Overview

• Girls aged 7 to 18 on TikTok apply an average of six skincare products per routine, with some using more than a dozen, the study found.
• Only 26% of daytime regimens included sunscreen, indicating a widespread gap in essential UV protection for young users.
• Top-viewed videos featured an average of 11 potentially irritating active ingredients, raising risks of chemical burns, sun sensitivity and allergic contact dermatitis.
• Repeated layering of products with overlapping actives increased the likelihood of lifelong allergies and could limit future skincare and hygiene options.
• Researchers warn these elaborate routines offer little pediatric benefit and urge teens and parents to seek dermatologist guidance before following viral trends.