How “Clear” is Social Media about Skincare?

Navigating a Very Clogged and Overwhelming Part of Lifestyle Media

by Lea Tran

Graphic by Ashley La

“Top Products You Need for Glass Skin!” “What Skincare People in Korea Are Really Using!” “Stop Buying Unnecessary Skin Care Products!” These are all typical headlines I see on my social media feed, whether or not I’m looking for skincare news. 

The pandemic brought a large wave of interest to the skincare industry with people using skincare as a form of self-care during a very hectic time. In addition, people now had the time to research and think about the types of products they were putting on their skin. With all the noise, it became difficult to distinguish which products are marketed towards certain skin types and age groups. A common pattern was a product or skincare practice gaining a lot of hype then within the next few weeks, dozens of people would warn others not to purchase the same products.

According to NPR’s Short Wave, “Some dermatologists like Carol Cheng say young kids' attempts to achieve the "glass skin" look can backfire, causing irritated, red, peeling, flaking or burning skin.” 

So how do we navigate skin care practices on social media?

I’ve gone through the clear skin phase and I’ve also gone through the bad acne phase. However, it wasn’t until college I really started to reconsider my skincare routine. I started to look to social media for skincare advice. Although I had a lot of anxiety about relying on strangers for advice, I realized social media could be a foundation for learning about new things.

One practice I’ve adopted from social media was “double cleansing:” using an oil-based cleanser first and then a water-based cleanser. People claimed it was a good way to get rid of dirt and impurities that may be stuck in the pores.

At first, I was skeptical. The thought of putting oil on my face made me think I would break out. Even though most of the people promoting the practice looked like they did have clear skin, not everything on social media is real or necessarily reliable.

However, the idea of double cleansing sparked my interest and as I acclimated to college life, I wanted to change my routine. I asked my friends and family what they thought of the practice and used their opinions to help with my decision. It was ultimately my sister who suggested that double cleansing could be good for me.

Once again I took to social media to find a range of oil-based cleansers. From this deep dive, I developed a list of products I was willing to try and went to my local beauty shop and asked for their opinions. After answering some questions about my skin type and living conditions, I finally decided on one oil-based cleanser I was going to add to my daily skincare routine.

I’ve been practicing double-cleansing for almost four months now and I do feel the difference. I can visibly see the dirt coming out from my pores when washing my face and my skin does look a bit brighter.

Although this change was not instantaneous, it took a few weeks for my skin to adapt to the new product and within this time I did breakout slightly. However, I did more research online and all sources suggested that this was normal which allowed me to stick with the routine and get to the point where I am now.

My lesson learned is that social media has become a platform to sell. People want you to feel you have to buy everything to be the perfect person. Although always trusting social media should be met with hesitation, I still believe it could be a good starting point for basic research on a skincare product or practice. 

Breaking through this skincare anxiety barrier also came with talking to the people present in my life. My tip is to use social media as a starting point but not blindly rely on it for skincare tips or general wellness ad