We've witnessed many questionable trends in 2021 and while the hunt for the perfected skincare ritual carries on, the internet continues to be filled with a plethora of beauty experiments (some good and some not). There's no doubt there will be plenty more skincare trends for us to debunk this year! While we may have our hands full weeding out the good skincare habits from the bad, we remain dedicated to helping you navigate this ever-evolving beauty space and will continue to recommend the best ways to achieve healthy, happy skin. So, we leave you with a list of the top 2021 trends that we're leaving behind and never looking back. Seriously, #3 needs to go!
#1 Salt Water Acne Cure
There isn't a fast way to "fix" acne and reduce sudden flare-ups, but in June of 2021, Tiktok user @leacrylics claimed that saltwater spray was the secret to a clear complexion. This viral trend caught the eyes of 4.5 million viewers, all of whom claimed it *actually* worked. The hack: @leacrylics suggests mixing sea salt with water and spraying it generously on the face to dry out the acne. Can it actually work? The short answer is sorta but something we seriously don't recommend, read all about it here. Sure, we'd love an acne quick-fix but believe us when we say that saltwater will not balance your pH levels and fix your acne. While the lack of science-backed benefits behind this trend speaks for itself, let it be known that we will be leaving this trend in 2021.
@leacrylics and this makes so much sense. sea salt is healing. #acne #clearskin #seasalt #fyp ♬ original sound - Leenis
#2 Massage Tools
To all of our gua sha and jade roller fanatics, this one is for you. Early in the year, we saw a surge in use of facial massage tools. Beauty influencers across the globe claimed that these tools were an excellent way to reshape your facial structure. And while we enjoy these tools for the depuffing and relaxing massage it gives us after a long day, no roller can or will ever be able to reshape your bone structure! Looking for something more legit? We always refer to our friends at MD Beauty Clinic and seek their professional recommendations. And when it comes to changing the shape of your face, dermal fillers and other state-of-the-art treatments would be a much sounder option. So, will we be using our massage tools in 2022? Probably, but for the right reasons! Continue reading all about it here.
@lnesse Now she is sculpted, snatched & radiant ⭐️ #skintransformation #guasha #guashafacial #skintok #beautytips #fyp #facialcontouring #foru #viralskincare ♬ Kali MMM MMM INSTRUMENTAL - Kali
#3 Skincare Contour
If there's a trend we would like to permanently unsee, it would be this one. If you know, you know. With nine months of bleak, cold winters, we understand the desire of a summer tan. We'll do everything and anything to savour it as long as possible. However, using SPF to contour your skin is not one of them. This TikTok trend went viral after tiktok user @shopiteli claimed that using SPF on the higher points of her face and laying out in the sun would create a "natural" and semi-permanent contour tan - see ya, bronzer! There are so many things wrong with this trend - Here's what we had to say about it. We're closing the chapter on this hack and never looking back!
@stopiteli I am convinced this works! #tutorial #contour #summer #lifehack #hack #beautyhack #snatched #tiktokwellness #hiddentalent ♬ original sound - Eli Withrow
#4 Dark Circles
We know that dark circles are a pretty common concern that we've all shared and thankfully, there are many great ways to treat them. For example, you can use high-quality skincare like our Eye Treatment, visit the team at MD Beauty Clinic for undereye filler or, simply embrace them in all their glory (you do you!). TikTokers, just like many things, turned this skincare annoyance into, well, an actual beauty trend. We can appreciate the intent of normalizing dark circles; We all have them! However, there are many *real* factors that can lead to their formation making this a more sensitive topic than you may think. Read all about it here.
@sarathefreeelf ♬ Greek Tragedy (Oliver Nelson TikTok Remix) - The Wombats
Social media is a great platform to share our knowledge with the world but some trends are just straight up weird and seriously questionable. Have you recently heard about an interesting trend? Let us know in the comments below and we may debunk it in our next blog.