Are social media influencers overcomplicating skincare? One dermatologist says 'Keep it simple'

There always seems to be someone on TikTok, YouTube or Instagram showing you a multistep skincare routine they swear by. They might use expensive products that allegedly hydrate your skin or help reduce fine lines. But is any of it necessary? And does any of it work?

Many of us have a daily beauty routine and invest in beauty products that promise to keep us young and beautiful.

Dermatologists say a skincare routine should start with three things — a gentle cleanser, a moisturizer to hydrate the face and a sunscreen with at least SPF 30.

Too many products can irritate sensitive skin and be repetitive, since many products share the same ingredients.

But protecting your face from the sun is key.

Kathleen Suozzi, a professor of dermatology at Yale School of Medicine, says many skin issues like wrinkles, dark pigmentation after a rash and dark scarring from acne are made worse by the sun.

"All of us are susceptible to the effects of UVA and UVB which causes damage and not just skin cancer risk but photo-aging.”

Wrinkles happen

Wrinkles happen. And your skin over time can look less plump and glowing.

Retinol creams and chemical exfoliants are sold with the promise of keeping aging at bay.

Some are recommended by dermatologists — but there are also some exceptions.

As we get older, our skin slows down its production of collagen, which keeps our skin bouncy and elastic.

That leads to wrinkles. Retinoids and retinol creams can help, says Suozzi, but she recommends not using them until you are about 30 or older. Any earlier could cause more problems than they fix, like skin irritation.

"As you get older, most patient will benefit from retinoids in their regimen. But for very young patients, unless you have acne, they should be avoided.”

More expensive doesn't equate with more effective adds Suozzi:

"I am the biggest fan of a budget skin care routine. I tell my patients you don’t need to go to a department store and have a huge budget on your skin care. You just need these few key ingredients that are high quality.”

"There’s a lot of pseudoscience in skincare. And when we talk about skincare, most of these things that are over the counter are really not FDA-regulated. And so their claims can be made that really have very little basis for them. And so this is why trends can become perpetuated,” she says.

Be gentle and keep it simple

The skin on our face is thinner than the skin on our bodies, and requires a gentler touch than other parts of the body.

Everyone's skin is different, too: The soaps or cleansers that work for someone with oily skin may not satisfy someone with dry skin.

Influencers try to get you excited by trendy skincare ideas — but dermatologists say the key to good skin care is to keep it simple.

"Social media is having such a huge influence on what we’re using in our skin and every individual is acting like their own clinician and trying to diagnose their own skin type and experiment with different regimens,” says Suozzi, “and really the main overarching thing is that skincare regimens have become way overcomplicated.”

Some dermatologists say that even though many viral skincare products are unnecessary, some of them cause little to no harm and it’s ok to use them if they just feel nice.