The Internet's Most Unhinged Slang Started On Incel Forums And Now It's Everywhere. How Much Do You Know?
February 27, 2026
Looksmaxxing (the term for optimizing your physical appearance by any means necessary, from skincare routines to jaw surgery to steroids) started on incel forums, where an entire ideology around looks, masculinity, and who deserves love developed its own vocabulary. It has since exploded on TikTok and YouTube, reaching millions of teenagers daily.
The terminology is leaking into everyday…
