This Is the True Test of Beauty

Get ready to roll your eyes — there's a new phenomenon taking over China's social media outlets called the finger trap test or the "Beauty and Ugliness Identification Method." Oh good, we needed another arbitrary way to assess beauty! The thigh-gap and the bikini bridge just weren't enough! But wait, there's some good news: no one is taking this seriously.

Here are the instructions for the finger trap test. 1. Place your index finger on your nose. 2. Rest your hand against your chin. 3. If your lips touch your finger, you're pretty. There is some debate about whether or not everyone can do this. Joanna Rafael at The Gloss insists that it's impossible to fail, while the folks at Refinery29 say that even Victoria Beckham doesn't pass.

Either way, the results are simply a matter of face shape. Obviously, this is not a real indication of how attractive you are. Which is exactly what separates the finger trap test from those other phenomenons mentioned above. The people doing the finger trap test are probably not basing their self-worth on the outcome.

What began as a silly joke on Chinese social media, however, is causing alarm in Western media outlets. As Justin Sedor notes in his piece for Refinery29, we've rushed to label this "the new thigh-gap," when really that's not the case.

The finger-trap trend began with a Japanese meme, which was replicated in a selfie by famous Chinese actress Xinyi Zhang, who made a big deal about the fact that she "didn't pass the test." This prompted her fans to respond with finger-trap selfies of their own, sparking what is now a full-grown fad that includes everyone from ancient Chinese generals to K-Pop stars.

If the pro-ana community on Tumblr begins obsessing over the finger trap test, then we can worry. But for now, this seems like a silly cultural import that we don't really understand.

Oh, and in case you were wondering — I pass with flying colors! Christina Hendricks, however, does not. So, really, how accurate can it be?

Image: vocativ/Twitter