Another day, another TikTok trend takes the platform by storm – this time, it involves "love magic".
You may have come across WitchTok while scrolling through the app, which is often filled with ritual-sharing 'witches' to achieve a set goal or attract a partner. Approximately 70 million people have viewed the "love spell" hashtag.
One method, in particular, has sparked ethical arguments around cultural appropriation after being disclosed as a closed cultural practice: The Honey Method.
Viral videos show people drawing a cross in honey on their tongues which supposedly induces a person to become obsessed with them.
One TikTok user Valeria (@valeriafune), explained how the method "can only be done by Hispanic people or Latinos", otherwise, the practice could "backfire" or inflict karma if people didn't "use [spiritual] protection".
The clip, which racked up 1.6 million views, explained how people perform the practice.
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@valeriafune Replying to @rbc.milena ignore my cheeks i have pimple patches #honeymethod #honeyspell #lovespells #makehimobsessed #manifestingtips #manifestingadvice #manifestingtok
"Make sure you're thinking about the person who you want to be obsessed with you," Valeria said. "Saying affirmations like 'you're so obsessed with me' or 'they're always texting/calling me'".
The person then dips a finger in honey and draws a cross on the tongue.
@x.lezliiee.x Visit TikTok to discover videos!
@besos4alliee Visit TikTok to discover videos!
Many Hispanic creators have warned that it can be supposedly "dangerous" for non-Hispanic people to carry out, as it can apparently cause the opposite effect.
One user warned against the practice, saying: "You are literally binding this person to you forever, and it can backfire so easily, especially if you don't know what you're doing."
@themysticalmoonroom Reply to @whitebread414 how to tell if your honey jar backfired and what to do to fix it #fyp#honeyjar#backfire#lovespell#freewill#cleanse#yourself
@tunovia_djj 😭🧿🕯😂plz don’t forget to wear protection if not it will back fire to you
Thousands of people flooded Valeria's comments with questions, with many asking how non-Hispanic people can carry out the method. People claimed they could use sugar or cinnamon instead.
Meanwhile, one user joked they will try it on celebrity crushes. Many more claimed to have tried it out, but waiting on results.
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