Instagram's "10-Year Challenge" Has Everyone Posting Their Photos From 2009 vs. 2019
Considering how many people participate in posting Throwback Thursday and Flashback Friday photos, you’d think all of our friends and followers would know what we used to look like by now. But in the last few days, something set off a chain reaction on social media that has compelled people to share photos of themselves now, side-by-side with ones of themselves from a decade ago. And it’s weirdly fascinating.
On Instagram, the trend is going by a lot of hashtags, the most popular being #10yearchallenge and #howhardhasaginghityouchallenge — kind of harsh, but in a charming, self-deprecating kind of way, I guess. The older photo is typically from somewhere between 2007 and 2009, depending on what the user can find; the more recent one is a 2018 or 2019 shot to show if not how hard aging has hit them, then to show just how much — or how little — they've changed in other ways over the last 10 years or so.
Some folks kept it short and sweet in the captions, like Minneapolis-based facialist Maritza Ramirez, who wrote, "Spoiler alert: she got brows!!" Others took the opportunity to reflect a little more on not just how they've changed physically, but how much their outlooks and even skin-care routines have changed too, like dermatologist Shari Marchbein, who wrote, "I remember disliking my naturally full cheek when I was younger, but I wish I had appreciated them. I feel more comfortable and confident in my skin now, than at any other time in my life and I think this is a part of maturing, being authentic and learning to really listen to your voice. I also practice what I preach and have used a combination of daily sun protection, tactfully placed botulinum toxin and filler injections, Retin A and finally antioxidant serums to age as gracefully as possible."
The trend made its way to Facebook too, where many people shared their first profile photo alongside a recent photo. That’s where I shared my own side-by-side: a 2009 photo of me after being named MVP of my bar trivia team (and don't you forget it), and a photo taken a few days ago. I look pretty much the same, though I’d be lying if I said I don’t know my way around a flattering photo filter — and a lip filler — or two.
And of course, celebrities have gotten in on the game. LeAnne Rimes, Danielle Brooks, and Patrick Starrr all shared photos from 2009 beside shots from much more recently, and they all appeared to be thrilled with how they've evolved over the last decade. "Thank you Lord for the GLOW UP," Brooks wrote, while Rimes declared, "I Love aging! Wisdom comes with a wrinkle or two... and I’ll take it," though her skin looks just as smooth in her 2019 photo.
Tyra Banks and Janet Jackson took it even further back. Jackson gave us a twofer with a photo of both her and Keshia Knight Pulliam in the early '90s and much more recently. Banks said that post inspired her to share one of herself at age 18 versus now, at age 45.
It seems most people participating are pretty pleased with the way time has treated them — and it's hard to disagree.
More Instagram trends:
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