Selena Gomez Tried TikTok’s Infamous ‘Duxbury Technique’ With An Entire Bottle Of Foundation

Even if you’ve resisted installing the actual TikTok app, you’ve almost certainly seen it. A young woman squints directly into the camera as popular songs play and, without breaking eye contact for a moment, proceeds to absolutely douse herself in layers of foundation as the first step in her makeup routine. Influencer Meredith Duxbury built her massive online empire on the intentionally-outlandish technique, and thousands have tried the “foundation challenge” out for themselves in search of the perfect makeup base — and some bonus social media clout. After meeting Duxbury in person, Selena Gomez’s TikTok foundation challenge turned out better than anyone expected, but the star has some serious thoughts on its efficacy.

Frankly, fans were pretty surprised Gomez tried the hack out at all. The Only Murders In The Building actor pops up on the app occasionally to share her current routines, demo a new Rare Beauty product, or share little glimpses of her daily life, but this is the first time she’s waded in to a contentious viral debate like this. In the first video of her two-part Duxbury technique trial, Gomez starts with the Rare Beauty Positive Light Tinted Moisturizer on the back of her hand. Pouring out what looks like nearly the entire bottle, she coats her face in the first layers before adding more on and blending it together with a makeup sponge.

Of course, globbing on the foundation is just half of the challenge. With all that base makeup in place, Gomez has to finish the job and add dimension, color, and texture back in with other products. In the second video, Gomez emphasizes her bone structure with contour and highlight, blushes her cheeks, and adds some light lip and eye makeup. The finished results don’t look bad at all — neither to Duxbury’s completed looks, for the record — but Gomez decided this one isn’t really for her. “I tried, but don’t think the full face is for me unless I need to try to fit in [at] those fancy pants events, I guess,” she added to the video.

While it doesn’t sounds like the foundation hack is one Gomez and her team will be trying out again soon, her willingness to engage with social media’s weird and wonderful trends is just part of why she’s so beloved.