Just because you can get an extremely dark spray tan doesn't mean you should.
While everyone has the autonomy to alter their appearance, completely transforming one's skin tone is undeniably problematic.
Case in point? TikTok creator @savannah_1216's (Savannah) viral video where she debuted a deep orange glow that rendered her virtually unrecognizable. And in true internet fashion, the comment section didn't hold back when offering their two cents about her look.
While Savannah eventually turned off her comments in an effort of self-preservation, that didn't stop TikTok creator @grace_00089 (Grace) from stitching her original video and allowing other users free rein to share their opinions on the situation.
Let's get into it.
In Grace's viral video, she played the first few seconds of Savannah's TikTok before posting an Instagram screenshot from 2020 displaying the creator's true skin tone.
And unsurprisingly, it looked vastly different than the rust-colored spray tan Savannah donned in her video. After giving Savannah a bombastic side-eye, other creators chimed in with their thoughts on the drastic difference.
While some comments were downright vicious, others allowed users to rely on pop culture references to get their point across. "[You know] that one SpongeBob episode?..." one creator joked.
"It reminds me of Ross from Friends," another added. "The episode where Ross got a spray tan."
Despite Savannah's turning off the comment section of her viral spray tan video, commenters found other ways to share how they felt about Savannah's artificial skin tone.
From flooding Grace's comment section of her stitched video to offering opinions on Savannah's other TikToks, social media users made their opinions heard about the too-dark spray tan.
One particularly scathing remark read: "It looks like a layer of grime."
While a tamer critique simply said: "Interesting."
Whether comparing Savannah's complexion to someone's mechanic partner covered in grease and oil to Mike Rowe in an episode of Dirty Jobs, TikTokers provided no shortage of creative commentary about the tanning fiasco.
Interestingly, Savannah didn't turn off the comments on the videos that followed the original. Not only that, but she even went as far as to address the situation.
Well, sort of.
On June 21, 2023, the controversial creator responded to an incredibly pointed comment that read, "Have fun finding a job after this one."
Her reaction?
A video of herself playing alongside the viral Tiffany Pollard audio saying, "I have to laugh, I'm sorry. This is so f------ ridiculous. I can't stand here. I can't sit here and hear this."
And naturally, she got called out for turning the backlash into a joke. "Instead of defending it, you should listen to why it's wrong," one creator advised.
Others couldn't help but ask themselves why none of Savannah's friends or family pulled her aside to tell her the spray tan wasn't doing her any favors.
"Where are her friends though?" someone quipped. "Like someone needs to be honest with her?!"