7 Skin Tips To Follow Despite What Social Media Says

Let’s face it, skincare has become all the rage the past few months. Everyday, there’s a new skincare product or routine that someone is talking about. With the recent state of events, everyone’s been spending countless hours scrolling on Instagram and Twitter constantly consuming new information. This also has resulted in a lot of people creating content, such as reviewing products, making Tik Tok videos, and sharing skincare routines. But just like you tell your mom, you shouldn’t believe everything you read on the internet, yes I’m talking about those COVID-19 memes on Facebook and WhatsApp message threads. To save ourselves from harming our skin, I debunked some popular trends I’ve been seeing on my feed. Here are some skincare tips to follow despite what your social media timeline says:

1. No Peel-Off Masks

I know that they’re fun to watch but admit it! Those things HURT to take off and leave you feeling a little raw. These types of peel-off masks are often formulated with ingredients used in Elmer’s glue, which are irritants. Plus, any nutritional value your skin would have gotten from the peel-off dissolves from the glue substance. If you won’t take my word for it, follow LABeautyologist on Twitter & Instagram, a licensed esthetician who actively speaks out against peel-off masks.

There are certain rubber peel-off masks, such as the Hydrojelly mask, used by professionals that are perfectly safe. However, avoid the store-bought peel-offs that dry on thin and paper-like, especially if you have dry and/or sensitive skin.

2. Be Sanitary, AKA don’t put droppers directly on the skin

This is another trend that I see all the time on tutorials. Placing droppers directly onto the skin is fun…but it’s also very unsanitary. Drop the product into your hand (with no contact) and then spread the product with your fingers. This will also help how control how much product you use. 

3. Avoid Daily Treatments

I often see influencers use active treatments several times a week, sometimes even daily. Overusing these types of treatments, especially exfoliating masks, can irritate your skin and breakdown your moisture barrier. Consult the product instructions if you’re not sure how often you should use it.

4. Keep a Consistent Routine

Influencers are sent a lot of products to test out regularly, so they often switch up their routines. But if you’re buying a new product and want to accurately assess the effect of it on your skin, you should use that product consistently for at least 3 weeks. Of course, if you have an allergic reaction, this doesn’t apply.

5. Focus on ingredients, NOT trends

When you’re on social media, don’t buy skin products just to stay on trend. Everyone has different needs to tend to. For example, I love anything with rose, squalene, and hemp oil, so I know to look for those in the ingredients lists, even if they’re not in the main product description. Trends come and go, but ingredients that complement your skin type and concerns are forever!

6. Beware of FaceTune

Not only is photoshopping an extremely common practice among influencers but it’s also become extremely accessible and easy to use. So remember not to beat yourself up for not having perfectly glass skin. A little texture and pores is normal, healthy, and beautiful!

7. Less is More

I love watching influencers doing their skincare and makeup routines (especially @nikkissecretsx on Instagram), but one thing that I see so often is people using way more product than necessary, especially for cleansers. Not only is this extremely wasteful, but there are some products (notably masks) that work better with just a light layer. I suggest using a little product at first then building up if you need more.

Although there is a lot of misinformation on social media, we can’t forget that there is valuable and accurate information being shared online for free. Anytime you’re consulting social media for professional advice, always try to follow people who are licensed or are otherwise qualified in their field. If you’re wanting a second opinion on skincare products, you’re in luck! There are so many professionals on social media giving out valuable advice and product recommendations at no cost! Check out some of my favorite social media accounts to follow for skincare advice:

Sean Garrette (@sgarretteskin on Twitter, @seangarrette on Instagram):  Anytime I want to buy a new product, I check Sean’s Instagram highlights and posts first for guidance. It’s a great source of knowledge on a wide variety of products. He has a lot of in-depth reviews and even provides a lot of educational tips in his highlights. Plus, he has dry/combo skin, so I have found his recommendations have really worked for my dry skin! A must-follow!

Nayamka Roberts-Smith (@labeautyologist on Instagram and Twitter, TheGoldenRx on YouTube): The original skincare queen! Nai first popularized the #60SecondRule for cleansing, which gives your skin a deeper clean and a brighter glow! Plus, Nai actively busts skincare myths and provides a lot of tips to upgrade your routine. This past week, she posted her latest YouTube video on the benefits of oil cleansing.

Tiara Willis (@MakeupForWOC on Twitter, @makeupforwomenofcolor on Instagram): Tiara has a lot of threads and tweets about specific ingredients and ways to make your skincare routine more effective. She’s also super accessible and answers a lot of questions that are tweeted at her. Also, she will make sure you are reapplying sunscreen every 2 hours! Of course, Tiara still posts a lot about new makeup products, in addition to skincare.

Melanin Moi (@melaninmoi on Twitter and Instagram, MelaninMoi.com): Shameless plug! Follow #MelaninMoiTip on Instagram to stay up to date with tips and helpful techniques so that you can achieve you hair, skin, and makeup goals. Also, check out the coupon codes on our website for some exclusive deals on hot brands!