TikTok hacks are always a mixed bag. Some of them are downright genius — like Huda Beauty Founder Huda Kattan's cotton swab lipstick hack and the "Zick Zack Mascara" Method — while others, we're sorry to say, are just plain ridiculous (and sometimes downright dangerous). That being said, we've rounded up a list of some of the app's craziest viral beauty hacks so you don't have to go digging through the clock app to find them.
Trust us, we've been keeping a close eye on the latest TikTok hacks all year long. Oh, and if any of these hacks are tempting you in the slightest to try them out, we highly recommend not giving most of them a try, especially because the experts told us so. Now, without further ado, here are 10 of 2021's most unbelievable beauty and hacks. Thanks, TikTok.
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Picture this: a liquid tonic that promises to clear all of your acne. The stuff of dermatologists' and cosmetic chemists' dreams, right? In the spring of 2021, many of the app's users claimed that they hit an acne-clearing gold mine when adding tinctures of liquid chlorophyll to their water. TikTok user @ellietaylor929 was one of many of the app's creators who shared their success story with this DIY concoction, claiming that it improved "her skin's texture and redness."
Board-certified dermatologists such as Dhaval G. Bhanusali, M.D., on the other hand, aren't entirely convinced by liquid chlorophyll's acne-alleviating benefits. "There are small trials that show benefits in treating acne. While research is very limited, it is certainly promising," Bhanusali previously told Allure.
TL;DR: TikTok users have been guzzling this green stuff all year long, but the science is still out on whether or not it actually works.
Not to worry, there's no blood or menstrual cycles involved in this TikTok hack. It went viral for one obvious reason: no one ever uses a tampon to remove their nail polish. One TikTok user completely changed the game after sharing a video of herself soaking the cotton tip of a tampon with nail polish remover. It's not really any different than using just a regular cotton ball or swab. The only difference is that a Tampon's plastic applicator can shield the skin on your hands from acetone and other nail polish removers. While it's certainly a handy trick, we wouldn't blame you if you wanted to save your tampons for, you know, your actual period.
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The stuff of sexy time — aka lube — has no place on your face. I repeat: lube does not belong on your face! In October, TikTok creators thought otherwise and decided to use the liquid strictly designed for sexual intercourse as a makeup primer.
One user on the app, Sean Anthony, documented his experience of mixing some foundation with a lubricant by Durex. The automated voice in Anthony's video sang its praises for lube as a makeup primer, noting that "[lube] makes it glide extra smooth… makes your base flawless and fresh." Using lube as a primer may help make you look sexy for the camera, but Connecticut-based board-certified dermatologist Mona Gohara, M.D., says the side effects aren't sexy at all.
"Unless the lube you are using is Vaseline, don't mix your sex and makeup accessories," Gohara told Allure in October of 2021. "Popular lube ingredients such as nonoxynol-9, propylene glycol, and fragrance will, sure enough, slide your face right into acne, redness, or full-blown irritation." Therefore, it's best to keep that bottle of lube in your bedside drawer rather than on your bathroom countertop.
You should never be giving yourself lip service or any kind of aesthetic rejuvenation at home. Period. Hyaluron pens have gripped the attention of TikTok users around the country for their supposed potential to inject your lips, jawline, or nose with hyaluronic acid in the comfort of your own home. You can learn more about out why TikTokers have been enamored with the DIY filler pen by watching this video. At the advisory of the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), no one should be purchasing a hyaluron pen due to the fact that they can cause "bleeding or bruising; infection with bacteria, fungus, or virus from the filler or needle-free device," among several other side effects, including death. Don't try at this home. Ever.
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We appreciate the creativity with this foundation blending hack, but is it really necessary? Even though TikTok user @avonnasunshine said the face roller helped her to achieve fuller coverage, TikTok creators Rissa and Amanda Frisch both agreed that applying your foundation with a face roller takes a long time (like, too long) to blend. According to board-certified dermatologist Jeannette Graf, M.D., as long as you clean the roller before and after use with antibacterial soap, there's no harm in giving this hack a try. Clever? Yes. Helpful for every day? Not so much.
We've got another too-good-to-be-true acne cure, y'all: sea salt spray. TikTok user @aubyrnjadeart's acne-clearing success story follows the classic plotline of any fairytale. First, we've got the problem: she "tried everything to cure [her acne]." Then, a knight in shining armor, a DIY spray consisting of sea salt and water, suddenly comes in and rids her face of all its acne.
Shari Marchbein, M.D., a board-certified dermatologist based in New York, previously told Allure that DIY skin remedies are always an absolute no-go in her book. "Sea salt water at best may help with mild skin inflammation and redness; I certainly do not consider this a viable treatment for acne nor would I recommend it," she said. "I worry that those who do use this as treatment may end up delaying proper care from a board-certified dermatologist and get additional hyperpigmentation and potentially scarring as a result."
The bottom line? Don't play cosmetic chemist at home, please.
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It's fair to say that most of us like to take things into our own hands, but when it comes to cutting your hair, it's best to leave it to the pros. So when hairstylists Takisha Sturdivant-Drew and Erickson Arrunategui saw TikTok users like @fatvegana attempting to give themselves a shag haircut, they immediately gave their stamp of disapproval. In fact, Sturdivant-Drew said many of the app's users weren't even creating the exact style of shag haircut they were aiming for. "I see [people] cutting the ends trying to create some kind of shape or just get clean ends in some sort of a style," she told Allure in May of 2021. Arrunategui agrees that cutting your hair by yourself isn't the way to go and said that the DIY method may only work best on "wavy and fine hair [types]."
We're just gonna lay it out here right now: you should absolutely not be purchasing a plasma pen in hopes of achieving "firmer and tighter" skin. If you're not familiar with the plasma pen, you can take a look at all the TikTok videos with the hashtag #plasmapen right here.
According to New York City-based board-certified plastic surgeon, Lara Devgan, M.D., the risks associated with using this pen are quite serious. Devgan previously told Allure that inflicting pain on the skin with this device "[denatures] its proteins," in turn, causing the skin to lose its "suppleness." Devgan says using this tool "also poses a risk of creating scars and pitting."
Even more worrisome is that plasma pens aren't even monitored by the FDA. "You have no real assurances that the product meets the advertised specifications or is usable in a safe way," Alex R. Thiersch, an attorney for the aesthetics industry and the founder of the American Med Spa Association, previously told Allure.
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Let's be real: we've all struggled to draw that perfect cat-eye. Getting them to look identical is a whole other story, though. TikTok users like @parkerlriley seemed to have resolved both of these eyeliner application issues by dragging out their eyeliner with press-on nails.
Using press-on nails to draw a wing does come with some not-so-pretty side effects, which can include "wrinkles around the eyes, sagging skin, and even asymmetric droopy eyelids, [a condition known as ptosis]," Ashley Brissette, M.D., an ophthalmologist and clinical spokesperson for the American Academy of Ophthalmology, told Allure in October of 2021.
Contracting an eye infection such as pink eye after using the press-on nail is also fair game seeing as Brissette said that press-on nails tend to carry a lot of bacteria. So, with all the potential side effects, is using a press-on nail to get a flawless cat-eye worth it? We wouldn't say so.
More isn't always better. Well, TikTok creator @meredithduxbury sure thinks so. The creator has made her mark on BeautyTok with her excessive liquid foundation routine. She begins by slathering a large amount of foundation onto the back of her hand, followed by dabbing the foundation onto her face with a makeup brush. The real kicker is the final step of her technique: she blends it all in with her hands. I think we'll pass on calling this a life-changing hack, but it sure is entertaining to watch.
Watching TikTok creators go through the trials of attempting these viral TikTok hacks may be fun to see, but, ultimately, these hacks won't serve you well in the long run. Instead, they'll probably do the opposite, so it's always best to watch these hacks with an ire of caution.
Now, check out some of the clock app's viral genius hacks:
