When you think of viral moments, you probably picture dancing challenges or adorable cats doing something goofy. But the internet has also birthed a parade of truly odd—and sometimes downright hazardous—fads that have stormed platforms like YouTube and TikTok. These 10 bizarre inexplicable trends ranged from harmless yet pointless stunts to dangerous dares that left real‑world injuries in their wake, even prompting authorities and social‑media giants to step in and shut them down.
10 100 Layers Challenge
Even though it didn’t pose the same level of danger as some other entries on this roster, the 100 Layers Challenge was undeniably strange and utterly pointless, yet it managed to capture massive online attention. The premise was simple: stack a hundred layers of a chosen product—typically makeup or clothing—on yourself and broadcast the result. The craze kicked off in 2016 when a beauty vlogger posted a video of herself slathering on a staggering 116 coats of nail polish, instantly sparking curiosity across the platform.
The experiment quickly snowballed into a full‑blown phenomenon, racking up millions of views overnight. Beauty lovers and influencers dove headfirst into the challenge, each trying to out‑do the other by layering everything from mascara and lipstick to foundation and even entire outfits. Some creators pushed the envelope further, applying unconventional items like face masks or hair extensions, turning a frivolous idea into a viral spectacle that dominated feeds for weeks.
9 Halo Brows
Halo brows erupted onto Instagram in 2018 and spread like wildfire to TikTok and YouTube, earning the nickname “reverse unibrows” for its distinctive rounded shape that arches over the bridge of the nose, forming a luminous halo around the forehead. The look is achieved through a blend of makeup tricks that connect the brows in a soft, arching curve, creating an eye‑catching effect that many found both daring and glamorous.
Cosmopolitan traced the trend back to a 16‑year‑old British teen named Hannah Lyne, whose Instagram post ignited a wave of imitators. By 2019, the halo brow had become a staple in the beauty community, with makeup artists worldwide experimenting with variations, solidifying its status as one of the era’s most talked‑about social‑media fashions.
8 Devious Licks
Urban Dictionary defines a “lick” as a successful theft that nets the perpetrator a satisfying payoff. In September 2021, a wave of American high‑school students began filming themselves pilfering or vandalizing school property and posting the footage under the hashtag #deviouslicks. Though it started on TikTok, the craze soon spilled over to Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram, amplifying its reach.
The videos’ shock factor—showing kids swiping anything from soap dispensers to fire extinguishers—propelled the trend to viral fame. As the movement escalated, some participants escalated further, stealing entire classroom doors and causing thousands of dollars in damage. Eventually, social‑media platforms cracked down, and the trend fizzled, leaving a trail of costly repairs and heightened security measures in schools across the United States.
7 Fire Challenge
The Fire Challenge burst onto TikTok in 2014, quickly gaining notoriety after a series of harrowing accidents left participants with severe burns. The stunt involved dousing oneself with flammable liquids and igniting the mixture, often resulting in dramatic, yet dangerous, displays of fire.
A 15‑year‑old from Kentucky famously suffered high‑degree burns, catapulting the challenge into mainstream awareness. Media outlets, from news magazines to disaster experts, condemned the trend, emphasizing the life‑threatening risks. By 2015, thousands of videos showcased the dangerous act, prompting platforms like TikTok and Facebook to ban the challenge and curb its spread.
6 Condom Snorting
The bizarre practice of snorting condoms can be traced back to at least 2007, when a YouTube video first showcased the stunt. However, it didn’t become a widespread phenomenon until 2018, when a teenager’s daring attempt went viral, prompting a wave of copycats across Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube.
The challenge involves inhaling a condom through one nostril and then pulling it out through the mouth—a seemingly reckless act that can lead to choking, suffocation, or serious respiratory issues. Moreover, the latex can irritate nasal passages, trigger allergic reactions, and cause infections, making the trend a hazardous gamble for those seeking online fame.
5 Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge
Around 2015, social‑media users launched an attempt to mimic Kylie Jenner’s famously plump lips, birthing the Kylie Jenner Lip Challenge. Since one cannot simply alter lip shape at will, participants resorted to makeshift suction devices—often a shot glass or similar apparatus—to create a vacuum that temporarily swelled the lips.
The challenge quickly went viral, with countless videos flooding Instagram, Twitter, and YouTube. Although it began as a relatively harmless trend, medical professionals warned of potential bruising, broken blood vessels, and even permanent scarring. The prolonged suction could also cause lingering swelling and pain, prompting many health experts to advise against attempting the stunt.
4 Salt And Ice Challenge
The Salt and Ice Challenge made its debut in 2017 on video‑centric sites such as YouTube and TikTok. The premise was deceptively simple: sprinkle salt on a patch of skin, press an ice cube onto it, and endure the intense burning‑and‑freezing sensations for as long as possible, all while filming the experience for online viewers.
Teenagers and young adults eagerly embraced the trend, sharing countless videos that quickly went viral. However, the combination of salt and ice can cause rapid temperature drops in the skin, resulting in frostbite, third‑degree burns, and other tissue damage. Despite repeated warnings from health professionals, the challenge persisted until several platforms eventually banned related content.
3 Pimple Popping
Dermatologists consistently advise against squeezing pimples, as the practice can worsen an otherwise mild skin condition. Nonetheless, pimple‑popping videos have become a massive draw on YouTube, with channels like Dr. Pimple Popper amassing over 7.4 million subscribers and even spawning a televised reality series on TLC.
Scientists remain puzzled by the fascination, suggesting that individual differences in the brain’s disgust response may explain why some viewers are captivated while others are repulsed. Studies indicate that the same neural pathways that process horror movies or graphic content also govern reactions to these oddly satisfying, yet unsettling, videos.
2 Hot Water Challenge
The Hot Water Challenge surged in popularity around 2017, featuring participants pouring scalding water over themselves—or unsuspecting victims—and sometimes even sipping the boiling liquid through a straw. A tragic incident in Florida, where an eight‑year‑old girl died after drinking hot water through a straw, thrust the perilous trend into national headlines.
The challenge quickly spread among younger audiences, with countless YouTube videos documenting painful burns and hospital visits. After mounting pressure from parents, medical experts, and news outlets, the trend eventually waned, but not before inflicting second‑ and third‑degree burns on numerous participants.
1 Eyeball Tattoos
The notion of tattooing one’s eyeballs may sound unsettling, yet within the body‑modification community it found a niche following. The trend took off in 2017 as a handful of enthusiasts began injecting ink directly into the sclera—the white part of the eye—documenting the process and results across Instagram and TikTok.
Medical professionals have uniformly condemned the practice, warning that improper technique can cause permanent eye damage, infections, and severe visual impairment. Despite the risks, the eye‑tattoo craze persisted in niche circles, fueling heated debate about the limits of self‑expression versus bodily safety.