Skincare Trends That Actually Work: Separating Science From Hype
Science matters when it comes to skincare. And while we do love a lot of these TikTok skincare hacks, and that it’s getting people to focus on their skin health, a lot of it is hype.
The science behind skincare goes deep into the layers of the skin. The science separates fact from hype—or should we say, facts from a quick TikTok shop sale. Science is around evidence-based medicine which involves lots of clinical trials and safety checks before products are pitched to the public.
What we want to look at is some of the current skincare trends that work. Often, you’ll notice some common threads between trends and effective treatments – say, key ingredients like collagen and hyaluronic acid. But remember the ingredients can only go so far on their own – the way in which you integrate them into your skincare routine matters – just as much as the ingredients themselves.
Sorry to say this, but if you’re putting a liquid collagen mask on your face from a TikTok shop that costs £3.99 and is about to be reduced to £1.99 for lucky followers – it’s not doing what you think it’s doing. What it will do is give you a nice glow in the morning! What that glow will also do is leave your face around 1-2 hours later. At the worst – it can cause breakouts and skin irritation, as often the ingredients in these cheap products are unknown.
Read on to find out more.
Overnight Facemasks: Hype
Overnight facemasks, specifically the collagen ones, aren’t worth the hype people are making them out to be. Could they give you a glow for a few hours? Yes. Are they giving you enough collagen to transform your skin? No, it’s debatable if any collagen diffuses into the skin to make an ounce of a difference.
Some of the masks feel nice, but there’s not enough science to support them. There’s a science to support the function of collagen, but not enough within the products for us to call it anything other than hype. In short, collagen masks can provide short-term hydration and plumping but do not significantly increase long-term collagen production. At Look Lovely London we are a medical clinic, and only want to promote treatments and products that have proof behind them.
Home Treatments Vs Professional clinic-led Treatments
Home Microneedling Vs Clinic Microneedling
There was a micro-trend on TikTok over covid-times where a lot of shoppers were being promoted at-home microneedling kits.
While the concept of microneedling itself isn’t hype and is very beneficial, a professional touch is required.
The science behind the minimally invasive treatment is that the tiny micro-injuries from the microneedling stimulate collagen and elastin production. And the science is right. Combine that with the right skincare products for your specific skin needs, and you will see results ranging from clear skin to reduced signs of ageing in as little as one treatment (you typically need 2-3). However, home kits don’t provide the needle depth that you need to get collagen stimulation and can also just cause skin barrier damage, redness and worsen pigmentation.
When you come to Look Lovely London we numb the skin with medical grade products to make it very comfortable, and this ensures we can microneedle to an adequate depth to get the best results. We then assess your skin concerns and tailor the treatment time and needle depth to give you results that you want. It takes years of training and understanding of how different skin types will react to microneedling so you need that expert guidance. The equipment we use is also state of the art technology that would not be accessible to the public, and it must be only used by trained professional. The results between home micro needling and clinic micro needling are worlds apart.
Home chemical peels Vs Professional Chemical Peels
Chemical peels had their micro-moment of fame on TikTok at the end of 2024 and quickly became the go-to treatments. So, what started as hype quickly evolved into a very valid enthusiasm for this treatment.
Chemical peels work by accelerating skin exfoliation and renewal. Lighter peels provide subtle rejuvenation, while stronger peels can resurface the skin for dramatic improvements in texture and tone.
The most commonly used chemical solutions include:
- Glycolic acid
- Salicylic acid
- Mandelic acid
- Trichloroacetic acid
You can also get home skincare products containing these chemicals, but the percentages and strengths are unclear. At the best you may see a subtle smoothness to your skin for a day and at the worse you can sustain a chemical burn that can lead to further irritation, dryness and permanent pigmentation. You need to be very careful when uses acids on your skin at home with little to no guidance. When it comes to chemical peels always see a professional to get guaranteed and safe results. Make it worth going through the shedding peeling process. You want a peely, peel!
Non-Surgical Facelifts and Skin Tightening Face Creams
One of these is more popular than the other right now. Should we say that one helped Lindsay Lohan look like she’d just drunk from the fountain of eternal youth, and the other didn’t?
Non-Surgical Facelifts: Science
A relatively quick and painless procedure (even if you chose Morpheus8, HIFU or HarmonyCa) non-surgical facelifts are becoming extremely popular. (By the way, we think Lindsay Lohan also had a surgical facelift!)
Non-surgical facelift treatments include a range of procedures like HIFU (ultrasound tightening), Sculptra (collagen stimulation), Morpheus 8 (radiofrequency microneedling), strategically placed fillers and anti-wrinkle injections to restore volume and lift.
If you want to see real results without going under the knife, then make sure you pick a practitioner with years of experience that can offer you a combination of treatments to achieve an overall harmonious change. Combined treatments are needed to target different areas on the face, but work well together to give you a natural but noticeable change.
Skin Tightening Face Creams: Science and Hype
Skin-tightening face creams should be part of everyone’s morning and night-time skincare routine.
The question is, which one are you choosing? There’s no one-size-fits-all solution here, and you’ll probably want to discuss your needs and goals with a professional. If you want to see results you need to be guided by practitioners who know all about the science of the products. All too often patients tell us that they are using a beauty-pie creams, but they don’t know what’s in it or an expensive Clarins cream, where you are often paying for the packaging and the marketing, rather than the product efficacy. It’s so important to know the creams you are putting on your face have been clinically tested and are medical-grade products. This means they have proven results with large clinical trials involving 1000’s of patients rather than small trials often only involving 20 patients. So, while some over- the- counter cheaper creams may offer you some results, it would be far better for your time and money if you start off with the right cream and professional help and guidance.
Science and Hype
To conclude – there are a lot of treatments that are more hype than scientifically backed! Investing in your skincare by seeking out a clinic and medical practitioner you can trust that will guide you through the world of beauty, offering you treatments that actually work and are not just hype. We know for a fact Anti-wrinkle injections work, face masks from Korea may not. Clinic based treatments, done by experts rather than home devices will give you the changes you need without risking damage to your skin. Combination treatments carried out by a practitioner and medical grade creams will make all the difference.
Time to see a professional, and ditch the hype? Contact Look Lovely London today to book your consultation or treatment appointment. To make an appointment, please book online or call 020 3900 2756 and we can help devise a personalised treatment plan just for you.
