Why TikTok's Multi-Step Skincare Trend Could Be Risky for Teens

The trend of “Sephora Kids” has taken TikTok by storm recently.

This trend of young children and teens using a multi-step skincare routine, often with expensive products, is not only unnecessary but can also be dangerous. 

Marlee Bruno, M.M.S., PA-C, founder of Mind Body & Soul Medical in Pensacola, FL, recently explained to The Blast why this TikTok trend can be dangerous and what skincare routine works best for pre-teens and teens.

The popular trend on TikTok of sharing “Get Ready With Me” videos while doing a skincare routine has grabbed the attention of millions, with many of them being pre-teens and teens. 

“Over the past six months, we have seen a troubling trend: a nearly 30% increase in adolescent clients, some as young as 11 years old, seeking treatment for facial rashes, irritation, and breakouts attributed to the premature use of extensive skincare routines with anti-aging ingredients meant for more mature skin,” Bruno, board-certified physician assistant, said. 

“Many of these popular multi-step regimens, which continue to go viral on social media with millions and millions of reviews, involve up to twelve steps and often contain unnecessary and potentially harmful ingredients for young, developing skin."

Practices such as these can damage the skin's natural barrier, which can in turn impair its ability to "defend against environmental stressors like UV radiation and pollution."

"It is crucial for us as a community to educate our youth on the importance of adopting a skincare routine tailored to their specific needs to prevent long-term skin damage," Bruno said.

Bruno recommends that if a teen or pre-teen has problem skin, such as acne, they should be seen by a professional to determine what’s best for their particular case and skin.

“What we’re seeing is that if they really have problem skin and they’re trying to go and do it themselves, they end up with scarring in their 30s and 40s and forever,” Bruno told The Blast exclusively. “So it’s a problem.”

Bruno explained that at a young age, a 12-step anti-aging regimen is not necessary at all but there are some products that they can use. 

“We always say a gentle cleanser. I actually really like Philosophy’s Gentle cleanser, and it’s a pretty big bottle for not too much money,” she shared. “And then a moisturizer with not very many active ingredients in it. So CeraVe is fine for a moisturizer. And then a sunscreen. But those are the only three steps that we tell these kids to do.”

And while many of these viral videos are showing multi-step regimens, up to 12 in some cases, Bruno said no one needs that many steps at any age. She said her anti-aging patients are really only using five steps in total.

To help teens get ready for back-to-school with clear skin, and to help combat the "Sephora Kids" trend, Mind Body & Soul Medical recently launched a 60-minute Teen Facial that's "specifically designed to safely address the unique hormonal skin care needs of adolescents."

The facial combines deep cleansing, gentle exfoliation, and nourishing ingredients that leave the skin feeling refreshed and glowing. The service also includes post-treatment professional guidance on age-appropriate skincare routines.

"Ingrid is our esthetician and she loves to assess the patient's exact skin," Bruno said. "The Teen Facial includes a gentle cleanser and exfoliator, and then depending on the skin, she will choose other ingredients. For instance, if they are acne-prone, she might use a benzoyl peroxide."

Even if you're not in the Pensacola area, you can still get the skin help you need via telehealth Zoom visits.

For more information, check out their website.

While it would be impossible to stop kids from watching skincare routine videos on TikTok, there are some that they can follow that could be helpful.

"They need to know who to follow on TikTok - actual medical providers, people in aesthetics, nurse practitioners, PAs, nurses, and dermatologists and physicians, rather than just your influencers," Bruno told The Blast.

A quick search on TikTok of "teenage skincare" shows that there are many videos by doctors, estheticians, and nurses sharing quality information about skincare.

Mind Body & Soul is on TikTok and shares videos about their services, as well as information about skincare in general.

The Blast reported on this trend back in January after a video talking about it went viral.

Natalia Herrera, a Sephora employee, shared a TikTok "Storytime" video to share an experience she had with a 10-year-old customer.

"These 10-year-old girls at Sephora are crazy, but what's crazier are the parents that aren't parenting," she said as she began her story. "So, the other day when I was working, we were kind of busy so the line was kind of long, and this little girl walks up to me and her basket is literally overflowing."

Herrera continued to share her story about how this young child was ready to spend nearly $1,000 on skincare products.

The video went viral with more than 35 million views and nearly 60,000 comments.