If you’ve been scrolling on TikTok or Instagram lately, you may have been exposed to some teen skincare myths that could be damaging to your skin.
Some “get ready with me” videos might look fun, but dermatologists are sounding the alarm. A recent study published in the journal Pediatrics found that teens are using an average of 11 potentially irritating ingredients and a maximum of 21 in their daily skincare routines—and many of these are making their skin worse, not better.
The researchers wrote: “Skin care regimens on TikTok are costly, infrequently include sunscreen, and often involve exposure to ingredients that carry a risk of irritation, allergic contact dermatitis, and sun sensitivity. They offer little to no benefit for the pediatric populations they are targeting.”
If you’re a teen dealing with sensitive skin, acne, or just trying to take good care of your complexion, it’s easy to fall for skincare myths that promise quick results. But the truth is, many popular trends could be damaging your skin’s protective barrier and causing more problems than they solve.
In this article, we bust some of the most common skincare myths so you can make smarter choices for your skin.
Teen Skincare Myths #1: Beef Tallow Will Clear Your Acne and Give You Glowing Skin
The Truth
This trend has teens rubbing beef fat on their faces with influencers claiming it’s a “natural” miracle ingredient that dermatologists don’t want you to know about. The hashtag #beeftallowskincare has racked up millions of views, but you need to think twice before you follow this trend.
Why It’s Harmful
Beef tallow is an animal fat high in oleic acid, a fatty acid that is comedogenic—meaning it clogs your pores. When you apply it to your face, it creates a thick seal over your skin that traps oil, dirt, and bacteria underneath. This creates the perfect environment for breakouts, blackheads, and acne flare-ups, especially if you already have oily or acne-prone skin.
While beef tallow may create a protective barrier on skin, it can also form a film that traps oils and bacteria. That, in turn, can lead to clogged pores and worsening acne.
What to Use Instead
If you’re looking for a gentle, effective moisturizer, skip the beef fat and choose our CV Skinlabs Calming Moisture. It’s clinically proven to hydrate and soothe sensitive skin without clogging pores. It contains powerful skin-repairing, ingredients like turmeric, alpha-bisabolol, and reishi mushroom that help calm inflammation and restore your skin’s natural barrier.
If you are looking for a rich balm moisturizer that provides super moisturizing, consider our Restorative Skin Balm. It’s a deeply regenerative balm that creates a breathable barrier to lock in moisture. It softens, repairs, and protects skin without clogging pores, plus, it’s suitable for sensitive and acne-prone skin.
Myth #2: More Acids and Exfoliants = Better Skin
The Truth
Alpha and beta hydroxy acids (AHAs and BHAs) and other chemical exfoliants are everywhere in skin care right now. These ingredients can help even out skin tone in adults, but teens are often overdoing it—sometimes using the same acid in multiple products without realizing it.
Why It’s Harmful
Overusing acids strips away your skin’s protective barrier, making it more vulnerable to irritation, redness, dryness, breakouts, and sun damage. Teen skin is already thinner and more permeable than adult skin, so it’s especially vulnerable to these harsh ingredients. Using too many too often can leave skin even more sensitive than before.
What to Use Instead
For gentle exfoliation without the damage, focus on a simple routine. Cleanse your face with a gentle, non-stripping cleanser, and use a soft skin brush if you like to get out all the dirt and oil and carefully slough away any dead skin cells. Healthy teen skin doesn’t need aggressive treatments.
Use a toner afterwards, like our pH-balanced Rescue & Relief Spray. It will help balance skin, calming any redness or irritation, while helping restore the skin barrier.
Teen Skincare Myth #3: Skip Moisturizer to Clear Up Acne
The Truth
Teens often think that moisturizer is the same as grease and will cause more pimples, so skipping it sounds like a good thing for acne. But the truth is that moisturizer isn’t the enemy.
Why It’s Harmful
Often, it’s the lack of moisture that causes the skin to over-compensate by producing even more oil. A weakened barrier can lead to more bacteria, increased oil output, and increased acne. For sensitive skin in particular, skipping moisturizer is a mistake.
What to Use Instead
Even if skin is oily, it still needs a light, non-comedogenic, fragrance-free moisturizer. Choose something labeled for “sensitive skin” or “non-comedogenic,” and preferably without essential oils.
Our Calming Moisture supports barrier repair and is clinically proven to be safe for sensitive and acne-prone skin. Not only is it a great moisturizer, it has a major glow factor. It will leave your skin looking radiant, healthy, and glowy.
Myth #4: Fragrant Sheet Masks Are a Treat for Your Skin
The Truth
Sheet masks are really popular on social media, and they seem like an easy way to pamper yourself. Many of them come in cute packaging and smell amazing. They feel relaxing and luxurious, which is why teens love them. But those fragrances can cause serious issues for sensitive skin.
Why It’s Harmful
Fragrance is one of the most common causes of allergic reactions and skin irritation, particularly for those with sensitive skin. “Fragrance” on an ingredient list can represent a mix of dozens or even hundreds of chemicals, and companies don’t have to tell you what they are.
When you put a mask on your face for 15-20 minutes, you’re essentially soaking your skin in potential irritants. This can trigger contact dermatitis (an itchy, red rash), cause your skin to become sensitized over time, and damage your skin barrier. You may not react the first time, but maybe with the fifth, tenth, or even 20th mask, things can change.
What to Use Instead
If you want to give your skin some extra TLC, choose fragrance-free products. CV Skinlabs Rescue + Relief Spray is a perfect option for when your skin needs quick, soothing relief. It’s a fragrance-free, gentle mist that you can use anytime your skin feels irritated, dry, or uncomfortable.
If fragrance triggered an outbreak, try a couple of spritzes of Rescue + Relief Spray to help calm and soothe any allergic reactions, eczema flare-ups, rosacea flushes, or acne breakouts.
Teen Skincare Myth #5: DIY Skincare Remedies from TikTok are Natural and Safe
The Truth
Social media is full of DIY skincare hacks that promise amazing results using “natural” ingredients from your kitchen, like lemon juice for dark spots, baking soda scrubs for exfoliation, toothpaste for pimples, or cinnamon masks for glowing skin.
Why It’s Harmful
Many common household ingredients have the wrong pH for your skin or are simply too harsh for facial use.
- Lemon juice: It’s extremely acidic and can cause chemical burns, severe irritation, and make your skin photosensitive, meaning you’ll burn more easily in the sun, giving you more dark spots, not less.
- Baking soda: This is like the opposite of lemon juice—very alkaline. It disrupts your skin’s natural acid mantle, damages the skin barrier, and can cause irritation, dryness, and increased sensitivity.
- Toothpaste: It often contains ingredients like menthol, alcohol, and baking soda that are too harsh for facial skin. It may dry out a pimple, but it can also cause irritation, burns, and dark marks.
- Cinnamon: It can cause severe allergic reactions in some people, and may leave behind burns and irritation.
What to Use Instead
Stick with products that have been professionally formulated, tested, and proven safe for facial use. CV Skinlabs Restorative Skin Balm is a great multi-purpose balm for spot-treating dry areas, plus it doubles as a soothing lip balm. Avoid raw kitchen ingredients on your face and avoid layering untested oil/hacks on school skin.
Teen Skincare Myths: Stick to a Simple Teen-Safe Routine
Instead of following every trendy hack, it’s best to stick with a safe, gentle daily skincare routine that helps your young skin look its best.
- Morning: Cleanse with a gentle, fragrance-free cleanser, then follow with a pore-friendly toner like our Rescue + Relief spray, and finally our Calming Moisture for all-day radiance.
- Evening: Use a gentle cleanser with a soft skin brush to get your skin clean, then follow with toner and moisturizer.
- Weekly (optional): Use one gentle, fragrance-free exfoliant mask if your skin tolerates it. Otherwise, skip this step.
- Avoid: Layering multiple acids, skipping moisturizer, or using heavy DIY balms like raw beef tallow on acne-prone skin.
- Watch for signs your barrier is stressed: If your skin feels tight, stings after applying a product, shows redness easily, suffers from breakout spikes or displays increased sensitivity, that means your skin barrier is stressed out. Scale back your skin care and stick to the basics to allow it to heal. If you notice itching, redness, or other signs of irritation, CV Skinlabs products can help soothe, calm inflammation, and restore your skin barrier health and radiance.
What’s one skincare trend you’ve tried that made your skin feel weird or irritated?
Featured image by cottonbro studio via Pexels.
