Whether you realize it or not, you’re not the only place your clients are learning about skin care. Social media provides them with a steady flow of skin care advice, new trends and products – from professionals and non-professionals.

As the skintelligence experts, it is our job to be knowledgeable about these trends (good and not so good) so we can answer our clients’ questions and help educate them to make better choices for their skin health. This week’s post from Skin Inc, written by Cora Gold, discusses 7 trends your clients will probably be better off not knowing (or trying)!

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With the fast-paced nature of social media, new trends come and go constantly, especially in the skin care world. There’s always an influencer who preaches an amazing solution that sounds like it will fix all your skin concerns. However, many people don’t stop to question the person’s credentials before buying into skin trends that could actually be dangerous.

Certain skin care trends simply need to end since they cause more harm than good. Here are the viral skin care trends that need to stop in 2023 and that you should be warning your clients about.

1. DIY Skin Care

DIY projects are great when it comes to home improvements and fun crafts. When it comes to DIY skin care though, you shouldn’t put something you made in the kitchen on your face. Many factors go into creating a safe skin care formula, and making a DIY version can damage vulnerable skin and cause irritation.

2. Peel-Off Masks & Strips

Using peel-off masks and pore strips may be satisfying — you get to see everything that is removed from your pores. However, it is damaging to the skin on your face. Masks can remove the top layer of your skin and trap products that were in the mask in your pores.

Instead of getting smooth and glowing skin, you’re left with acne and irritation. Rather than getting a mask from the drugstore, invest in good products that don’t have ingredients that will strip the skin. You can also get a professional facial treatment that covers all your skin care needs to achieve your desired clean look.

3. Extreme Dieting

Although this is an indirect skin care trend, it must be mentioned. Specific diets ask you to cut out essential food groups and it can show on your skin. While foods with gluten, dairy and sugar can cause breakouts, extreme fad diets often go farther than necessary.

For example, cutting out all carbohydrates can cause you to miss out on vitamins that make your skin glow from the inside out. Some people cut fruit out of their diet, thinking that all sources of sugar are bad for their skin. Fruit is packed with vitamins to nourish your body. For example, mangos are rich in vitamins A, C and D, which play a role in keeping your skin healthy. They reduce inflammation, acne and texture while hydrating the skin. Any diet telling you to cut out healthy vitamins and minerals should be questioned.

4. Pore Vacuums

This trend became popular from viral videos showing pores getting cleared into a tiny vacuum-like device. Clogged pores are annoying, but a pore vacuum is not the answer and should be kept for professionals.

Using a pore vacuum can result in redness, bruising and broken blood vessels. It’s not worth making your skin worse only to get a couple of pores cleared, which will likely fill back up soon since the pores are enlarged. There are noninvasive options like exfoliating toners or professional chemical peels that work to decongest the skin without irritating it.

5. Sunscreen and Fake Tan Contouring

While this trend does use sunscreen, the most important step in any skin care routine, it misses out on the whole point of protecting your skin. This trend involves putting a high-level sunscreen on parts of your face to create a contoured effect after spending all day in the sun. It is supposed to create a natural contour look but done wrong it can damage your skin.

First of all, you might end up with some interesting tan lines on your face. Sun safety should be your top priority since it is the main cause of skin health issues and premature aging. Sunscreen should be applied to the entire face, not just small sections. It is best to stick with makeup for contouring.

Although you can put fake tan on your face, there are some reasons you might want to skip it. It can be challenging to get the correct contoured look without ending up with uneven lines on the face, and some products can break out your skin.

Related: Skin Cycling: Body Contouring with Spray Tans

6. Slugging

For people with dry skin, the skin care slugging trend seemed like the perfect solution to having hydrated and happy skin. Slugging is when you coat your face with a layer of petroleum jelly, which is said to lock in moisture. However, layering your skin with such a dense substance traps oil, debris and dead skin cells get trapped in your pores and cause breakouts.

Experts are split on whether the slugging trend is a good tactic or not. Changing the concept a little is best to avoid clogged pores and breakouts. Instead of using petroleum jelly, use a facial oil instead. It will give the same effect as locking in moisture, without trapping your skin, so it can’t breathe.

7. Essential Oils

Although essential oils are often a natural product, they are too concentrated to be applied to the skin. They can cause clogging and irritation if you have acne-prone and sensitive skin. It is best to stick with light moisturizers for your specific skin type.

Ditch the Trends

While the latest skin care trends online can seem fun and effective, they often cause more harm than good. Trying new trends that people who aren’t professionals recommend risks making your skin worse. Here’s hoping these viral trends die out in 2023.

Cora Gold is a beauty and skincare writer and the Editor-in-Chief of women’s lifestyle magazine, Revivalist.