What’s New on TikTok: Autumn Aesthetics, Emotional Beauty Reviews, and Sustainable Moves

This week, TikTok content in the UK and Spain shows a clear shift toward seasonally themed trends. Autumn aesthetics, cooler visuals, mood and atmosphere are rising. Audiences increasingly favour content that blends authenticity and emotional depth: not just looking good, but feeling real. Trends like “beauty reviews turning into emotional confessions” signal that people are wanting more than surface appeal.

At the same time, formats that encourage return viewing—serialized content, challenges with follow‑ups or fails (like “The Chair” lift attempts, especially when they don’t go perfectly)—are performing well. Brands that lean into community values (sustainability, routines) are also getting traction.

Here’s what’s rising (and fading) in UK & Spain, and how creators and brands can tap in.

Dive In to What Interests You…

What’s rising

• #AutumnCozyChallenge: routines, seasonal comfort, warm interiors.
• Reimagined Schoolyard Fashion / Dark Academia‑2.0: darker palettes, tailored vintage pieces.
• Beauty reviews that turn into emotional confessions—real stories, imperfect moments.
• Sustainability takes centre stage: swaps, second‑hand, eco rituals.

What’s fading

• #BackToRoutine is running slightly out of gas.
• Earlier playful challenges (e.g. Couples Running) are tapering off.

How to act

1. Lean into atmospherics: autumn lighting, storytelling that feels lived‑in.
2. Let vulnerability in; brand voice can include imperfections or real challenges.
3. Collaborate with creators who embody seasonal / eco values—not just big reach.
4. Test serialized content to keep people coming back.

Forecast

Expect more niche, community‑driven trends to emerge. Sounds / filters with autumn overtones, increasing crossover with green / sustainability content, possibly new viral audio tied to seasonal emotion.

Cross‑platform insights

• On Instagram Reels and YouTube Shorts, visual aesthetics (autumn, outdoors) are echoing what’s going on in TikTok; this tends to reinforce trends when there’s cross‑posting.
• TikTok Shop’s growth is aligned with ecommerce shifts elsewhere, especially shops promoting flash deals, live events on FB/IG.
• Twitter / X is picking up fragments (audio snippets, viral sounds) that then get repurposed into TikTok content (memes, confessionals).

Watchlist

These are trends that are likely to grow or need monitoring:

• “The Chair” trend – has potential to evolve, possibly with more comedic fails, or remixing the format.
• Autumn / seasonal routines – cosy vibes, decor, food, etc. Big opportunity for lifestyle, homeware, wellness verticals.
• Beauty with vulnerability – honest stories, imperfections; brands who force polish too much may seem out of touch.
• Sustainability themes especially in Spanish‑speaking Europe. Micro‑influencers doing eco content may gain strong engagement.
• Serialized content – telling stories over parts encourages retention; could be used for product launches / storytelling.

Feature of the Week: “Eco‑Swap Heroes”

Every week, we find a trend with real positive human impact. This week it’s the quiet movement of everyday creators in Spain who are sharing eco‑swap stories: people replacing common household items—plastic packaging, single‑use goods, fast fashion pieces—with sustainable alternatives. What stands out is that these posts are not showy or expensive: a cloth bag replacing plastic, reusing containers, buying from local second‑hand stores.

One video by a small creator in Valencia shows her cooking with leftover vegetables, saving what others discard and turning it into dinner—and doing so with humour, candid voice‑overs, and no polish. That video has over 500,000 views in Spain, and others are cropping up across Europe. It reminds us that trends aren’t just viral dances or slick visuals—they can be small, everyday changes that feel possible and hopeful.