You look in the mirror and see bags beneath your eyes. You're not sure the last time you slept more than 5 hours a night, but the look is definitely showing. On top of that, wrinkles now adorn your once "baby skin" forehead. You're puzzled as to where they've come from, but according to the media, these lines shouldn't be appearing—especially at just 29. But instead of covering it up, a new thought crosses your mind, something you saw on TikTok a few weeks ago that might have a valid consideration.
A new beauty trend called “tired girl makeup” is making waves on social media channels like TikTok and in celebrity culture. With smudged eyeliner, droopy eyes, and under-eye shadows, the look mimics exhaustion—and embraces it. No more pretending to be tired when that's how you feel inside.
While some see this trend as authentic and relatable, others warn it glamorizes burnout, especially for women juggling work, social pressure, and internal insecurity. The popularity of this trend reflects a deeper cultural fatigue that even fashion can’t hide. So, here's my question: when weariness becomes an aesthetic, how can the Church offer real rest for the soul—and not just a new look for the pain? If and when weariness has become trendy, how can the Church point people to the real rest Christ offers?
A Point of Cultural Identity
Culturally, burnout is nothing new to the 21st century. According to Forbes, the year 2025 marks an all-time high for performance-driven burnout at work at 66%. Sadly, this doesn't just impact adults, but millennials and Gen Z as well. Deloitte reports that 84% of millennials say they've experienced burnout at their current job, while CNN notes that 81% of teens aged 13-17 feel pressure and burnout towards a variety of issues. In the hustle culture in which we live, burnout isn't just accepted but pressured by society. We're driven by constant performance, so when fads like this come along, we identify.
Most of us don't need makeup to look tired, but celebrities and influencers like Lily Rose-Depp, Gabbriette, Emma Chamberlain, Danielle Marcan, and Lara Violetta are using the look and showcasing it to relate to their audiences in a deeper and more intimate level. Again, while some find this look “relatable” or “refreshing," a break from the constant need for perfection, others see it as dangerous—normalizing overwork and exhaustion, especially for women. Does the "tired girl" look reflect a society that doesn’t just experience burnout but has begun to aestheticize it? If so, how do we respond?
What Does God Say about Weariness
Burnout isn't new, but Scripture does speak to it often. Instead of wearing it as a badge of honor, many of us need to remember Jesus' words about rest and productivity in verses like Matthew 11:28-30, Psalm 127:2, Isaiah 40:29-31, and Mark 1:35:
* In Matthew 11:28–30, Jesus tells us to "Come to Him" and "He will give us rest." That rest isn't contingent on the work we do, but on whose presence we reside.
* In Psalm 127:2, the greatest workaholics in all of us should be convicted. Yes, working hard is good and important, but “In vain you rise early and stay up late… for God grants sleep to those He loves.”
* In Isaiah 40:29-31, we see that God gives strength to the weary. When we rely on Him as our source of rest and obey His command to keep the Sabbath, we take the pressure off ourselves. We don't need to live in a state of constant over-productivity and busyness.
* Remember friends, even Jesus, in Mark 1:35 and many other times in the Scriptures, withdrew to rest. Perhaps that was a reminder to all of us that rest was made for our benefit.
If you're like me and struggle to not give in to the burnout culture surrounding you, I'd suggest one small reflection: True, eternal, and holy rest isn't about working ourselves to death or glamorizing exhaustion but surrendering to God’s rhythm of rest, renewal, and dependence on Him.
The Deeper Story Behind the Trend
If most of us are willing to admit it, I think trends like "tired girl" appeal to us because they can show vulnerability in a polished, filtered culture. Phenomena like these give a voice to a generation drowning in pressure—pressure to fit in, measure up, or look a certain way, for example. While this authenticity is good, it can also bring great concern to magnify, advertise, and promote such an exhausted look.
This fad might have good intentions, but we do run the risk of normalizing poor mental and physical health. If this happens, we actually mask deeper needs with surface-level aesthetics. We're still covering up the root issue and hiding what needs to be dealt with underneath: our inability to slow down, pause, and rest. This especially impacts women, who already face unique cultural and societal expectations.
For centuries, humanity has always tried to mask pain. Jeremiah 6:14 is just one small example: "They dress the wound of my people as though it were not serious. ‘Peace, peace,’ they say, when there is no peace" (NIV). So what are we as the Church to do?
Where the Church Fits In
As Christians, we have the unique opportunity to change this lifestyle for the better. We can offer real rest, not performative rest, by obeying the Sabbath and taking a cultural stance to slow down when the world says we can't or shouldn't. We can also offer this rest by redefining the Sabbath as God's gift, not a luxury. Engaging in spiritual disciplines such as prayer, stillness, and worship are springs of replenishment, but it's also okay to seek practical steps too: counseling, breath prayers, meditation on Scripture, or getting outside in nature.
The second way we can provide hope in this real rest is by reframing exhaustion and defining its root cause. Taking a Sabbath but then working 12-hour shifts the six other days isn't going to change much. This is why the Church should not glorify hustle culture (even in ministry). We must preach and model rhythms of grace and rest as part of our everyday lives—not just special occasions or even a single day a week. Sabbath must become a part of our daily habits. It's ingrained into how we live, move, and act.
Churches can also seek to care for the burned out by normalizing conversations about mental health in faith communities. Providing safe spaces like these for weary souls to be honest without judgment is crucial in long-term burnout recovery.
3 Practical Takeaways
If you're struggling with burnout today, or on the edge of portraying the "tired girl" trend with and without makeup, I'd encourage you to pray about and journal the answers to these questions:
1. Am I glamorizing my exhaustion instead of bringing it to God?
2. Am I trying to prove myself by working hard?
3. Am I covering my exhaustion because then people will know I work a lot?
Then, I would suggest building small rhythms of Sabbath into your daily life, such as taking five minutes in the morning and evening to turn off your phone, pause, breathe, and pray. Seeking real rest will look different for everyone, but it could include counseling and community along with Christ because real restoration isn't just another aesthetic.
As a community, let's strive to resist glamorizing busyness in ministry. Let's teach a true and accurate definition of biblical rest, even and especially when it's countercultural. Be known as people who encourage authenticity that doesn’t just display pain but pursues healing, because while trends like the "tired girl" might be in style, they show us a generation hungry for authenticity—but settling for aesthetics. Christ doesn’t just offer us a new look or cover-up for our pain. Christ offers us deep and eternal healing for our souls.
Prayer
Dear Jesus,
Today, we come to you and confess our weariness. Please forgive us for all the ways we've glamorized exhaustion or burnout instead of learning and choosing how to rest in you. Teach us how to find true rest in your presence, and enable us to trust you through that process. Give us strength for our weaknesses, and a peace that will never compare to what the world offers. Help us to be Christians in the Church who carry the weary to their feet, offering eternal hope and truth. We praise, thank, and love you, Lord.
Amen.
Photo Credit: ©Unsplash/Ahtziri Lagarde
