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Many men grew up turning to glossy dudes for guidance on how to burn fat fast, spot the best ab exercises, and determine the right haircut. For decades, fad diets and unproven trends have guaranteed low body fat and improved happiness. This culture of self-improvement has only intensified with the advent of social media, where men and women are confronted with images that tell us what our bodies, lives, and relationships should look like. Recently, I’ve noticed a trend that heightens these concerns for young men on TikTok: Mogwarts and looksmaxxing.
What is Mogwarts?
Mogwarts is an online course and TikTok community focused on looksmaxxing. In its simplest sense, looksmaxxing is the act of enhancing one’s physical appearance by any means necessary, including intense fitness regimes, meticulous diets, extreme cosmetic procedures, elaborate grooming habits, and a daily (some might say obsessive) commitment to for an aesthetic upgrade.
“Mogwarts” is a term combining “Hogwarts”, the famous fictional wizarding school, with “Mog”. In looksmaxxer parlance, mog means to surpass someone by being more attractive or physically superior. Some say that Mog is an acronym for “Man of God” and refers to a man who has achieved the pinnacle seems extremely ideal.
What exactly is this? It’s clear skin, a defined jawline, a thick head of hair, defined abs and proportionate muscularity. It gets as grainy as a positive “canthal slope”, which is an angle between the inner and outer corner of the eyes that looks like fox eyes. It’s the Bella Hadid effect (there’s a scientific reason why she’s the most beautiful woman in the world) and it translates to male beauty standards, too.
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For just $10, you can join the Mogwarts community and become a “Moggle”. Here, you’ll connect with other men and learn from influencers and content creators who share tips on how to improve your looks through webinars and live streams. The promise is that by improving your appearance, you can improve your self-esteem, social interactions and general well-being. Making yourself look better will make you feel better.
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It is undeniable that many people want to look good. When they go to the gym, eat and dress in a way that reflects their inner expression, they feel better about themselves. They feel confident and even sexy, which is not inherently bad.
However, it is a slippery and sometimes addictive slope. Mogwarts rewards obsessive, consistent commitment. The more you post, the higher your rank, which grants access to private group chats (Level 2) and an invitation to the VIP inner circle (Level 4). At the top, Level 9, members get a one-on-one call with the founder, but so far no one has reached the echelon.
Supporters and community members celebrate Mogwarts for creating a safe space for men to connect and support each other. There are more brutal and insidious online spaces that bully and harass men for not conforming to unrealistic beauty standards. users reject the frustration of others. Mogwarts prides itself on being a haven for men who just want to be guided as they upgrade their lives.
Who started Mogwarts?
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Kareem Shami (or K. Shami) is the founder of the online platform, which offers weekly tutorials from influencers and special guests. Lessons focus on enhancing facial aesthetics, such as improving “hair, jawline, skin and eye area”, as well as lessons on wealth creation, status and social dynamics.
Shami himself turned to looksmaxxing after being bullied in high school for his acne and size. He shares his before and after shots as an inspiration to others, which have garnered millions of views on TikTok, showing his transformation.
Now a college student, Shami claims he created Mogwarts as a positive, hate-free space for young men looking to undergo a similar transformation.
The Damage of Looksmaxxing
Body image concerns and low self-esteem can affect anyone. Previous research has focused mainly on women, largely neglecting image perception and dissatisfaction among men, but statistics show that men are not excluded from the phenomenon.
It is estimated that between 30 and 40 percent of men are anxious about their body weight and up to 85 percent are dissatisfied with their muscularity, overview with more than 11,000 participants. So, at what point does a trend like Mogwarts become dangerous?
looksmaxxing has long been associated with toxic, addictive and obsessive behavior with a relentless focus on unrealistic standards of male beauty. The idea presents a fascinating paradox: Can a safe haven really emerge when the whole purpose is to conform to impossible patriarchal standards of masculinity rooted in self-loathing and resentment?
Research shows that focusing too much on appearance can lead to body dissatisfaction, anxiety and depression.
While the mission of Mogwarts is to create a safe space for men to look their best, we can’t ignore that Shami is profiting financially from the participants. He predicts that Mogwart’s will be in six figures by the end of 2024. Capitalism preys on our insecurities only to profit from them.
The more we feel bad about ourselves, the more we will spend to make ourselves look better. But looking better just means looking the same. When I see these men on TikTok, I have a hard time telling them apart. These young men strive to be uniform in appearance, to conform to the accepted aesthetics of thick, limp hair. sharp jaws; symmetrical faces; and the right amount of reeds. They begin to lose their personality and all the parts of themselves that make them uniquely attractive.
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When self-esteem is tied to appearance, individuals can find themselves in a perpetual cycle of dissatisfaction. In fact, internalizing and comparing are associated with higher body dissatisfaction, drive for thinness and muscularity, and unhealthy behaviors such as restrictive eating, according to 2024 research was published on Springer Nature.
Recently, a client shared with me that he was on a health kick and that TikTok inspired his new skincare, workout and diet regimen. He shared his grand plan with me: he wasn’t going to date or try to meet anyone until he had “optimized” his body, mind and life. He had been on this mission for about a year, but despite all the work, all the muscle building, and all the expensive serums, he still didn’t feel “good enough” until today.
When I asked him how he was feeling in his body, he told me that his mental health was at an all-time low, he wasn’t seeing his friends, and he was spending a lot of time and money maintaining the mission. Throughout our sessions, she told me, “I was so focused on my body and making it perfect that I lost sight of what makes me feel good.”
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In the session, we worked to bring his attention to his emotional experiences, develop a community of friends outside of the gym and TikTok, and focus on exercising with the intention of feeling good, not just working out to look good. She started to feel more confident and even started dating. His appearance didn’t change — but his perspective did. Instead of using self-hatred to fuel self-improvement, we worked with self-compassion and created a positive self-concept, as research shows that this approach is closely related to overall well-being.
Rather than focusing solely on outward appearance in sessions, we work to take a holistic approach. Engaging in activities that build self-acceptance—such as therapy, mindfulness, and supportive relationships—can lead to a deeper sense of fulfillment than chasing ever-changing standards of beauty.
Mogwarts and looksmaxxing are part of a larger conversation about beauty and self-esteem in our society. If you’re ever curious about exploring these trends, plan to do so with balance, alongside the support of professionals who can help and observe how it affects your mental health and emotional well-being.
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Because you have to trust me
I work as a Certified Sex and Relationship Professional, Sex Educator, author and physical therapist for over eight years, helping individuals and couples navigate the complexities of sex. I’ve seen firsthand how pop culture and sex trends like Mogwarts can shape our understanding of attraction, self-esteem, and relationships. My approach is inclusive, sex-positive and shame-free and supports individuals, couples and groups to overcome common sexual concerns. I’m also a writer, podcaster, writer and co-founder NORMALa sexual wellness company, where I work with Lucy Wark and a team of experts to create educational courses and design modern sex toys. I’m on a mission to redefine what “normal” means when it comes to sex, relationships, and intimacy, and to equip people with the tools they need to tackle these usually taboo topics for more fulfilling experiences.
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