--- title: "Your Skin Doesn't Need a 12-Step Routine (Even If TikTok Disagrees)" entity: "blog" canonical_url: "https://www.drerinley.ca/blog/your-skin-doesnt-need-a-12-step-routine-even-if-tiktok-disagrees" markdown_url: "https://www.drerinley.ca/llms/blog/your-skin-doesnt-need-a-12-step-routine-even-if-tiktok-disagrees" lastmod: "2026-08-18T14:00:00.000Z" --- A gentle reality check for teens, tweens, and the parents quietly googling "why does my kid have a $90 serum?" When I was a teenager, my skincare routine was an act of aggression. I scrubbed my face with exfoliating products that were basically liquid sandpaper, squeezed every pimple with zero mercy, and avoided sunscreen entirely because I wanted a tan. It was, objectively, a disaster for my skin. Today's teens are doing some things genuinely well. Pimple patches? Brilliant. They protect healing skin from dirty fingers, reduce the urge to pick, and actually work. SPF moisturizers showing up in teenage bathrooms? Love that for them. But something else is happening too. Teenagers are now walking into beauty stores and spending hundreds of dollars on multi-step routines built around ingredients that weren't designed — or tested — for their skin. And social media is driving it. ## The TikTok Effect on Teen Skin Social media, and TikTok in particular, has become the primary place young people learn about skincare. Research on adolescent skincare videos found that the routines promoted in these videos average 6 products per regimen and cost around $168. The most-viewed videos contained an average of 11 potentially irritating active ingredients. Notably, only about a quarter of those videos mentioned sunscreen — the one product with the strongest evidence. It's not that teens are being reckless. It's that they're being marketed to very effectively by an industry that has long understood that young people are powerful consumers. They're doing what seems like the responsible, informed thing. They're just getting a lot of bad information. ## When Good Intentions Irritate Young Skin Here's the thing about teenage skin: it doesn't need anti-aging ingredients. Retinol, AHAs, BHAs, and high-concentration vitamin C are some of the most heavily promoted ingredients in teen-facing content — and none of them have been adequately tested in younger populations. These ingredients can cause redness, peeling, increased sun sensitivity, and contact dermatitis. Research shows that over a third of adolescents report a history of skin reactions from cosmetic products. Fragrance and preservatives, found in most products marketed to teens, are among the most common culprits. More products don't mean better skin. They often mean more irritation, a disrupted skin barrier, and a teenager convinced their skin is broken when it's actually just overwhelmed. ## What Teen Skin Actually Needs Expert consensus on adolescent skincare is refreshingly simple: - A gentle, fragrance-free cleanser . No scrubbing, no exfoliating beads, no "deep pore" anything. A mild wash that doesn't strip the skin - A basic moisturizer. Look for ceramides, which support the skin barrier. Especially helpful for dry or sensitive skin - Broad-spectrum SPF . Every day. This is the single most evidence-supported skincare product available, and it matters most when skin is young. That's it. That's the routine. Three products, usually well under $40 combined. For teens specifically dealing with acne, there are a few well-studied options worth knowing about. Benzoyl peroxide at 2.5–5% works well for inflammatory breakouts. Salicylic acid — a BHA, or beta-hydroxy acid — is a reasonable starting point for very mild acne; at the concentrations found in cleansers and targeted treatments, it can help clear pores without being overly harsh. Note that BHAs used in high concentrations or layered with other actives are a different story — that's where irritation risk climbs. Adapalene 0.1% gel is a gentle retinoid that is tested and approved for adolescent skin. In the United States, it's available without a prescription, but in Canada, it requires one, which is actually a reasonable safeguard, since a provider can walk you through how to use it properly and set realistic expectations for the first few weeks. What doesn't help: layering five of these things at once, adding a vitamin C serum, then topping it all off with three different moisturizers. More is not more. ## A Note on Acne That Feels Like More Than Acne Breakouts during the teen years are completely normal — skin is responding to hormonal shifts, stress, diet, and a dozen other factors. But sometimes acne is telling a bigger story. If you're a parent noticing that your teen's acne seems persistent, severe, or deeply connected to their mood, energy, or cycle, that's worth a closer look. Hormones, nutrition, and stress all show up on the skin. A comprehensive appointment — not just a topical skincare consult — can help connect those dots. ## Let's Talk About It Whether you're a parent wondering what's actually in your teen's bathroom cabinet, a young adult who inherited a seven-step routine from a 22-second video, or someone whose skin just isn't cooperating no matter what, you don't have to figure this out alone. [Book an appointment with Dr. Erin Ley](https://clarityhealthburlington.janeapp.com/locations/clarity-health-burlington/book#/staff_member/5) to talk through what your skin (or your teen's skin) actually needs. Skincare that works doesn't have to be complicated. Or expensive. Or aggressive. Want an evidence-based approach to your (or your teens!) skin? Let's talk! ## References Bolen, R., Szymanski, T., Nichols, J., & Pulsipher, K. J. (2025). Dermatological safety of cosmetic products marketed to children: Insights on the Sephora Kids phenomenon. Journal of Drugs in Dermatology, 24(9), 949–951. [https://doi.org/10.36849/jdd.8800](https://doi.org/10.36849/jdd.8800) Eichenfield, D. Z., Sprague, J., & Eichenfield, L. F. (2021). Management of acne vulgaris: A review. JAMA, 326(20), 2055–2067. [https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.17633](https://doi.org/10.1001/jama.2021.17633) Goff, G. K., & Stein, S. L. (2025). Cosmeceuticals in the pediatric population part I: A review of risks and available evidence. Pediatric Dermatology, 42(2), 221–227. [https://doi.org/10.1111/pde.15866](https://doi.org/10.1111/pde.15866) Hales, M., Rigali, S., Paller, A., Liszewski, W., & Lagu, T. (2025). Pediatric skin care regimens on TikTok. Pediatrics, 156(1), e2024070309. [https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-070309](https://doi.org/10.1542/peds.2024-070309) Layton, A. M., & Ravenscroft, J. (2023). Adolescent acne vulgaris: Current and emerging treatments. The Lancet: Child & Adolescent Health, 7(2), 136–144. [https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(22)00314-5](https://doi.org/10.1016/S2352-4642(22)00314-5) Perche, P. O., Cook, M. K., White, J. C., Feldman, S. R., & Strowd, L. C. (2023). Dermatology through the lens of social media: A qualitative study among adolescents. Pediatric Dermatology, 40(4), 743–746. [https://doi.org/10.1111/pde.15285](https://doi.org/10.1111/pde.15285) Reynolds, R. V., Yeung, H., Cheng, C. E., et al. (2024). Guidelines of care for the management of acne vulgaris. Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology, 90(5), 1006.e1–1006.e30. [https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2023.12.017](https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jaad.2023.12.017) Simonsen, A. B., Biel-Nielsen Dietz, J., & Johansen, J. D. (2025). Contact dermatitis and related exposures in Danish adolescents: Self-reported data from a nationwide questionnaire study. Contact Dermatitis, 93(1), 39–48. [https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.14805](https://doi.org/10.1111/cod.14805) Thiboutot, D. M., Shalita, A. R., Yamauchi, P. S., et al. (2006). Adapalene gel, 0.1%, as maintenance therapy for acne vulgaris. Archives of Dermatology, 142(5), 597–602. [https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.142.5.597](https://doi.org/10.1001/archderm.142.5.597) Zaenglein, A. L. (2018). Acne vulgaris. New England Journal of Medicine, 379(14), 1343–1352. [https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1702493](https://doi.org/10.1056/NEJMcp1702493)