The hashtag #skintok has racked up over 6.7 billion views on TikTok… that’s a staggering number of views which speaks volumes at how much of a hot topic skincare is.
However, TikTok is both a blessing and a curse when it comes to deciphering the overwhelming amount of information (and more notably) the misinformation about skincare tricks and tips to clear and healthy skin. There are no shortage of new viral beauty DIY hacks and recommendations to try for a quick fix. But viewers should primarily take these videos with a grain of salt. Although there is a lot of communities on TikTok of people suffering from similar skin concerns, it does not warrant a creator with millions of views to have the secret solution to help your skin.
Just recently Elyse Myers (who has a TikTok following of 5.7 million) recommended people who suffer from acne to use Head and Shoulders shampoo to cleanse their skin.
You can watch Kiri’s response and explanation to this advice here:
@ampernaskin #stitch with @Elyse Myers we love you Elyse! We had to jump in on the one! We understand how frustrated your skin can make you feel and we are all guilty of hopping on the next viral trend in hopes it is the answer 🤞 but it could make it worse. Please speak to a professional if you are struggling with any skin concerns. Kiri is available to DM if you have any questions about your skin 📥 #skin #skincare #skincaretips #headsandshoulders ♬ original sound - Classic Sitcoms
With so much beauty and skin care information floating through the app, it can be tough to decipher what trends are worth trying and what trends are worth scrolling past. Especially when you follow someone and believe whatever they say is gospel in treating your skin conditions.
Chances are if it sounds too farfetched or comes and goes quickly as a trend on social media then you are best to just keep scrolling and seek advice and consult with a qualified board-certified skin professional.
Not to sound like a broken record but everyone’s skin and skin concerns are unique and individual to each person. So, what might have worked for one TikTok ‘skin-fluencer’ does not necessarily mean it will work for you.
Let us unpack 9 of 2022’s most viral skincare viral trend.
How many have you heard of or tried? And which ones are complete ‘red flags’ here at the AMPERNA® office.
Viral Skincare Trends
1. Raw potato slices to help clear your acne
Ok, firstly, on paper, there are a lot of benefits potatoes can have for the skin. Potato starches are known to absorb oil and soothe inflammation. They are also rich in vitamin C and antioxidants.
To try this as a solution for the occasional pimple, sure this trend might be fun to try. But for a long-term solution to help your acne flares and breakouts your best bet is to seek a treatment plan that focuses on the root cause of your skin condition. Not masking (or taping/rubbing for that matter) a raw vegetable to your face & praying that is the solution.
And a word of warning, potatoes have a reported link to latex allergies due to the protein called patatin. If you have a known allergy to latex, you are best to avoid using potatoes on your skin and keep them for consumption only.
Mmmm, crispy potato fries anyone?
What about raw potatoes to help hyperpigmentation?
You’re best to stick with tried and tested science-backed ingredients like liquorice root and niacinamide (vitamin B) in your moisturisers and serums and wearing sunscreen religiously.
Trying raw potatoes in your skin isn’t going to cause serious harm, but you may just be wasting your time on a fad that’s going to be forgotten about in the new year…
It will all be about apple slices on your skin in 2023. (you heard it here first, 😉)
2. Slugging
BOOM!
Slugging exploded on the TikTok scene and became viral overnight. But in case you have not heard of it, and you have been living under a TikTok rock, it is slathering on an obscene amount of petroleum jelly (aka Vaseline) on top of your nighttime skincare products to lock everything in, leaving you with immensely hydrated and super soft skin in the morning.(as well as an incredibly oily pillowcase, eww).
But is slugging worth it and should everyone be doing it? Well, no and no. Slugging, when you remove the viral hype, is just an overexaggerated version of having a simple nighttime routine with a quality occlusive moisturiser and common sense.
Who really needs another skincare step to remember at the end of the day? People with acne prone skin should also avoid the slugging trend as petroleum jelly can clog pores and cause further breakouts.
3. Micro-needling or Derma-rolling
Please, please, please leave these for the professionals only! I beg you.
At home DIY micro-needling or derma-rolling can damage your skin and cause scarring and/or infection. The correct sterile medical-grade device with specific needle length to accurately treat your skin safely and effectively is the only way to perform micro-needling or derma-rolling.
And do not, (I repeat DO NOT) attempt to microneedle or derma roll and then apply a chemical peel on afterwards! We have seen a lot of people recommend doing this and applying the Ordinary AHA & BHA chemical peeling solution. Do yourself a favour and search this on TikTok yourself. You can create a chemical burn to your skin. YIKES!
So even though this particular product can be brought over the counter it is incredibly potent and a dangerous combination if you follow this treatment after micro-needling or derma-rolling. Which are puncturing needles into your skin and then soaking the damaged layers in acids and the burn you would receive from this is not a good indication the product is ‘working’
You should also be cautious with strong acid products if you are on medication.
4. Skin Cycling
This concept we love love love, as it is a modernised trend that cares for and nourishes the skin barrier. It is adopting a consistent nighttime skincare routine that helps prevent the barrier from being compromised from the over-use of actives. Which is so common currently with so many products and misinformation out there. Skin cycling is a four-day cycle using active ingredients on certain days following with skin ‘rest days,’ then repeating every week in the same format.
Skin cycling gets a big green tick of approval at the AMPERNA® office!
@ampernaskin @Liz Claire talks skin cycling with AMPERNA® #skincare #skincycling #skincaretips #skincare101 ♬ original sound - ampernaskin
@ampernaskin Skin Cycling, what is it? #skincare #skin #skincycling #skincaretips #bestskincare ♬ Super Freaky Girl - Nicki Minaj
5. Facial Icing to help acne
Rubbing ice on your face is another popular skincare hack that found its way to TikTok. And although experts say ice does temporarily help acne, it is not going to solve your skin concern long-term. Icing is great for calming inflammation, but it does not target the source of the problem or utilise acne-fighting ingredients. It can however help your acne treatments be more effective.
There are studies to support that icing the skin helps your skincare products penetrate more deeply by constricting the blood vessels, which causes topical products to be drawn further into the skin. So again, this one is fine to incorporate into your skincare routine. Alongside effective skincare to target your skin condition.
6. Anti-dandruff shampoo as a cleanser for acne sufferers
As mentioned above Elyse Myers viral video on TikTok suggests that swapping out your facial wash with Head & Shoulders can help clear acne. This video has more than twelve million views and 1.65 million likes. Dermatologists have weighed in and agreed that anti-dandruff shampoo can be effective as a facial cleanser for people who have fungal acne because it contains zinc pyrithione and selenium sulfide, which are ingredients known to fight fungal overgrowth.
However, this TikTok skincare hack is not recommended for all people, especially those with sensitive, dry, and eczema-prone skin, also those who have bacterial acne. Experts say that’s because some brands and formulations of shampoos may contain active ingredients such as fragrances and other chemicals like sodium lauryl sulfate that can be irritating to the skin and disrupt lipids in the skin barrier.
7. Pore vacuums
Again, this type of procedure should be left in the hands of a professional & not at home as a DIY ‘Spa Day’. Pore vacuums are tools to extract oil, dirt, and dead skin cells from your pores. However unregulated devices paired with amateur application can cause damage to the skin, including bruising or broken blood vessels.
The risks to your skin far outweigh the benefits when it comes to DIY pore vacuuming.
8. Sunscreen contouring
If you want to accelerate your skins ageing and increase the chance of premature or deepened wrinkles, sun spots or increase the risk of skin cancer than this fad is the one for you… (In case you couldn’t tell by my tone, I’m being sarcastic).
People are actually recommending applying sunscreen only onto the areas of your face where you would normally apply your highlighter as a natural way to tan or ‘snatch’ your face! I’m not sure who needs to hear this but any tanning of the skin is a sign of DNA damage to your skin cells.
Would you rather apply some make up to give you that sun kissed glow or have a scar to cover up on your face from removing a skin cancer spot? The answer seems pretty obvious to me, but….
9. Celebrity skincare brands
SKKN by Kim, Rhode by Hailey Bieber, Le Domaine Skincare by Brad Pitt, Barker Wellness skincare by Travis Barker, The Outset by Scarlett Johansson…
These were just a couple of celebrity skincare lines launched this year alone. On top of the already established skincare lines in the market. And although celebrity skincare isn’t a new fad or necessarily a #skintok TikTok trend but are we not in agreeance that we are just completely fatigued at seeing yet another marketed big name splashed on overpriced multi-step skincare line to cash in on the beauty industry?!
Who will be next to launch a skincare line do you think? 🙄
In summary
Please take caution when scrolling for information on the internet.
Period. If in doubt always consult with your doctor or skin specialist.
References
8 TikTok Skin Care Trends Dermatologists Warn You To Avoid | HuffPost Life
