I’m a skincare expert and there are five dangerous TikTok beauty hacks which could ruin your face

May 16, 2022 Stan

TIKTOK has become the home for millions of hacks – from gardening to parenting, fashion to interior.

Amongst these is also what feels like a never-ending stream of skincare tips and tricks – but although these clips are viral, should you really be trying out everything you see online?

This woman claimed that a baking soda exfoliator has fixed her acneCredit: TikTok / theunherdones

Ada Ooi is a celebrity facialist from LondonCredit: Instagram/@ ada.ooi

Gruesome videos of pimple popping, peeled off face masks revealing a neat line of sebaceous filaments, lemon juice to brighten up your complexion – the examples are endless.

But as popular as these tricks are, experts in the field have revealed the dark side of TikTok skincare wonders.

Fabulous spoke to two beauty gurus to find out which hacks to give a miss when treating yourself to a at-home spa day – and there are more than you’d think.

BAKING SODA EXFOLIATOR

From gardening to cleaning your house, baking soda has become this almost hero in almost all viral hacks – and rightly so, as it’s cheap and effective.

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But more viral than baking soda tricks by Mrs Hinch fans are the viral videos of beauty lovers using this kitchen staple in their skincare routine.

One fanatic, who claimed to be 47, said that instead of relying on Botox, she used a facial cleansing oil mixed with baking soda.

Whilst the woman may have convinced many that this DIY scrub works wonders at exfoliating, the experts urged to avoid using this on your face.

Ada Ooi, celebrity facialist and founder of 001 Skincare, explained: ”Baking soda as an exfoliator will not work as it will dry out the skin too much, there are well formulated exfoliating products where even if they have baking soda in, it’s formulated with other hydrants to keep the skin’s pH and moisture barrier healthy.”

TOOTHPASTE MASK

Most people use toothpaste to brighten up their pearly whites – but for some a tube of this paste is the secret to more than just a dazzling Hollywood smile.

Not only are there people on TikTok claiming that applying toothpaste on face will give a brighter complexion but that its formula will also dry out pimples and help with acne.

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But, according to the skincare whizzes, you shouldn’t rush to the nearby drugstore to stock up on piles of toothpaste just yet.

”Toothpaste for face whitening is not recommended,” said Corinna Tolan, owner of M onica Tolan, The Skin Experts London.

She explained that applying toothpaste ”will most likely compromise the skin barrier and incur irritation, dermatitis and inflammation”.

Save toothpaste for your pearly whitesCredit: TikTok / cardonamax

PEEL-OFF MASKS

Peel-off masks have become all the rage in the recent years, with people dashing to remove nasty build-up and gunk from their pores.

But although these Before & After clips are fun to watch – despite how gross they are – and promise to give almost instant results, the skincare experts said they’re far from ideal.

”Black head peel off masks are not ideal as they can destroy the surface of the skin and cause tears,” revealed Ada.

However, if you feel like you really have to use one, make sure you apply a base hydrating product first, for example the 001 Skincare Sebum & Redness Water Shield which can be used as a mask for 5 minutes to help the skin heal.

”A blackhead is oxidised sebum in the pore – similar to how if you leave an avocado out it will discolour,” added Corinna.

The experts believe you should give the viral peel-off masks a missCredit: TikTok / vanessa_zinner

”By lifting off the top layer of sebum and removing the area that’s oxidised and darker in colour, you will expose the next area of sebum which will be oxidised within a matter of hours, so it will appear that the blackhead is back.”

WHEN LIFE GIVES YOU LEMONS…

.. make lemonade.

But instead of a refreshing drink, which may be particularly nice as the UK faces one of many heatwaves this summer, some will squeeze the acidic juice for a DIY facial.

Similarly to the mighty toothpaste, the online beauty community swears by its zesty properties, claiming lemon juice is the key for a brighter skin free of pimples and acne.

However, if you’re amongst those who love this cheap trick, it might be worth reconsidering your skincare routine.

”Using lemon juice will completely compromise and irritate the skin – it could even cause post-inflammatory hyperpigmentation,” warned Corinna.

Ada shared the same opinion, writing: ”Lemon juice for brighter complexion is too acidic for the skin.”

Not only do you not see much difference if you don’t leave it long enough, the expert warned that your skin will also become prone to sun sensitivity too.

CYST SQUEEZING

Almost nothing is as frustrating as waking up to find yourself with a fresh zit or cyst on your face – it’s even more annoying when there’s an important even to look forward to.

Of course, the quickest solution would be to dash to the bathroom and squeeze the nasty contents out – but should you really resort to this?

Corinna shared her expert’s point of view: ”Popping cysts at home is not recommended as the area is not sterile.

”There’s also a good chance that you’ll release the infection and not the original blockage that caused the inflammation and infection.”

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This, she added, means that when the spot does heal with the blockage still intact, there is a high chance you could develop a scar.

Ada agreed, saying: ” If you are going to remove cysts from home, poke a sanitised needle through the cyst first so the wound is not rough ended, making scarring easier to heal.”