5 TikTok trends that are just dangerous
Do you know Hyram yet? This best man from Hawaii makes videos that you really want to see. He puts every skincare routine under a magnifying glass. Kendall Jenner and Hailey Bieber better watch out, because they have also been judged by this – as he calls himself – Skin Care Junkie. With about 4.57 million YouTube subscribers, we can say he knows what he's talking about. Since his videos have come into my life, I occasionally look a bit amazed at TikTok videos where young women and men smear ingredients on their faces that Hyram absolutely would not recommend and that can even be just dangerous, oops. No matter how innocent they seem, here are the ‘not try these at home’ TikTok trends that turn out not to be so good for you.
Contouring with sunscreen
Yes, you read that right: with a sun protection. There are trends where you contour your face with self-tanner and that is not dangerous, so don't confuse these two things. We are talking about an SPF that should protect your skin from the sun and other nastiness. This trend originated – my jaw dropped when I read this – from Gwyneth Paltrow. In a tutorial, she mentioned that she uses different sun factors on her face. Where the sun really hits your face, she applies a higher factor than on the rest of the parts. Pardon my French, but how then? To give your cheekbones a browner color in this way and thus create contour in your face. Not okay: always apply sunscreen well to your entire face.
DIY masks and skincare.
Hyram is always very outspoken about this in his videos because the use of natural essential oils like lavender is often used in too high percentages, which only causes damage to your skin barrier. Sometimes they are not even made for your skin or may only be used in a very low dosage. Making a scrub yourself with coffee or sugar? Not so wise either, because these are often too harsh and too coarse for the skin. He is a fan of ingredients like oats and honey, but if you want to keep it as easy and safe as possible, just buy a nice tube with masks that are safe for the skin and with the right percentages and additions. You really see the most bizarre concocted masks passing by on TikTok and one piece of advice: make sure to get well informed before you start, because you don't want to walk around with an irritated skin, right?
Slugging
This sounds like it's about snail slime, but it's just about petroleum jelly or other products with petroleum. Applying a thick layer on your skin as the very last step in your evening routine to wake up with a hydrated and glowy skin: okay, okay, doesn't sound very dangerous, right? Still, it's wise to be a bit careful with this. Petroleum jelly ensures that you don't lose moisture and your skin loses about one liter of moisture per night while sleeping. You can use it if your skin is extremely dry, for example in winter when the heating is blasting, but the product can quickly become too greasy for your skin. So if you don't have (extremely) dry spots? Then definitely let this trend pass you by. If you do have problems? Then apply a very thin layer locally after your moisturizer has absorbed and do this especially not longer than necessary.
Dermaplaning
I must honestly admit that I have seriously looked into this once, but then never did it. It involves shaving the hairs on your face with a special blade while simultaneously giving your skin a peel. Removing peach fuzz from your face is completely a personal choice; I personally wouldn't do it at home so quickly but would have it done by a professional. Going along your skin with a sharp blade can damage your skin barrier, and there are plenty of other good products for that peel. There are many TikTok videos where this happens, and if you are considering it yourself: be careful, because before you know it, you are walking around with a scar and we certainly don't want that.
Last but not least: microneedling
Paula Begoun, the woman behind the brand Paula's Choice, is absolutely not a proponent of this. ‘Just leave your skin alone,’ she told. With microneedling, you create very small holes in the skin, which would help you produce more collagen for a firmer and smoother skin. There are many devices available online to start microneedling at home, but make sure to order one that you trust 100 percent and don't buy one just because it was so cheap. There have been multiple horror stories shared on social media that showed the dangers of this treatment at home. Think of temporary loss of vision, swelling, and very nasty infections, brrr. The chance may be small that it happens to you, but don't call me, okay? If I ever do it, then I'd prefer to have it done by a pro.
Conclusion: do research before you start anything and don't blindly follow all the trends you find on TikTok or other apps. Sometimes you can't see with the naked eye what kind of damage it causes to your skin in the long term. Be sure to check out Hyram's videos; you'll definitely become a lot wiser from them.
Source: Grazia and Jetske Ultee
