Back in 2014, Kim Kardashian broke the internet (again). She did so by sharing her glammed-up passport photo, which included heavy contouring, false lashes, and plenty of eyeliner. Little did she know, she’d just laid the groundwork for a TikTok trend that emerged almost a decade later.
As reported by Glamour UK, the “passport makeup” trend — also known as “passport maxxing” — went viral on TikTok in 2022. Similar to Kardashian, the makeup is identifiable through its winged eyeliner and a lot of contouring.
For the past few years, creators and TikTok users have delighted in sharing these “glow ups” and makeovers they undergo before taking their passport pictures. TikTok hashtags like #passportmakeup have amassed 8,757 posts, with TikTokers like Young Coture, Georgia Barrett, Amelia Marni and Mirta Miler amassing millions of views as they transform themselves into photobooth femme fatales.
With Real IDs rolling out soon, there are two possible outcomes for this trend. The first is that it becomes obsolete as we move into an era where ID is more stringent. The second is that this trend ends up transferring to your Real ID card photo instead.
For those who don’t know, the Real ID Act was passed in 2005 following 9/11, but it has been repeatedly delayed up until now. Real IDs, which come in the form of driver’s licenses and ID cards, are designed to be a more stringent, enhanced form of ID that is more difficult to forge. Beginning on May 7, US adults will be required to have a form of Real ID to fly and access certain places like governmental buildings.
But will it present the same issues as passport photos?
A Glow-Up Gone Wrong
Someone who knows this first-hand is Georgia Fowkes, an influencer and travel advisor for Altezza Travel. “I get the urge to look stunning in your passport,” she said. “And I’ll admit, I’ve sinned with extensive attempts to ‘glow up’ my passport photo. To a point when it actually got me in trouble.”
As a travel influencer, Fowkes goes on plenty of trips – but one especially memorable arrival was in Argentina. “After my particularly determined attempt to ‘glow up’ with eyeliner, false lashes, and soft smoky eyes, I had a passport photo that looked like it belonged in Vogue, not in my wallet,” she said.
This resulted in her getting “grilled for 20 minutes” by customs and having to “argue [her] identity” to two different customs agents by showing them pictures of herself in her camera roll. A process which describes as a “very intimidating experience.”
“A glammed-up photo might feel great in the moment, but it can backfire when you expect it the least,” she told Passionfruit.” And you might end up battling with the consequences of your mistake while jet-lagged, sunburnt, or after several layovers where you simply can’t afford any delays.”
What Do The Experts Say?
As such, Christian Petzold, Marketing Director at BCN Travel, told Passionfruit that people should keep their passport photos simple. “The passport photo is corporate government-issued identification and as such, its main purpose is to mirror what you look like day-to-day,” he said.
“If you are going to wear full glam makeup for the photo and go all out with heavy contouring, false lashes, and bold lipstick, or even colored contact lenses, you are likely to end up with a picture that is hardly relevant to your appearance in real life.”
To that end, Mariana Montes Mendoza, a travel writer at the e-commerce travel agency Vibe Adventures, echoed these sentiments but argued that the opposite is also true. “If you are a woman and you wear full makeup every day and your passport photo shows you bare-faced, that disparity can too easily draw undue scrutiny in already tense travel situations,” she said.
As she puts it, passport photos are a scenario where “authentic trumps aesthetic.” As such, she urges travellers to settle for a reasonable middle ground. “Look neat and presentable, but make sure your photo reasonably represents how you typically appear when traveling,” Mendoza added.
In other words, it might be tempting to yassify yourself in the accompanying picture. But if this trend has taught us anything, it’s that “passport maxxing” can actually have some serious implications. So, it’s in your best interest to keep it real. Literally.
