Steer Clear of these 5 Skincare Trends

If you’re anything like us, then you probably spend way too much time scrolling through TikTok. Our favorite type of videos? Beauty, of course! We love learning mind blowing skincare tips, but we also can’t help cringing at some of the latest skincare trends. While some might be helpful, there are others that are outright dangerous. Keep reading to learn which skincare trends you should avoid. 

DIY Microneedling

One trend that we’ve seen pop up over and over again is DIY Microneedling. People are doing this at home using a derma roller, which is a handheld rolling device that rolls tiny needles over your skin. The idea is that you can achieve the same amazing results of professional microneedling, such as improving acne, fine lines and wrinkles, enlarged pores, and more (learn about the benefits of of microneedling here), but at a much reduced cost. 

Click here to see an example of someone promoting this trend. 

While it may sound good in theory, microneedling at home can be very dangerous. Ultimately, the dermaroller is not sterile, even if you give it a little wash in between uses. When you go to a medical aesthetics office like ours, the materials your esthetician uses are sterile and single-use. This sterilization is important because if the needles are not sterile, they can cause infection or irritate the skin. If you have acne, they can even spread the acne bacteria around your face. And if the derma roller is not used correctly, you can scar your skin. If you use the derma roller often, the needles may become dull, which could also damage your skin.

We highly recommend avoiding microneedling at home. If you’re interested in obtaining the benefits of microneedling in a safe and clean environment, then book your appointment here. 

Makeup Microneedling

Another microneedling trend going around right now is makeup microneedling. The idea behind this one is that you microneedle makeup, particularly foundation, into your skin for a longer/semi-permanent makeup application. And we understand the desire to simplify your daily routines, but this is just NOT the way. 

Click here to see this trend in action.

Although it seems most people are using actual microneedling tools, this trend is still not Mint & Needle approved. There is a reason why makeup is designed to be worn throughout the day and removed at the end, girl! Most makeup contains ingredients that should NOT be inserted into deep levels of your skin. Microneedling makeup can cause skin inflammation, irreversible changes to skin pigmentation, and scarring. Also, because makeup isn’t sterile, this process could also cause bacterial infections. 

Please, please, please don’t try this trend. Sticking to applying makeup in the morning and removing it at night is still the best practice. 

DIY Fillers

For people who have seen the DIY fillers trend and have thought, “wow, that looks easy and cheap,” we are asking you to think again. DIYing fillers is a trend where people use hyaluron pens to place filler into their face and lips. 

Watch an example of this trend by clicking here. 

We get it, you want to get your desired services on a budget, but injecting your own fillers with a hyaluron pen can lead to so many complications, including rupturing blood vessels, scarring, infection, and possibly even permanent blindness. These complications can come from the tools not being sanitary and from a lack of training on injections. The face and lips have so many nerves that can be hit wrong! And the hyaluron pen isn’t FDA approved. We don’t recommend this tool, because you can’t really control the placement depth of the filler, meaning the filler could be placed on the wrong skin level, which can (you guessed it) lead to further complications. 

Ultimately, there is a BIG difference in getting injections from someone trained versus you buying a pen with unknown product and self administering with an unapproved dermal device. It’s best to trust professionals who are trained to use proper and sanitary equipment that is FDA approved. If you’re interested in a filler appointment, check out our services here.

Overly Complicated Skincare Routines

One trend that is super popular is people filming their super complicated skincare routines that have at least 10 or more steps that involve just as many products. 

Here’s an example of someone filming their routine. 

While this trend may not be as harmful or invasive as the previously mentioned ones, you should still be wary of them for a few reasons. The first reason is that it is very possible that these people are just inserting products into the video for product placement! They might be getting paid to include a product that they don’t actually use regularly. Another reason is that having so many steps is just not necessary. If you have high quality, select products, you don’t need to overflow your cabinet space or waste your money (and time) on all of these skincare items. And lastly, using so many products at once could cause irritation to your skin or just make them not effective. 

Rather than buying and using ALL of the things to establish a routine that will be difficult to stick to anyway, we recommend our skincare regimens that are based on common skincare concerns. We provide you with the exact steps to help you create a reasonable skincare routine that will give you the results you want. 

Sunscreen Contouring

The last trend we want to point out is sunscreen contouring. The concept behind this trend is that you apply sunscreen where you would normally apply highlighter and lighter foundation to keep that skin more pale, and leave parts of your face where you apply bronzer unprotected. This allows for what some are calling a “natural contouring,” which then allows you to skip some steps in the makeup application process once you get the results you are looking for. 

Check out this video so see what this trend looks like. 

Saying this is “natural” makes it sound like a healthy practice, but it can actually be quite harmful and have negative effects on your skin down the road. Just to be clear, we at Mint & Needle are ALL about that sunscreen life. Whether it is summer or winter, you can bet that we recommend SPF to be an essential part of your day skincare routine. With that being said, our red flags were waving wildly when we first heard of this trend. Why? Because NOT applying sunscreen to parts of your face means that those parts are very exposed to sun damage! And sun damage can lead to sunburn (of course), but also to wrinkles, sunspots, and even skin cancer (yikes). 

Personally, we wouldn’t want to risk trying this trend for some possible and short-lasting results. We’d rather protect and love our skin. To keep your skin looking young and protected from sun damage, we recommend our Hydrating UV Defense and Oil-Free UV Defense. 

If some TikTok trends seem too good to be true, there is a chance they may be just that. Make sure to always do your research before experimenting on your skin, and leave the invasive treatments to the professionals. Thanks for reading, minted beauties!