They’re 22 years old with a 12-step Korean skincare routine. Using retinol daily. Layering three different acids. Mixing medical-grade actives like they’re making smoothies. And wondering why their face burns.
Welcome to Gen Z skincare culture. Where TikTok influencers replace dermatologists. Where “glass skin” matters more than healthy skin. Where experimenting with trendy serums feels less risky than not keeping up with what’s viral this week.
But here’s what nobody’s posting about: the fallout. The damaged skin barriers. The chronic inflammation. The 20-somethings walking into cosmetic surgery clinics with skin problems they created by following trends designed for likes, not results.
Dr. Debraj Shome, facial plastic and cosmetic surgeon and co-founder of The Esthetic Clinics, sees it constantly. Young patients. Irritated skin. Overuse of actives they didn’t need. “Gen Z has become highly experimental with skincare,” he tells Hindustan Times. “They are not afraid to test a new serum, try a trending Korean essence, or even mix high-end and drugstore products in the same routine.”
That sounds empowering. Self-educated consumers making informed choices. Except they’re not informed. They’re influenced. There’s a massive difference. And their skin is paying the price.
This generation reads ingredient lists better than their parents ever did. They know what niacinamide does. They understand ceramides matter. They can pronounce hyaluronic acid without stumbling. But knowledge without context is dangerous. Knowing retinol exists doesn’t mean understanding when, how, or if you should use it.
72% of Gen Z actively seek multi-use products to streamline routines. 62% experience beauty-related concerns. 96% have purchased skincare in the last six months. These aren’t just statistics. These are millions of young people treating their faces like science experiments because social media told them everyone else is doing it too.
Share this with your Gen Z friend who owns more serums than meals in their fridge because this intervention is overdue.
The Retinol Crisis Nobody’s Talking About
Let’s start with the biggest problem: retinol. The anti-aging powerhouse that dermatologists recommend for wrinkles, sun damage, and texture issues. Amazing ingredient. Life-changing for the right people at the right time. Disastrous for 19-year-olds who don’t need it yet.
Gen Z discovered retinol through skincare TikTok. Influencers posting dramatic before-and-afters. Explaining how retinol speeds cell turnover, smooths skin, prevents aging. All true. All scientifically accurate. All completely irrelevant to teenagers with no signs of aging yet.
But nobody told them that. So they started using it anyway. Daily retinol at 18. Sometimes twice daily. Often combined with chemical exfoliants that make the problem worse. Their logic? If it prevents aging, starting early means never aging at all. Except that’s not how skin works.
“Starting medical-grade products too young can damage the skin barrier,” Dr. Shome warns. “The right age to begin is when skin concerns genuinely arise.” His recommendation? Sunscreen in teenage years. Retinol ideally in mid-20s when skin actually needs anti-aging support.
The damage from premature retinol use is real and measurable. Retinol burn, also called retinoid dermatitis, causes redness, peeling, dryness, irritation, flaking, sensitivity, even blistering and crusting in severe cases. It weakens the skin barrier, making skin vulnerable to environmental damage, bacteria, dehydration.
Worse, overuse causes chronic inflammation. And inflammation? That accelerates aging. So the product they’re using to prevent wrinkles is actually creating the conditions that cause wrinkles. The irony would be funny if it wasn’t destroying so many young faces.
One study found retinol increases sun sensitivity dramatically. Without daily SPF, retinol users actually speed up the aging process they’re trying to prevent. But guess what Gen Z also does? Skips sunscreen. Because matte finish. Because pilling under makeup. Because they forgot. Because TikTok didn’t emphasize it enough in the viral retinol video.
The combination is catastrophic. Using aggressive anti-aging actives young. Damaging the skin barrier. Skipping sun protection. Then wondering why their skin looks worse than when they started.
When Korean Skincare Becomes Too Much Of A Good Thing
Korean beauty exploded with Gen Z. The 10-step routine. Double cleansing. Essences. Ampoules. Sheet masks. All the colorful, fun products with cute packaging and exotic ingredients. K-beauty taught the world that skincare can be enjoyable ritual rather than tedious chore.
But Gen Z took it too far. They saw “10-step routine” and thought more steps equal better skin. They stacked actives without understanding interactions. Mixed products from different lines. Layered treatments morning and night. Turned skincare into full-time hobby.
62% of Gen Z women aged 18-26 are leading growth drivers for K-beauty. 54% actively seek new, unique products. 21% increasingly incorporate multi-step regimens. That’s millions of young people treating their bathroom counter like a chemistry lab.
The problem isn’t K-beauty itself. Korean skincare philosophy emphasizes hydration, gentle ingredients, preventative care. That’s smart. But Gen Z often misses the “gentle” part. They grab the trending products without understanding the complete system. Use harsh actives without the balancing hydration. Follow half the routine and wonder why results don’t match expectations.
Dr. Shome sees patients mixing K-beauty essences with Western retinoids with indie brand acids. No coherent strategy. Just products they saw on TikTok or Instagram. “Experimentation without proper guidance often backfires,” he explains. The most common mistakes include overusing actives, starting strong ingredients too early, and blindly following trends without medical guidance.
K-beauty works when done correctly. Used appropriately for your skin type. With proper understanding of what each product does. But slapping on seven different serums because an influencer said “glass skin routine” isn’t strategy. It’s chaos with cute packaging.
Don’t miss why trusting influencers instead of doctors is backfiring spectacularly.
The Influencer Industrial Complex Destroying Faces
Here’s the uncomfortable truth: influencers aren’t skincare experts. They’re content creators paid to sell products. Their job is making you want to buy things, not making your skin better. Those two goals occasionally align. Often they don’t.
Gen Z gets 69% of their beauty information from social media. TikTok. Instagram. YouTube. Places where engagement matters more than accuracy. Where dramatic claims get views. Where nuance dies for the algorithm.
An influencer can say “This serum changed my skin in 2 weeks!” without mentioning they also started professional treatments, changed their diet, and are using 10 other products simultaneously. They can push retinol to teenagers without discussing risks. They can sensationalize results without showing the irritation they dealt with off camera.
“Most post-millennials rely on influencers who may sensationalize products, rather than seeking an evaluation of their skin by a doctor,” Dr. Shome notes. This is the core problem. They trust faces on screens over professionals who studied skin for decades.
Why? Because influencers feel relatable. They seem like friends sharing discoveries rather than doctors prescribing treatments. They make skincare fun, accessible, democratic. But skincare isn’t democratic. It’s highly individual. What works for the influencer with oily skin won’t work for their follower with dry, sensitive skin. But the follower doesn’t know that. They just know the product looked good in the video.
The business model makes it worse. Influencers earn commission on sales. Their job is convincing you to buy, not ensuring the product suits you. Some disclose this. Many don’t. Gen Z often can’t distinguish between genuine recommendations and paid partnerships disguised as authentic content.
The result? Medicine cabinets full of half-used products. Skin that’s irritated from constant switching. Damaged barriers from mixing incompatible actives. And young people who think they’re being smart consumers when they’re actually being manipulated by marketing.
The Sunscreen Situation Is Actually Insane
Let’s talk about the one thing dermatologists universally agree on: daily sunscreen. The single most important anti-aging product. More effective than any serum, cream, or treatment. The foundation of every good skincare routine.
Gen Z knows this intellectually. They understand UV damage causes wrinkles, dark spots, skin cancer. They’ve seen the viral photos comparing aged truck drivers’ sun-exposed versus protected skin sides. They know.
And yet. They still skip it. Constantly.
Why? Texture issues. They don’t like how it feels. It pills under makeup. Makes them look shiny. Interferes with their aesthetic. So they use all these expensive serums and actives to prevent aging while skipping the one thing that actually prevents aging.
The math doesn’t work. Using retinol without sunscreen is actively harmful. The retinol makes skin photosensitive. The sun then damages that vulnerable skin. They’re essentially paying money to make their skin worse.
Dr. Shome emphasizes sunscreen should start in teenage years. Not as optional extra. As non-negotiable foundation. But Gen Z treats it like optional final step they can skip if they’re late or don’t feel like dealing with texture.
Some progress is happening. Newer Korean and Japanese sunscreens have elegant textures that Gen Z actually likes wearing. The conversation is shifting from “wear sunscreen because cancer” to “wear sunscreen because aging.” Vanity motivates better than fear sometimes.
But the skipping rate remains high. And every day without SPF while using actives is a day of net negative skincare. They’re investing in products to protect their skin while refusing to actually protect their skin.
Why Boys Are Finally Doing Skincare And That’s Actually Good
One genuinely positive Gen Z trend: dissolving gender barriers around skincare. Young men proudly use serums, sunscreen, sheet masks. Share their routines online. Don’t think skincare is “just for women.”
This is revolutionary. Previous generations of men barely washed their faces. Maybe used soap if they remembered. Definitely didn’t moisturize. The idea that skincare was feminine kept millions of men from basic skin health.
Gen Z said no to that. Male skincare content explodes on TikTok. Young men asking about product recommendations. Showing their routines. Normalizing taking care of your face regardless of gender. The shift is cultural and significant.
The concern? Same problems as Gen Z women. Young men discovering retinol and immediately overusing it. Following trends without understanding their skin. Trusting influencers over dermatologists. The gender barrier fell but the knowledge gap remains.
Still, getting young men interested in skin health is progress. As long as they also learn proper usage, sun protection, and when to consult professionals. Gender-neutral skincare means everyone gets to have healthy skin. That’s worth celebrating even while fixing the implementation problems.
Share this with your boyfriend who just bought his first serum because he needs this information before he ruins his skin barrier.
The Sustainability Shift That Actually Matters
Here’s where Gen Z gets it right: caring about sustainability. This generation demands recyclable packaging. Vegan formulations. Brands that minimize environmental impact. Companies that give back to communities.
54% of Gen Z look for natural, clean formulations. They read labels not just for what helps their skin but what helps the planet. They’ll pay more for products with sustainable practices. They’ll boycott brands with problematic environmental records.
This consciousness is changing the beauty industry fundamentally. Brands can’t greenwash anymore. Gen Z researches. They call out false claims. They demand transparency about ingredients, sourcing, manufacturing, packaging.
The shift toward refillable products. Concentrated formulas that use less packaging. Waterless beauty reducing shipping weight and resource use. Local sourcing cutting carbon footprints. These changes are driven largely by Gen Z purchasing power and values.
This is smart consumerism. Using buying power to force industry changes. Supporting brands aligned with values. Making sustainability non-negotiable rather than nice-to-have bonus.
The challenge is balancing sustainability with effectiveness and safety. Not every “clean” ingredient works well. Not every sustainable package protects product integrity. Gen Z sometimes prioritizes eco-friendly over evidence-based, choosing products that feel good ethically over products that actually work dermatologically.
But the trend pushes in the right direction. And unlike the retinol experimentation or influencer worship, this is changing beauty for the better.
What Gen Z Should Actually Do Instead
Dr. Shome’s advice is clear: “Skincare is not one-size-fits-all; a dermatologist-guided, personalized routine based on careful analysis of the skin is the safest approach.”
That means consultation. Professional evaluation of your actual skin type, concerns, sensitivities. Not guessing based on what influencer content you relate to. Not self-diagnosing through TikTok comments. Actual medical professional looking at your actual face.
Start simple. Gentle cleanser. Moisturizer. Sunscreen. That’s the foundation everyone needs. Then, and only then, add targeted treatments for specific concerns that actually exist. Not concerns you think you might develop in a decade. Concerns you have now.
Introduce new products slowly. One at a time. Wait weeks between additions to identify reactions. Don’t overload skin with actives it doesn’t need yet. Young skin is resilient. Let it be resilient rather than forcing it to defend against products designed for older skin with different needs.
Read ingredients intelligently. Understanding niacinamide is great. But also understand whether you need it. Whether it works with your other products. Whether concentration matters. Context is everything.
Trust professional guidance over viral content. Influencers can introduce you to ingredients or products. But dermatologists should decide whether they’re right for your skin. One is entertainment. One is healthcare. Don’t confuse them.
Respect your skin barrier. It’s not indestructible. Overuse of actives, over-exfoliation, harsh products damage it. And once damaged, it takes weeks or months to fully recover. Prevention is easier than repair.
Most importantly: skincare is long game. Results take months, not days. Viral before-afters showing dramatic change in two weeks are either fake, professionally treated, or unsustainable. Real skincare is boring, consistent routine over years. That’s what actually works.
Drop a comment: What’s the worst skincare advice you’ve gotten from TikTok? Are you guilty of over-using actives? Share this with every Gen Z friend who needs an intervention before they destroy their skin barrier permanently.
Follow for more beauty reality checks that cut through the influencer BS and tell you what dermatologists actually recommend. Because your skin deserves better than whatever went viral this week.
Gen Z rewrote beauty rules in impressive ways. They’re more informed than previous generations. More conscious about ingredients and sustainability. More willing to invest in skin health. They normalized skincare for men and celebrated diversity in beauty standards. All of that deserves recognition. But somewhere between reading ingredient labels and trusting TikTok dermatologists, they lost the plot. Using retinol at 18 isn’t smart prevention. It’s unnecessary risk. Stacking seven actives isn’t sophisticated routine. It’s damaged barrier waiting to happen. Following trends without medical guidance isn’t being beauty savvy. It’s being influenced. The good news? This is fixable. Consult dermatologists. Start appropriate products at appropriate ages. Build sustainable routines instead of viral ones. Protect that skin barrier like it’s the most valuable thing you own. Because it is. Your face isn’t a TikTok experiment. It’s the only one you get. Treat it accordingly.
