The skincare market offers an abundance of products that benefit the skin. However, TikTok users often aren’t satisfied until they can put their spin on a product or even create it themselves. Across the app, skincare has an accumulated total of 65B views. Whether it’s a traditional routine accredited by a dermatologist or a questionable craze, one thing’s for sure: the videos keep coming. Here are the skincare trends rising in popularity on TikTok, selected by BeautyMatter.
This month, face masks are the DIY go-to, now with a menstrual twist. Users are making the most of their cycle, adding period blood to their faces to achieve an extremely natural glow. The trend is what it says on the tin, And according to @sacredunveiling, a popular user affiliated with the craze, the mask adds moisture to the skin and aids in preventing blemishes while helping to connect with one’s femininity.
However, it seems that the trend has not risen to fame for its benefits, but instead due to how many disagree with this self-care practice. Several TikTok dermatologists, as well as everyday app users, have responded to those taking part, expressing their Discomfort. @Teawithmd, aka Dr. Joyce, a popular dermatologist on the app, created a video addressing the situation, pleading with her followers, “I beg of you do not use your period blood as a face mask; there is no way you ‘re collecting that blood in a sterile way.” The doctor then explains that doing so is potentially very harmful as sweat and bacteria live in menstrual blood, and the damage could be severe for those who may be unaware they have infections or STDs.
According to another dermatologist on the app, Dr. Karan Raj (@dr.karanr), using blood to achieve more youthful-looking skin originated centuries ago, in 1600, when Countess Elizabeth Báthory bathed in the blood of hundreds of women and girls she murdered to produce a younger look. Not surprisingly, there is little to no evidence that Countess Báthory’s methods worked, nor that using menstrual blood as a face mask reaps any benefits. However, it is suggested that if people wish to use their blood to soothe their skin, they should seek professional practices, such as platelet-rich plasma facials, that correctly extract beneficial elements of blood from the body.
