“I’m here to normalise death care": Why we can't look away from 'mortician TikTok'.

If you've been cruising through the streets of TikTok as of late (2am, doin' a scroll), chances are you've noticed something a little eerie going on. Something... unexpected.

Because apparently everyone on TikTok is obsessed with 'death care' right now? Have you heard?

We all just want to know what happens when we die?? And what kinda makeup they put on us??? Is it M.A.C.?! Maybe it's Tarte. Goodness, SOMEONE TELL US.

It's cooked out there. 

From embalming bodies to hiding signs of decomposition - everyone is officially here 👏 for 👏 death 👏 content 👏. 

Specifically, what it's like to do hair and makeup on a dead person. ¯\_(ツ)_/¯

And morticians are DELIVERING, with viral videos offering a thorough analysis into cleaning, restoring and beautifying bodies for funerals and burials.

To give you an idea of just how popular it is - the hashtag #mortician has over 286.5 million views, with many becoming influencers with thousands of followers almost overnight.

Watch: Psst... hey! Hey! I tried the lube makeup trick. And the results kinda surprised me. Post continues below.

Take for example UK-based TikToker @mortuarytech, who has racked up 233.6K followers, regularly jumping on TikTok lives to answer all sorts of questions - from what kind of makeup is used, to how bodies are cleaned.

Just take a peek at this, if you're game:

@mortuarytech

#fyp #mortuarywitch #mortuary #morgue #mortuarytiktok #death #job

♬ original sound - TheMortuaryWitch

There's also 20-year-old mortuary science student Mimi (@mimithemortician), who invites her followers to tag along for the day in a 'come into the prep room with me' clip.

@mimithemortician

Come into the prep room with me! #mortician #embalmer #preproom #ppe #mortuaryschool #funeraldirector #funeral #embalming #lab #embalmingroom

♬ Plastic Beach (feat. Mick Jones and Paul Simonon) - Gorillaz

“I’d like to formally introduce you to DeathTok," she said in one of her videos.

“I’m here to normalise death care, as I’m a normal 20-year-old girl who is currently about to graduate from mortuary school.”

@mimithemortician

Welcome!!!❤️⚰️ ##deathtok ##deathcare ##mortuaryscience ##mortuaryschool ##mortician ##funeral ##funeraldirector ##embalmer ##ASOSChaoticToCalm

♬ original sound - MM

When it comes to one of the highest viewed videos, a particular clip from New York funeral director Eileen Hollis from @hollisfuneralhome has 2.2 million views.

Tagged #grwm (get ready with me), the clip shows Eileen mixing different makeup colours together with Vaseline to make a base coverage for a corpse.

Important note: Obviously the actual application process isn't shown (cause y'know - ethics).

Just look at how satisfying it is:

@hollisfuneralhome

#grwm #asmr #MORTICIAN

♬ Teddy Bears Picnic - Henry Hall

You'll also notice the music is 11/10 creepy.

One of the comments reads: "I wish we could see u putting makeup on them but that's a little too far I think lol."

While another follower commented: "Weird I know, but I would love to know what mix you would use for my complexion."

One of the biggest questions followers seem to have is around what kind of products morticians use when doing makeup on a deceased person. 

@hollisfuneralhome

For my friend. ##goodmourning ##asmr

♬ Little Girl Blue - Nina Simone

Usually it's a combination of special mortuary cosmetics and some well-known brands.

"For most cases, I'll use the makeup right out of their personal makeup bag," says Eileen. "I've used Maybelline, Chanel, NARS, Fenty, IT Cosmetics, NYX, bareMinerals and Anastasia Beverly Hills to name a few," she explains. 

For difficult cases that have experienced some, uh, changes, Eileen explains she uses lip wax in order to restore the appearance of skin and any sites that are "lifting off". 

*Hyperventilates*

@hollisfuneralhome

##postmortem ##mortician ##restorativeart ##mortuaryschool

♬ original sound - Eileen Hollis

In a post by mortuary and special effects makeup artist Heather (aka @beforethecoffin), she posed the question: "What would your final lip colour be?" 

And the response was INSANE.

@beforethecoffin

🙌🏻💄🖤⚰️ what would your final lip color be? #mortuaryscholl #specialeffectsmakeupartist #scienceandart #makeupartists #mortuarytiktok #fyp #foryou

♬ Heat Above - Greta Van Fleet

While one person dropped in Too Faced Lip Injection Extreme Gloss, another follower said "If I don't look like a goth goddess or 2006 scene queen I don't want it." 

Another common question TikTok morticians seem to get on the reg is everything about hair. Specifically, whether hair is difficult to curl or straighten when a person is dead.

In a video, Eileen said, "I've actually had no problem curling dead people's hair whatsoever. All you need is to tease it to Jesus and put a lot of hairspray. This is coming from a funeral home that does a heck of a lot of classic old lady hairdos, like pouffy-type curls." 

@hollisfuneralhome

Answer to @sierraaaaa_d ##mortician ##TalkCurlyToMe

♬ Amas Veritas - Alan Silvestri

GOOD TO KNOW.

So, why are we so obsessed with these videos? Why can't we.... look away?

Well, it kinda just shows how curious we are about death, no? It also really highlights how little we have open discussions about it - it's a topic that's *literally* shrouded in mystery.

Normalising death and opening up a conversation almost makes that fear and anxiety around it a little less... intense. Which can only be a good thing, right?

Are you on board with mortician TikTok videos? Share your thoughts with us in the comment section below.

Feature image: TikTok; @hollisfuneralhome; @mimithemortician