Shaved eyebrows and sunscreen contouring? The TikTok trends to avoid

The mishmash that is TikTok has a plethora of beauty content: some of it good, some of it bad and some downright dangerous. Here, we take a look at some trends to be wary of.

Starting at the more benign end of the spectrum, shaved eyebrows are a thing. Yes, really. Inspired by celebrities including Kendall Jenner, Rosie Huntington-Whiteley and Zendaya embracing straight brows, TikTok devotees are shaving off their brows so that they can draw their arches on by hand.

Menstrual-cycle masks are also on the radar, with some users turning their period blood into a DIY face mask in the belief that micronutrients and stem cells in menstrual blood are beneficial for skin. Currently, videos with the hashtag #periodbloodfacemask have more than seven million views.

Experts say this practice is ineffective and may even be unsafe. According to dermatologist Dr Joyce Park, “The blood can easily be contaminated with microbes, [such as] bacteria or fungi, and that can spread to your skin. If you have sexually transmitted infections, you can also spread that to your facial skin by using contaminated period blood.”

And while we are in the vicinity, “vabbing” (vaginal dabbing), where using vaginal fluids as a form of perfume to attract potential partners, is also a trend.

High on the hard “no” list of TikTok trends is sunscreen contouring for the face, aka #sunscreencontour, which can not only damage exposed skin but could even lead to skin cancer. If you want to experiment with this trend, then turn to fake tan or use bronzer to contour your skin. Simple.

Even more unpalatable is tearing muscle tissue to create dimples. This began with the “dimple challenge” – just people showing off their dimples, which led to people drawing fake ones on and then capsized into mild self-mutilation. Apparently, if you rub the end of a pen on your cheek vigorously enough, it will cause the muscle tissue to break, leaving a small ridge. No!

If you think that’s outlandish, how about being your own dermatologist/plastic surgeon removing your own moles? Some TikTok “skinfluencers” are advising the uninitiated to burn moles off by applying acid. People, if you don’t like a mole, see a real dermatologist.

Lastly, a trend which isn’t dangerous but just seems completely useless. The lure of “false eye bags” is seeing users painting bags beneath their eyes using red or purple lipstick, like an under-eye eyeshadow, to mimic fatigue. Pass!

ASK STEPH

What is balayage?

Balayage is a hair-painting technique that creates natural-looking highlights and allows you to delay your touch-up at the salon. Among this year’s trends is the tiger eye, based on the semiprecious stone’s bronze, gold and dark-brown highlights. You can even have your colourist use pastels to create a rainbow effect.

Send questions via Instagram, @mrssdarling.

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