What is the #DontRushChallenge? This fun beauty experiment is bringing people in isolation together online

Local influencers, make-up artists and brands such as Sephora Middle East are getting on board with the new social media trend

The #DontRushChallenge on social media features women changing their looks in mere seconds in a carefully edited video. Twitter / Lase_asolo

With people around the world staying at home amid the coronavirus outbreak, social media platforms have been incredibly active, with new challenges and trends erupting by the hour.

Just when you think you've seen it all – from celebrity handstands to influencers belting pillows to their waists – a new online beauty trend emerges. And it's making a solid case for us all getting glammed up – even if there's nowhere to go.

It’s called the #DontRushChallenge and it seems to have stemmed from boredom, as a 20-year-old business student from England posted a video of herself, from sporting a no-make-up look to being all dolled up within the flick of a make-up brush.

This was then (virtually) passed around to seven friends, who proceeded to do the same thing.

The video, which has amassed more than two million views so far, was set to Don't Rush by UK rap duo Young T and Bugsey – a sweet irony considering the challenge calls on women to change their looks in a matter of seconds.

Since then, the trend has blown up on platforms such as TikTok and Instagram, where the #DontRushChallenge hashtag has elicited about 201,000 posts at the time of writing. Even the cast of Orange is the New Black took part, using an orange in place of a make-up brush to transition from that at-home to going-out look.

Closer to home, UAE make-up artists and influencers have got on board, including television presenter Aishwarya Ajit and plus-sized beauty blogger Nikita Phulwani.

Emirates' cabin crew seemed to get in on the action as well. Travel blogger Jamilah posted an unofficial Emirates Flight Attendant Edition on YouTube, featuring friends donning their uniforms.

Meanwhile, Sephora Middle East is attempting to create the “longest Don’t Rush Challenge video ever”.

A post on the beauty shop's Instagram page read: "Our amazing Dubai Mall team misses you all very much and while they wait for the stores to open, they have joined together to take the #DontRushChallenge! Help us make the longest #DontRushChallenge video EVER! Stay home, slay with your looks and send in your videos so we can join them all together! Let's break a record."

How does the #DontRushChallenge work?

You nominate the women you want to take part in the challenge with and co-ordinate the sequence (i.e. who appears in the video first, how they’re passing along brushes, and so on).

Every participant then films themselves in their “at-home-no-makeup” look and strikes a pose before covering the camera with a make-up brush before pausing the video. Note: you don’t have to use a make-up brush – any object will do.

Those taking part can then take all the time they need to get glammed up, change outfits and show off those make-up skills, before putting the brush in front of the camera and starting the recording again. This creates continuity, with the final result giving the impression they got dressed in a second (if only that were possible).

Participants then throw the make-up brush out of view to symbolise that they’re passing the baton on to the next person. And so it begins again.

After all of the participants have compiled individual shots, it’s stitched together using any basic video-editing software. Then it’s posted on social media.

Just don't forget to use the Don't Rush song and hashtag.