Photogrphy courtesy of BY CARALEIGH CURRIE, Mei Pang, INSTAGRAM/@SHINANOVA and INSTAGRAM/@MR.BENFIELD. Graphic by Kayleen Dicuangco
These social stars deserve some recognition.
By Zainab Damji
Date May 17, 2022
TikTok is a hotbed of Canadian talent, from glamazon gurus to avant-garde activists. Here are the Canadian TikTok creators to get on your radar and FASHION’s take on what they do best.
Best use of a Remote: @lexsonator
@lexsonator #ad I think we picked the wrong fit! #Shorts #ShortsCA #ShortShortsRemix #lbros original sound – liam w
If you were around in the ’70s, you might get a little déjà vu when you discover the gem that is Lexson Millington (@lexsonator). With a colourful ensemble, some skip in his step and a vivacious personality that shines through the screen, Millington uses his page to fuse his love for music, culture and fashion. He is the master of mix-and-match, and his Colour Combos series on TikTok is all the inspo you need to spice up your wardrobe. Whichever video you end up viewing, we’re sure you’ll agree that it’s almost like watching a coming-of-age movie: cinematic, inspiring and alive! It’s Millington’s world, and we’re all just living in it.
Top Pick to Destroy Euphoria’s Nate Jacobs: @wheelierin
@wheelierinthis is just a video of me checking myself out tbh formula by labrinth but better yuhhh – alpha wolf sean
Erin Novakowski is asking all the right questions, like “Where are all the physically disabled kids in the Euphoria universe?” The 20-year-old Canadian TikTok creator would be a shoo-in for the HBO drama with her glittery lids, winged liner and multicoloured coif. And when she’s not nailing the E-girl look, Novakowski uses her platform to challenge misconceptions about disability. Your move, HBO.
Nuttiest Nails: @ilysmnails
@ilysmnails Peanut Shell Nail Extension 🥜 #nails #nailtutorial #acrylicnails #beautyhacks #nailart Oui – 12:00
Nadya, the magic hands behind ILYSM Nails, is the maestro of manicures — but some might call her craft a little unorthodox. While she can perfect your everyday acrylics, Nadya is best known for her ability to turn household items into aesthetically pleasing nail art. She’s even used peanuts as nail extensions. (Honestly, her creativity has left us all a little shell-shocked.) We’re convinced that Nadya can turn just about anything—from Pop It fidget talons to a lint-remover manicure (talk about multipurpose!) — into a work of wearable art. And when she’s not filming her novel nail looks, the Canadian guru creates tutorials for budding artists.
Best Use of Plastic Wrap: @meicrosoft
@meicrosoft Reply to @shauniel92 ask and you shall receive!!! #valentinesdaymakeup #redlipstick #makeuptutorial Feels Like We Only Go Backwards – Tame Impala
Plastic wrap isn’t just for leftovers anymore — TikTok makeup artist Mei Pang may inspire you to add the versatile kitchen staple to your beauty tool rotation. As shown in her tutorial, swipe on a red shade, kiss the cling film and stamp your lip print on your eye like an eyeshadow. The look is an emblem of the elaborate artistry that has garnered Pang millions of followers. Whether she’s adorning her face with pearls or writing love notes across her eyes, the creator knows how to keep things fresh.
Best Use of Green Screen: @jessechrisss
@jessechrisss Before and after! Whoever did the animation for that old phone ad deserves all the credit for the mouth lol. Before + after Layout inspired by @Sam Lewis Happy frog has a mango on a fork – xsuyuu
Jesse Chris is no ordinary TikToker. With a knack for video effects and no shortage of surrealism, Chris has created a page that’ll have you saying “Off with their heads.” Whether she’s using a green screen to make her head look like it’s floating or swapping faces with Dwight Schrute, there’s nothing she can’t do with a little editing and makeup. But don’t let the shape-shifting filters fool you — her dark sense of humour makes these videos a must-watch, and she even throws you a few extra bones with her sci-fi-inspired beauty looks.
Best Hair Journey: @shannbailee
@shannbailee I just love effortless hairstyles like this one 🥹🤍 #curlyhairstyle #curlyhair #naturalhair #braids #easycurlyhairstyles #naturalhairstyles original sound – TWO LANES
Shannon Bailey is a hair whisperer. She’s also a real-life Disney character (take her Dolores Madrigal impersonation as proof) and a mom. Whether she is sharing tips to revive your curls or tricks to trim your strands, Bailey’s TikTok will inspire you to get to know your natural hair better. She also offers snippets of her daily life and some easy-to-recreate beauty tutorials.
Best Hide-and-Seek Style: @benkielesinski
@benkielesinski I’ll be sleeping above the clouds tonight. See you tomorrrow 🙂 #vancouver The Night We Met (13 Reasons Why) – Instrumental – Je Suis Parte
Think Tarzan meets Calvin Klein, add a moustache and you’ve got Ben Kielesinski. The West Coast creator routinely takes his 2.6 million followers on serene outdoor adventures. Still not convinced you should give this thing called “nature” a try? You don’t have much of a choice, as his catchphrase — “Do you want to come on an adventure with me? Too bad, you’re coming.” — will have you strapping on your virtual hiking boots in no time. But Kielesinski serves up more than just cliffside sunrises and polar plunges. The nature lover originally created custom crop tops just for his nearest and dearest, but after the TikTok masses fell in love with his designs, Kielesinski began hiding shirts in downtown Vancouver for his followers to find. Outdoorsman of our dreams? Kielesinski seems to have that down to a (cropped) T.
Cutest Couple: @matt_and_omar
@matt_and_omari guess i kinda like him 🤭 original sound – yasmeenskaggs
On the hunt for a matching makeup look for you and your beau? This darling duo is giving you TDF date-night inspo. With matching pastel eyeshadow, Matt Benfield and Omar Ahmed serve up beauty tips, non-binary fashion and cultural commentary from their home in Toronto and far-flung locales. Originally from North Carolina and Manchester, England, respectively, Benfield and Ahmed first met in Berlin in 2017 before packing up and moving to the Great White North—lucky us!
Best FedEx ’Fit: @hdnsnotarnd
@hdnsnotarnd No fixed aesthetic just vibes 🪐 #thrifted #vintage Paradigma – MC ORSEN
Whether you are a pro at pre-owned or still finding your frugal footing, thrifting can be a fun and sustainable way to shop. Styling those charming castoffs, however, is a different story entirely. Enter Hodan Yousuf. With a wardrobe consisting mostly of second-hand finds, she has found her fair share of out-there attire — including a FedEx employee jacket. With a little help from a pair of baggy jeans and an eccentric orange beanie, Yousuf made the uniform look like something we’d actually wear. As a Muslim woman, she intertwines her fashion and her faith to create modest, on-trend outfits. From oversized blazers paired with flared pants to matching pantsuits, this Canadian creator is delivering the best of TikTok fashion.
Best Kisser: @shinanova
@shinanova Answer @subanimoktan The real Eskimo kiss @kayuulanova original sound – Shina Nova
If we inspire you to follow just one Canadian TikTok creator, let it be Shina Novalinga. Since her first post just over two years ago, the Inuk throat singer has amassed some four million followers with whom she shares her Indigenous culture through a lens of beauty, style and intimate videos with her mother, Kayuula. Novalinga’s TikTok went viral when the mother-daughter duo demonstrated a true Inuit kiss, known as kunik. (Contrary to popular belief, Inuit don’t rub noses; rather, the affectionate greeting involves pressing one’s nose against another’s cheek with intense emotion.) Novalinga was taught katajjaq (Inuit throat singing) by her mother and often shares snippets of their heartfelt duets where they stand face to face and harmonize. In other clips, she styles traditional handmade Inuit clothing, like a silapaaq (a thin jacket), and documents her and Kayuula’s journey to get their first facial tattoos (tunniit). Novalinga teaches us that TikTok can be a place of learning and creativity — this is one account we can’t get enough of.
This article first appeared in FASHION’s May issue. Find out more here.
