South Park's third episode of its 29th season tackles looksmaxxing and aura-farming, two internet trends centered on self-optimization and personal branding. In the episode, the boys visit Sephora before entering the Backrooms, a fictional internet location, in a storyline that mocks app-driven self-care culture.
The show has long positioned itself as more responsive to contemporary social trends than The Simpsons, according to the Guardian. While both series feature characters who have remained roughly the same age for decades, South Park tends to move faster on cultural moments. The episode's focus on looksmaxxing (a practice involving extreme physical modifications to improve appearance) and aura-farming (a social media practice centered on cultivating a desirable personal image) reflects this approach.
South Park streams on Paramount+ in the US, UK and Australia.