The Tough Guy Face Lens Filter meme originates from various social media augmented reality filters that exaggerate facial features to create a stereotypically rugged or masculine appearance. Often associated with Sigma culture and the Lightskin Stare trend, the filter distorts the user’s jawline and brow to look intensely serious. It gained massive traction on TikTok and Instagram as creators used it to mock their own attempts at looking intimidating or to parody hyper-masculine tropes found in movies and TV shows. The meme is typically used to represent a sudden, comical shift in personality or an overly dramatic reaction to a minor situation.