TIKTOK BEAUTY HACKS – THE WEIRD, USELESS AND DOWNRIGHT DANGEROUS

AhhH social media, the place where everything appears believable, all seems possible, and sometimes people will quite literally try ANYTHING!  

We consumers have always been on the hunt for a hint, trick or tip that’s going to make our lives that little bit easier, and then along came TikTok to revolutionise the world of beauty hacks!

But is erection cream really the next lip plumper and will garlic cloves actually relieve sinus pain, or are hundreds of consumers putting their health at risk with these bizarre beauty tips?

Here is a countdown of our dubious TikTok beauty hack highlights…

GARLIC NOSE

Not strictly beauty, but this ‘wellness hack’ by Rozaline Katherine gained millions of views for apparently helping clear out your sinus by stuffing garlic cloves up each nostril for 15 mins, which when removed, causes your nose to run.  Experts were quick to advise against this hack; not only is there the possibility of things getting stuck where they shouldn’t, but the reason your nose runs so extremely is because the garlic cloves irritate the nasal lining...Best to stick to vapor rubs to clear sinus’ we think!

VAGINAL STEAMING

Another trend that has gained millions of views advises women that squatting over hot water mixed with herbs will improve the smell of your vagina and fertility. As pointed out by Cosmo, Vagina’s are self-cleaning organs that do their own thing, and this steaming practice will upset the delicate PH balance. It definitely cannot help with fertility issues…so lets leave steaming to facials!

GLYCOLIC ACID DEODORANT

A much-loved ingredient for smooth and glowing skin, but what is it doing under our pits I hear you ask?! The hashtag #glycolicacidasdeodorant has racked up over 5.3 million views on TikTok for apparently preventing body odour, stopping sweating & reducing pigmentation.         

But is there any science to back up these Tiktokers’ fresh pits claims? Well, Glycolic acid is said to lower the pH of the underarm, creating an inhospitable environment for odour-causing bacteria. However, Refinery 29 explains that this hasn’t been substantiated, and water from sweat will neutralise glycolic acid which reduces any benefits.

We know that Glycolic Acid is effective at reducing pigmentation when used 2-3 per times per week on our face. However, we also know that it’s not usually recommended for sensitive skin. So considering the sensitive nature of our pits, there’s likely to be other products designed for underarm odour which may be more suitable than glycolic acid!  

With mixed reviews, and concern around suitability, efficacy and safety, we think there are more effective ways of naturally deodorising our armpits….Plus, the tingle on our face can be irritating enough, let alone that sensation on our underarms!

SUNSCREEN CONTOUR

It’s safe to say that we’re a generation obsessed with sunscreen! And, as if the beauty world wasn’t outraged enough by Gwyneth Paltrow's sunscreen tips, sunscreen contour became another application method to polarise consumers.

Beyonce’s makeup artist first suggested the method in 2016, and this later took off thanks to Eli Withrow when she shared her ‘naturally snatched’ look. This consisted of using SPF50 on the highlights of her face to block more UV rays, and SPF 30 on the shadows of her face, therefore allowing a deeper tan to develop. In theory, creating a ‘naturally’ contoured look.

The technique assumes that you can control the sun’s exposure through varying SPF levels, which is highly unlikely considering that all areas of the face will be exposed to different levels of sunlight. Instead, the method will probably result in a patchy tan and sunburn.

Also, and more importantly, there is no such thing as a healthy tan! Byrdie reminds us that exposing skin to more UV will help us age faster, expose to radiation more, and sacrifice to skin cancer. Therefore it’s important to follow expert advice when it comes to sunscreen application and avoid any ‘hacks’ which suggest using them differently to recommended….best to stick to the cream contour method.

While this has been a quick look into the potential dangers of misinformation, it doesn’t detract from how influential Tiktok has become in the world of beauty. Even Refinery 29 have a dedicated series all about tiktok hacks called Beauty In A Tik, where each week editors put TikTok's viral beauty hacks and innovative trends to the test.

As trends and hacks become a bigger part of our relationship with beauty, consumers have loved discovering new beauty tips on TikTok that really works for them. However, we think this will increasingly be balanced by education from trusted professionals to help filter out the positive from the negative advice.

THE BEAUTY BRAND COACH