By The Skin Edit Team
In 2025’s social media swirl, it’s all too easy to get swept up in viral “skin hacks.” From beef tallow moisturisers to DIY chemical peels, TikTok and Instagram are brimming with trends promising miracle results. But are these fads actually good for your skin? Spoiler alert: usually not. Here we shine a light on some popular online beauty trends that it girls are trying – and explain why the professionals urge caution. It’s time to separate skincare fact from filter.
The Beef Tallow Trend – Not the Holy Grail: Perhaps the most talked-about fad is using beef tallow (yes, rendered beef fat) as a “natural” moisturiser. Influencers tout it as an ancestral cure-all for acne and dryness. While tallow does contain vitamins and can act as an emollient, dermatologists are raising eyebrows. In fact, experts report that slathering heavy animal fat on your face can backfire, clogging pores and actually increasing breakouts and moisture loss. It’s also far from a luxurious experience (the term “smelling a little beefy” has been used un-ironically). The truth is, modern science offers far more elegant solutions. We love our science-backed moisturisers at The Skin Edit. As Dr. Cara McDonald, an Australian dermatologist, notes: just because something is “natural” doesn’t mean it’s better – many natural ingredients can irritate skin, and even beef tallow has to be chemically processed to be usable (mamamia.com.au). In short, don’t toss your professionally formulated creams for kitchen concoctions.
Sunscreen Contouring – A Dangerous “Glowing” Trick: Another alarming trend is sunscreen contouring, where creators apply SPF in strategic stripes to intentionally let other areas burn or tan, supposedly to sculpt the face. Yikes! This is essentially playing with fire (or UV rays). We, including other skin experts and dermatologists worldwide give this a giant thumbs down. Intentionally leaving parts of your face unprotected accelerates photoaging and boosts skin cancer risk. Remember: there’s no such thing as a “safe” tan – any tan is a sign of skin cell trauma (cancer.org.au). The only contour we endorse is with bronzer or a professional spray tan, not sun damage. The chicest look is healthy, protected skin. Australia has one of the highest skin cancer rates globally, so we simply can’t afford these careless fads (9news.com.au).
DIY Mole Removal and At-Home Injectables – Just Don’t: Viral videos of people snipping off moles or skin tags at home and even injecting their own lip fillers make professionals cringe (and not in a cute “oh no!” way). These DIY “treatments” carry huge risks: infection, scarring, or worse. A mole that looks cosmetically annoying to you could be a sign of melanoma – remove it improperly and you might delay life-saving diagnosis. Likewise, facial injections are medical procedures; hitting a blood vessel with dermal filler could cause tissue death or blindness. No viral trend is worth risking your health. Dermatologists, Doctors and Cosmetic Nurses worldwide unanimously agree that such procedures should only be done by licensed health professionals, no exceptions! The allure of a quick fix at home is strong, but trust us, gorgeous skin is a marathon, not a TikTok sprint.
Misinformation Overload – Trust the Experts: It’s not just DIY hacks – social media is flooded with sketchy skincare “advice” (think: “Sunscreen gave me cancer” conspiracies or lemon-juice acne cures). In fact, a recent study noted a spike in online sunscreen misinformation and Aussie experts are so concerned that campaigns have been launched to “End the Trend” of harmful skin myths (9news.com.au). The bottom line: If a trend promises miraculous results with no downside, be skeptical. Your favorite influencer may have glowing skin, but remember you’re seeing a curated snippet of their life – and possibly a beauty filter. When in doubt, turn to those with credentials: dermal therapists, dermatologists, cosmetic nurses. At The Skin Edit, our team spends years training and stays on top of real research to offer advice you can trust.
The Professional Verdict – Science Wins, Every Time: While some viral tips are benign, many do more harm than good. Instead of hopping on every TikTok bandwagon, build your routine on proven basics (gentle cleanser, quality serum, SPF – we’ve got you covered with the good stuff). Enjoy social media for entertainment, but take the “skinfluencer” gospel with a grain of salt (or better yet, a consult with an expert). As our founder Amy Tremain has said, “Social media is saturated with uneducated advice and misleading marketing. We cut through the noise with science-backed treatments and client education (theskinedit.au.)”
In other words: glamour trends come and go, but healthy, radiant skin will always be in vogue. Trust the professionals, and your skin will thank you – today, tomorrow, and 20 years from now.
Sources: Beef tallow trend can clog pores healthline.com; “Natural” isn’t always safervmamamia.com.au; Sunscreen contouring risks naplesdermatologyandskincancer.comcancer.org.au; High skin cancer rates in Australia 9news.com.au; Dermatologists warn against DIY injections naplesdermatologyandskincancer.com; Campaign to combat skin myths 9news.com.au; Amy Tremain on misinformation theskinedit.au.
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