A whole new slew of Instagram trends have emerged in these strange and uncertain times of social isolation, from fashion challenges to thirst traps. They mostly make sense; you're belting a pillow because LOL, you haven't left your bed for weeks, or you're being a little saucy because SMH, no one else has been in your bed for weeks. I get these things. I'm basically a social media sociologist.
But a new wave of selfies has hit my feed in recent days that I just can't make sense of. They involve a half-orange, held up to one's face.
Don't get me wrong, I think these shots are very chic, and as far as the risk of getting citrus juice in your eye goes, I believe that an orange would be the least acidic and thus the safest option for such a stunt. But still, I wonder why. Why an orange? Why now?
According to my research, it's not technically peak orange season. However, they are full of Vitamin C, a famous immune-booster which would be useful during a pandemic. Vitamin C is also a skincare ingredient that's been buzzed-about for years (and one of the photos I've seen is spon con for an Ole Henriksen serum), so there might be a correlation to the face there. We've also long been aware of the therapeutic properties of eating oranges in the shower, and since many of us now have time to practice ridiculously long bathing rituals, maybe that's why people are stocking up and showing off. #SelfCare.
My strongest theory, however, is that people are facing an overwhelming existential dread at the prospect of perhaps having to spend the summer in quarantine, and are thus bringing the summer (represented by the orange) indoors to them, to consume and behold at their will. That, or it's simply the non-vacation version of oranges in a net bag.
Whatever the reasoning behind them, the result of these photos is painfully obvious: I'm now seriously, desperately craving an orange.
View this post on InstagramGFH (glow from home) while you WFH or while you’re simple being you in your own way! My skincare’s been so lit It’s making me love being barefaced more often now! I’ve been using @olehenriksen’s Banana Bright Vitamin C serum and it’s bringing my glow from the inside out! @sephora and olehenriksen.com. #brightaway [ad]
A post shared by JEANNE GREY • NYC/NJ (@thegreylayers) on
View this post on Instagramdaily dose of vitamin c 🍊🍊🍊
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