Izzy Santulli, a creator of beauty and skincare content on TikTok and Instagram, recently showcased a bottle of perfume in a video she recorded. She leans back, shaking her head and making a face, pushing the product aside with a discerning expression. In another clip, she brandishes a tube of concealer, mimicking the act of consuming it, then dramatically waves her hands and inhales deeply. With a smile, she affectionately kisses the item before proceeding to the next.

Since October 2023, content creators like Santulli have been capturing these "silent reviews," where they express their thoughts on cosmetics, skincare, literature, and various other products without uttering a word. Instead, these reviewers rely on gestures and facial expressions to communicate their opinions, attracting millions of views and likes on TikTok and other social media platforms.

"I believe I have a short attention span, and I suspect many others do as well, especially on TikTok," Santulli shared during a phone conversation. "Silent reviews have captured my interest, along with many others, because they are fast-paced, and people want to get the inside scoop immediately." The absence of spoken words in silent reviews, which necessitates that viewers infer the reviewer's opinion, might seem absurd. However, similar nonverbal communication is present in traditional advertisements where actors display a product with a broad smile and endorse it with a thumbs-up.

We can interpret these gestures and expressions as nonverbal communication, which is any wordless interaction or communication. It allows individuals to quickly convey their feelings without speaking. "Nonverbal communication plays a crucial role in interpersonal interactions and often conveys more meaning than spoken words," said Dr. Diane Paul, Senior Director of Clinical Issues in Speech-Language Pathology at the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. "By exaggerating these nonverbal communicative gestures and facial expressions, you add interest and excitement," Paul added. "It's probably akin to why people use emojis; you want to convey more than just 'Good morning, nice to see you.'"

According to a 2011 study, the three common channels for expressing emotions nonverbally are body language, facial expressions, and touch. For example, when listening to someone, you might turn your body to face them, smile in agreement with what they're saying, or touch their arm to show support. Any of these nonverbal communication forms can also be emblems, which are gestures with a shared cultural meaning, as per research at James Madison University in Virginia. Rolling your hand in front of you signals to another person to hurry up, and mimicking signing a check in the air is a nonverbal way to ask your waiter for the bill.

Facial expressions can even serve as public information. If someone appears afraid—with widened eyes, furrowed brows, and a downturned mouth—it can alert others to be vigilant and look for danger. These expressions can also communicate secrecy, such as when you're sharing confidential information with a friend. You might glance around the room, press your lips together, and lean in, indicating that you don't want others to overhear. Nonverbal cues can also show involvement or interest in a conversation. If someone nods along and maintains eye contact while you speak, you can infer that they are actively listening.

When we communicate in person, we can demonstrate attentiveness, interpersonal connection, and emotions because we perceive the other person as real. However, this is more challenging in online communication, leading to limited conversations and more frequent conflicts. Yet, silent reviews are reviving nonverbal communication, even if it's in a more exaggerated form. "We are drawn to people who are nonverbally expressive—it's key to charisma—and these silent reviewers are leveraging this nonverbal expressiveness through exaggerated facial expressions and gestures to hold interest and convey their message," said Dr. Ron Riggio, a professor of psychology and an expert in nonverbal communication and leadership at Claremont McKenna College in California, via email.

Riggio also noted that silent reviews are somewhat of a game for generations weary of traditional advertising and reviews. "To discern the message, we pay closer attention to nonverbal cues (and lip-reading) to figure out what's being communicated," he said. "This motivates people to focus and decipher the messages." Just as we do with infants, you can practice nonverbal communication with these three steps: demonstration, observation, and explicit instruction, according to Paul of the American Speech-Language-Hearing Association. "We might say, 'Clap if you're happy,' and demonstrate it so they observe the gesture, and then they do it," she said. "If it's a culture that values and uses eye contact and you say, 'Look at me. Look at me.' Then you're demonstrating it."

This practice can also be applied by showing people silent reviews and having them interpret the message the creator is trying to convey, making them an excellent teaching tool, according to Paul. "They really are able to make subtle changes that make a difference," Paul said of the content creators who use silent reviews. "So, cueing in children or adults who have communication difficulties may be a good way to help enhance their language development."