TIKTOK’S super viral skincare trifecta may be incredibly easy and tantalizingly cheap — but is it doing more harm than good?
One New York City dermatologist told The U.S. Sun that this routine has some serious downsides, but a couple of swaps will give you “healthy, happy skin.”
Dr. Marisa Garshick weighed in on the buzzy drugstore buy beauty regimen, reading how you can still do it on a budget — but without drying out and clogging your skin.
The “skincare trifecta” has gonna super viral on TikTok, with users raving about its benefits.
“There were few people going on social media saying that there were three products that changed their skin: a cleanser, a retinol, and a moisturizer,” Dr. Garshick told The U.S. Sun.
Specifically, the cleanser people have been using is Dial antibacterial hand soap, paired with Neutrogena retinol and a Gold Bond body moisturizer.
“And this was for their face,” the board-certified dermatologist noted.
In general, she said, “using a cleanser, retinol, and a moisturizer are sort of key ingredients to get healthy, glowing, best skin that you can.”
But this particular product combo may not be the way to do it.
“It’s also important to dissect what social media often does, which is create a lot of excitement about something that may not necessarily be the best thing for you,” she said.
Specifically, she noted, an antibacterial hand soap is not good for your face.
“Antibacterial hand soaps contain different types of preservatives … and those can be very drying — even on the hands, but especially for the face,” she explained.
“It can disrupt the skin pH and the skin barrier, and if you do that, you’re more likely to be left feeling tight, dry, and have that burning sensation after you complete washing your face.”
What’s more, she warned that you run the risk of building up antibiotic resistance.
So instead, that Dial hand soap should be swapped for a cleanser that is specifically formulated for the face.
Step two in the trifecta — Neutrogena retinol — is a good pick, according to the derm.
“Retinol is a well-deserved viral ingredient because there’s a lot of evidence behind it,” she said, describing the brand’s options as “science-backed.”
“It’s overall great to incorporate for people who are looking to help prevent signs of skin aging.
“So for those dealing with fine lines and wrinkles, or those who are wanting to prevent them from happening.”
“It’s also great in general for overall texture of the skin,” she added, listing tightened pores and correcting skin discoloration, photodamage, and acne spots as benefits.”
It’s a vitamin A derivative that, when applied to the skin, helps to actually regulate skin cell turnover.
That means it’s helping to keep that cycle going, and in doing so, it’s going to also help to stimulate and promote collagen production.
It helps to prevent the pores from becoming clogged.
It helps to keep new skin cells on the surface, which is what gives the skin that nice glowy look.
It’s also going to help to boost collagen production over time, so it can take several months to sometimes see those full effects, but it’s helping to build collagen to smooth out the appearance of fine lines and wrinkles.
Finally, there’s the moisturizer — and Dr. Garshick says there’s a reason products for faces and hands are marked differently.
“Oftentimes, body lotions are formulated to be a little thicker than most people tend to want on their face,” she said.
They may not be noncomedogenic, making them more likely to clog the pores.
And while that might be fine for some people, for many, it’s not the key to “healthy, happy skin.”
“You want to make sure that that moisturizing experience is a positive one, so it’s giving you that healthy dewy glow without necessarily causing skin irritation or clogging the pores,” she said.
Ultimately, Dr. Garshick is a fan of the “skincare trifecta” — with a few swaps.
“It keeps it simple,” she said.
“It’s easy for people to remember a three-step routine, as opposed to a 10-step routine which can get complicated and people may not be consistent with it.”
While cleanser, retinol, and moisturizer are a great trio for the evening, she does suggest a different combo in the morning: cleanser, vitamin C, sunscreen, and moisturizer.
