips, similar to the Chad face but with a more soulful, seductive tinge. Think of the faces of Kumala and Savesta or that type of face Drake makes when he wants 21 Savage.

Basically, the "Lightskin Stare" is a face one makes when they want to woo someone in a flirtatious manner. If one's "Lightskin Face" is romantic enough, the intended recipient will gladly oblige to a further obligation.

What's The Deal With 'Lightskin' Memes?

Now that you know what the stare looks like, you might be wondering why it's specifically "lightskin." The answer delves deeper into meme history than you might think, dating all the way back to 2013 Vines. If you were online at that time, you might remember a Viner named Melvin Gregg who pretty much started the lightskin stereotype.

Being a lightskinned Black man himself, Gregg painted himself as an effeminate weirdo alongside another Black Viner, King Bach. These stereotypes that they fostered led to more Vines and tweets about the concept, such as one video from Viner BuddyBillz posted in March 2014 that was titled "Do the light skin face." It's the first known meme to reference the now-notorious stare.

Why Are 'Lightskin Stare' Memes All Over TikTok?

Many creators on TikTok are currently unearthing "lightskin stares" that they're finding in mass media like video games, TV shows and movies. When they see a new "lightskin stare" while watching something, they're quick to screen-record it and post it to TikTok, setting it to a slowed remix of the song "Sin City" by Chrishan.

This audio and visual combination added on top of the pre-existing concept of unspoken rizz has led to a viral cliché that's proving to be easy to replicate.

For the full history of the lightskin stare, be sure to check out our entry on the meme here for even more information.