Someone Bought a Temu “Croissant Lamp” That Ended Up Being an Actual Croissant
One of the wildest online shopping stories we’ve heard — plus, 6 food-shaped table lights that are definitely not edible
It’s easy to fall victim to an online shopping purchase that doesn’t quite measure up to what you’d hoped. We’ve all been there — clothing where the fabric doesn’t look quite as expensive as it did on the website, decor that’s drastically smaller than you thought it would be (the price did seem too good to be true in retrospect), but some online shopping stories really do take the cake, so to speak.
So is the tale of TikTok user Neta Murphy @froginahatgirl, whose video of a “croissant lamp” from online marketplace Temu has been viewed nearly 9 million times by now. We get it — food-shaped lamps are cute. There’s something nostalgic about them (well if you’re a similar age to me, anyway). They’re total 00s-core decor, dorm-room chic, and, dare-we-say, a little bit Brat. There’s something about how super-realistic that makes them kitsch, but in a modern art sort of way.
From Temu, it was possibly never going to be the best table lamp, but this particular “croissant lamp” took the realism stakes to the next level.
@froginahatgirl Pls explain temu
♬ original sound - froginahatgirl
One day, after coming home on a hot day, its owner found hundreds of ants underneath the small table lamp. Disturbed, she made a small opening in the lamp a little larger and started to suspect that, in fact, her “croissant lamp” was a real, hollowed-out croissant, covered in resin. After breaking the lamp open and even, we hate to say it, giving it a taste test, Neta confirmed that to be the case.
However, after doing a little research, it turns out that this isn’t the only place you can get yourself a preserved croissant lamp, and some people are doing it willingly. This Amazon croissant lamp listing has over 100 positive ratings, and an average rating of 4.4 out of 5, despite, it seems, most of the buyers figuring out it’s actually a resin-covered croissant with an LED light in it.
We even found a version of the lamp, made by a Japanese artist, selling for $250 that is, again, made from an actual croissant.
It might not be quite as shocking as it sounds. According to ArtResin, you can use resin to preserve food, as long as you cover every square inch of it, which may be where this Temu croissant lamp has gone awry. Would I buy it knowing it’s a croissant dipped in resin? Personally, no. But these reviewers seemingly had no problem with it.
Be The First To Know
The Livingetc newsletter is your shortcut to the now and the next in home design. Subscribe today to receive a stunning free 200-page book of the best homes from around the world.
We’re not averse to a food-shaped lamp all together. A designer brand like Seletti makes this idea feel kitsch yet elevated, while you’ll find yourself virtually tripping over cute fruit-inspired lamps in Urban Outfitters.
Here are some of my favorite foodie lighting finds if a semi-edible pastry lamp isn’t for you either.
Price: $17.97
Material: Resin
A thick piece of buttered toast for your nightstand that's actually a lamp — its material list says resin, but we're pretty sure it's not a real piece of bread.
Material: Glass
Price: $84
Remember the "tomato girl summer" trend of yesteryear? Trendy and realistic, this Urban Outfitters buy is a little more expensive, but infinitely more chic.
Material: Resin and glass
Price: $150
Seletti's banana lamp is a surreal design classic, and has inspired all kinds of food-shaped lamps.
Material: Glass, polyresin, and fabric cord
Price: $99
Less realistic, but very cute none-the-less, another find from Urban Outfitters to bring an on-trend accent if you're embracing the unexpected red theory.
Hugh is Livingetc.com’s editor. With 8 years in the interiors industry under his belt, he has the nose for what people want to know about re-decorating their homes. He prides himself as an expert trend forecaster, visiting design fairs, showrooms and keeping an eye out for emerging designers to hone his eye. He joined Livingetc back in 2022 as a content editor, as a long-time reader of the print magazine, before becoming its online editor. Hugh has previously spent time as an editor for a kitchen and bathroom magazine, and has written for “hands-on” home brands such as Homebuilding & Renovating and Grand Designs magazine, so his knowledge of what it takes to create a home goes beyond the surface, too. Though not a trained interior designer, Hugh has cut his design teeth by managing several major interior design projects to date, each for private clients. He's also a keen DIYer — he's done everything from laying his own patio and building an integrated cooker hood from scratch, to undertaking plenty of creative IKEA hacks to help achieve the luxurious look he loves in design, when his budget doesn't always stretch that far.
-
How to Make Dying Succulents Thrive Again — 7 Expert Ways to Rescue Your Plants
Whether they're overwatered, under-watered or otherwise unwell, succulents can recover with these simple steps
By Jacky Parker Published
-
What Color Countertop is Best for a Small Kitchen? Experts Recommend These 5 Space-Busting Tones
Your countertop color and material palette is an important decision in any kitchen, but particularly in a small one — here's what the experts say
By Aditi Sharma Maheshwari Published