What is the Triangle Method on TikTok? The viral how-to is everyone's new favorite dating hack

What is the Triangle Method, you ask? This eye trick says a lot without saying anything at all

Engraving vector of all seeing eye
(Image credit: Getty)

What is the Triangle Method? TikTok is swooping in to assist in the love department. 

As of late, the video-sharing platform has been particularly attuned to matters of the heart, just in time for the most romantic day of the year. The white nail polish trend is a coy way to make your relationship status known while posting videos, while the Lucky Girl Syndrome is a manifestation technique women are turning to with hopes of finding their other. 

Everyone on your FYP appears to be laser-focused at the moment, and the Triangle Method is proof. Ready to learn more?

What is the Triangle Method on TikTok?

The Triangle Method is a way in which to make eye contact to signal to your date that you're enjoying your time together and might be ready for a smooch. Consider the trend to be the virtual wingman or woman. 

Though, yes, nerves can get in the way of a sentimental moment—and perhaps some of us might even appreciate awkward pauses and the like while on a date—your eyes allow you to say a lot without saying anything at all. To indicate your interest and nail the Triangle Method effectively, you'll need to trace the shape of an upside-down triangle with your pupils. Voila! You're one step closer to a lip lock. 

Taking shapes out of the equation, laser in on your date's eye, pan down to their lips and then back up to the other eye. That's all you need to do! And after all, if you're zooming in on someone's lips, albeit briefly, there's a good chance your partner is going to catch on.

@_gracey21

♬ Originalton - darkvidez

Does the Triangle Method really work?

For the naysayers out there, eye contact does in fact have a lot of power in our interactions, so don't doubt 'em! Eye contact indicates that you're paying attention and are invested in the connection you're trying to form with someone, and professionals agree. 

According to Michael Ellsberg, the author of The Power of Eye Contact: Your Secret for Success in Business, Love and Life, eye contact insists that someone is "listening, present and taking us in." It shows that they care for us.

He writes: "The eyes reveal a world of information beyond just the focus of our attention. Think of all the emotions—happiness, anger, sadness, surprise, fear—that can be detected loud and clear from a simple glance at someone's eyes (or more accurately, the facial muscles around the eyes, which create various expressions)."

If you were hesitant about whether or not the quick triangle trick can be effective, Ellsberg gives a bit more reassurance: "When we make eye contact with another person, we are in some senses giving that person keys to our emotional world. Whatever we're feeling, the other person is likely to get at least a gut-level sense of our state of mind."

If you're feeling particularly flirty ahead of Valentine's Day, why not give it a try? Just don't make it too obvious, or your results could backfire (see below). We kid! But do have a look at the 2023 dating trends that can help you find love this year!

@tyler_banksss

“oh you saw that tik tok to”

♬ original sound - sissy
Danielle Valente
Digital News Writer

Need a TV show recommendation? Maybe a few decor tips? Danielle, a digital news writer at Future, has you covered. Her work appears throughout the company’s lifestyle brands, including My Imperfect Life, Real Homes, and woman&home. Mainly, her time is spent at My Imperfect Life, where she’s attuned to the latest entertainment trends and dating advice for Gen Z.


Before her time at Future, Danielle was the editor of Time Out New York Kids, where she got to experience the best of the city from the point of view of its littlest residents. Before that, she was a news editor at Elite Daily. Her work has also appeared in Domino, Chowhound, and amNewYork, to name a few. 


When Danielle’s not writing, you can find her testing out a new recipe, reading a book (suggestions always welcome), or rearranging the furniture in her apartment…again.