Five Reasons Why TikTok Skincare Routines Are Bad for Teens

 (And What to Do Instead) 

If you’ve been on TikTok for more than 30 seconds, you’ve seen it: a 13‑year‑old with a 17‑step skincare routine, $300 worth of products, and skin smoother than a glazed donut. The comments are filled with fire emojis, “drop the routine!!!,” and young girls wishing their own skin looked that beautiful. 

Welcome to the internet era of skincare, where trends move faster than hormones, and teens are being told they need exfoliating acids, anti‑aging serums, and “glass skin” before they even finish middle school. Behind the scenes are worried parents quietly Googling, “Can retinol ruin my child’s face?” Spoiler alert: TikTok skincare routines are not teen‑friendly. In fact, they can be confusing, damaging, expensive, and (ironically) make skin worse. Let’s break down five big reasons why these routines are a no‑go and what actually does work for teenage, hormonal skin. 

1. Teen Skin ≠ Adult Skin (No Matter What TikTok Says) 

First things first: teen skin is fragile. It’s still going through changes that people in their twenties and beyond aren’t. During puberty, hormones go absolutely wild. Oil production ramps up, pores can clog more easily, and breakouts appear seemingly overnight. This doesn’t mean teen skin is “bad”; this just means it’s reactive, sensitive, and learning how to regulate itself. The issue is that TikTok routines are usually created by adults with fully developed skin, or teens that have been influenced and don’t know any better (we’ll get to influencers in a bit). Adult skincare focuses on anti‑aging, collagen stimulation, cell turnover, and pigmentation correction. These are RARELY issues that tweens and teens struggle with! 

Instead, teen skincare should focus on barrier protection, oil balance, gentle exfoliation (or none at all), and education. Putting adult products on teen skin is like giving a learning driver a Formula 1 car. Technically impressive? Sure. A great idea? Absolutely not! 

2. The 12‑Step Routine Problem (a.k.a. Overdoing It) 

TikTok loves excess. More products. More steps. More drama! However, teen skin does best with less. Layering multiple serums, toners, exfoliants, masks, and actives can strip the skin barrier, causing redness, stinging, sensitivity, and MORE breakouts. Many teens end up in a cycle like this: 

Breakout appears 

Add strong product 

Skin freaks out 

Add another strong product 

Skin gets worse 

Panic, spiral, cry 

 (repeat, repeat, repeat...) 

Sound familiar? 

Trusting Tiktok trends often results in teens combining ingredients/products that don’t go together (causing more harm). Teen skin needs to be understood and supported with long-term solutions, not treated with short-term fixes.  

3. Trending Ingredients Are Not Always Teen‑Approved 

Let’s talk about the holy grail TikTok ingredients that show up everywhere, like retinol, glycolic acid, salicylic acid, vitamin C, and physical scrubs. While some of these can be used carefully with professional guidance, it is highly unlikely that your teen needs these ingredients in their routine. These products are generally more for adult skin concerns. Using unnecessary products can lead to burning, peeling, compromised skin barrier, long‑term sensitivity, and post‑inflammatory hyperpigmentation (especially in melanin‑rich skin). And no, “it tingles” is not a sign it’s working. That’s your skin politely screaming. 

When our estheticians make product recommendations for teen clients, they are not just choosing a product because it’s trending, and they don’t recommend the same thing for every client. Our esthis look at things like age, lifestyle (for example, do they play sports?), main skin concerns, skincare knowledge, and current skincare and makeup routine (if any). These are all things to discuss that would help an esthetician come up with a custom plan for your teen. Influencers, or “skinfluencers,” aren’t taking the time to do that, which can lead to a skincare routine that is not only ineffective, but also damaging. 

4. Filters + Professional Care Behind the Scenes= Unrealistic Expectations 

Let’s get real for a minute. A lot of TikTok skin content is filtered, heavily edited, and lit within an inch of its life. This creates unrealistic and unattainable skin goals. Also, a lot of skincare is promoted by influencers who aren’t transparent about the fact that they are also on prescription strength topicals or medications. While there is nothing wrong with that, the serum they are promoting isn’t the only thing contributing to their healthy skin. 

Teens grow up comparing their very real skin (pores, texture, breakouts and all) to a version of reality that does not exist. This can be very damaging to an already hormonal teen’s mindset. Good skincare should build confidence, not make someone feel like their face is a problem to solve. 

5. Skincare Without Education Is Just Guessing 

Here’s one of the biggest issues with TikTok routines: there’s no education behind them! You don’t know the credentials or education of someone on social media who is recommending a product. Dermatologist? Esthetician? Cosmetic Chemist? ... Or an influencer who gets paid if you click their link? 

No one explains the science behind these skin concerns or the products they’re promoting. Someone using skincare needs to learn what ingredients in their products actually do, how often to use those products, and (the least trendy thing) when to stop using something. Unfortunately, this means teens are left experimenting on their own faces, and often with expensive consequences. Skincare education is crucial, especially at this age. 

What Teen Skin Actually Needs 

Let’s simplify things. Teen skin thrives on: 

It does not need: 

Which brings us to the glow‑up that actually makes sense… 

Enter: Dandle’s Teen Facial (TikTok‑Approved? No. Teen‑Approved? Absolutely.) 

At Dandle, we created our 45‑minute Teen Facial specifically for developing skin instead of trends or sales. This treatment is all about bringing balance to your teen’s delicate skin while providing them with the resources to care for their skin properly and feel confident in themselves. 

In this facial, teens learn why they’re breaking out, how to cleanse properly, which products actually make sense at home, and what not to do (looking at youuu, TikTok). Most importantly, throughout the entire experience there will be no shaming. Your teen doesn’t have to hide behind a screen to get skincare advice, and they will leave feeling empowered with real results. That glow hits different yall! 

The Bottom Line

TikTok isn’t evil, but it is not a replacement for professional skincare guidance, especially for teens. Trends come and go. Hormones change. Algorithms don’t care about your skin barrier. If your teen is feeling confused, frustrated, or overwhelmed by skincare, or if their bathroom counter looks like a mini Sephora explosion, it might be time to log off and bring it back to basics. 

Dandle’s Teen Facial is here to protect developing skin by teaching good habits early and create a healthy relationship with skincare. We know good skin doesn't come from what makes us the most money, but it’s from doing what actually works. If you’re ready to give your teen real skincare support (minus the TikTok chaos), book our Teen Facial today and let the professionals handle the hormones!