If we’re honest, many of us are guilty of trying out products because we’ve seen them online.
The internet’s influence can range from ads you see throughout your scrolling, suggestions from online publications, or a big favorite — a TikTok video from one of your faves.
After spending (potentially too much) time on TikTok ourselves, Healthline editors have been wanting to try a handful of skin care products we’ve seen floating around.
But, we wanted to know if all of these products getting air time are really worth it.
Now, we know everyone’s skin is different and has varied needs. But some of these picks have gotten tons of attention from folks with different skin types, textures, and tones.
Trying things for ourselves (and checking in with a derm!) is the best route, but we wanted to give you a good starting place — so we reached out to a few board-certified dermatologists to get their opinion on a handful of these trending skin care products.
Etude House SoonJung 2x Barrier Intensive Cream
This cream is said to both hydrate and repair a dried-out skin barrier. Consumers rave that this product is great because it soothes the skin without leaving you feeling greasy.
Why Is It Worth The Hype?
Caroline Robinson, MD, Anna Chacon, MD, a dermatologist from Miami, and Ife Rodney, all gave a resounding yes to this cream.
Chacon was a fan of the healing properties and said, “It also has Panthenol and Madecassoside that add soothing and protecting benefits to help heal and recover a damaged skin barrier.”
Note: while this product is lightweight and moisturizing, because of the presence of shea butter, Ife Rodney, MD, suggests not using it on your face to avoid any potential breakouts.
Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow Niacinamide Dew Drops
These dew drops are many folks’ go-to for a glowy finish, whether or not it’s a full-glam day.
According to the Glow Recipe site, you can use these prior to make-up for an overall highlight as a primer, before moisturizer during your skin prep, or as a final step to your skin care routine.
The site also shares additional tips for use, saying you could use it on the high points of the face as a highlighter, or on the eyes for extra brightness (don’t worry — it’s been ophthalmologist tested!)
Why It’s Worth The Hype
These dew drops got a unanimous positive reception from our experts.
Rodney says she’s a fan of using the product as a skin care routine serum, saying it has the ingredients “for hydration and brightening skin that I recommend like hyaluronic acid, niacinamide, and vitamin E.”
CeraVe Healing Ointment
CeraVe products are constant hits with skin care enthusiasts and experts alike — and this ointment is no different.
This product is said to both heal extremely dry skin but protect from further damage.
The ointment is best for cracked and chaffed skin, utilizing ceramides, hyaluronic acid, and petroleum to repair a damaged skin barrier and hold in hydration.
This healing ointment is free of fragrance, dyes, and lanolin — all common causes for skin reactions and allergy responses, and according to the CeraVe site, this product is non-comedogenic and suitable for all skin types.
Why It’s Worth The Hype
All three derms were onboard with this product, with no hesitation.
For dry hands or the overuse of hand sanitizers, we need a thicker hand cream to lock in moisture,” Rodney says. “This product has HA and ceramides to draw in moisture and petrolatum to keep it there for longer.”
CeraVe Renewing SA Cleanser
This renewing cleanser has crossed our feeds countless times. It’s said to not only cleanse your skin gently, but aid in restoring your skin’s barrier with the help of ceramides.
Why It’s Worth The Hype
CeraVe has gentle products including ceramides to clean dirt and keep the skin hydrated.
The salicylic acid (SA) helps remove dead skin cells without drying out your skin, says Rodney.
This cleanser is also safe for use on the body or the face. And, like many of CeraVe’s other products, this product is fragrance-free, lessening the chances of irritation.
Mixed Reviews
Every professional has their own experiences and opinions, so there were bound to be some that didn’t get unanimous responses.
Of course, it’s important that you consult with your personal dermatologist or aesthetician in addition to trying things out for yourself, but we wanted to make sure you got a well-rounded viewpoint.
The Ordinary AHA + BHA Peeling Solution
This AHA + BHA product comes from fan-favorite brand The Ordinary, known for its reasonable pricing that doesn’t affect its product efficacy.
With continued use, the solution is said to aid in pore congestion, appearance of fine lines and wrinkles, as well as improve overall radiance of the skin.
Per The Ordinary’s site, the addition of the Tasmanian Pepperberry aids in the irritation that acids can sometimes lead to.
At any rate, this pick may not be for beginners or folks with sensitive skin because of the AHA and BHA whammy, including glycolic, lactic, tartaric, citric, and salicylic acids.
Is It Worth The Hype?
Two out of three of the experts were in favor of trying this peeling solution out.
Rodney said, “I’m a big fan of Alpha and Beta Hydroxy Acids. This product contains an excellent combo of these acids to help with cell turnover, improving your skin’s complexion, fight acne, and many other benefits.”
Chacon also noted that she loves the fact this solution is both vegan and gluten-free, expanding the reach of folks who can receive its benefits.
Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant
This exfoliant is self-described as a gentle leave-on exfoliant that addresses skin texture, brightness and tone with swiftness.
Because it contains salicylic acid (also known as BHA), the Paula’s Choice site suggests using this “skin perfecting” exfoliant every other day to start, and then bumping up to twice a day.
Is It Worth The Hype?
Ultimately, this product received a mixed bag of reviews.
While Rodney ultimately gave it a thumbs up because salicylic acid can be great for removing dead skin, she doesn’t believe there’s a true need for a leave-on exfoliant.
While the presence of green tea to soothe the skin seemed to save the pick for Chacon, a strong thumbs down came from Robinson.
Dr. Jart Cicapair Tiger Grass Color Correcting Treatment SPF 30
This product is a color-correcting treatment that’s said to correct redness and protect skin from UV damage through mineral sunscreen.
According to the Dr. Jart site, this product has a matte finish and is good for normal, dry, oily, and combination skin types.
It’s said to address dryness and dullness, and redness in lighter skin tones.
Is It Worth The Hype?
This pick got positive reviews from the experts. An important note is that this product is geared towards folks with redness, and it’s said to go on green.
So, for darker-skinned folks or those with different undertones, this may not work as well for your complexion.
Inkeylist retinol
Coming from Inkeylist, another brand fave for folks looking for affordable products, this retinol is said to be a game-changer for anti-aging efforts.
Retinol, a product derived from vitamin A, is typically used to aid in the overall texture and brightness of your complexion.
Is It Worth The Hype?
The professional opinions on this product leaned in a positive direction, with two out of three giving a thumbs up.
“Retinol helps with cell turnover,” Rodney said, recommending the Inkeylist product. “When used consistently, this product can reduce fine lines, and hyperpigmentation, and reveal smoother skin hidden beneath.”
Note: Chacon gave a warning about the texture, saying that some folks have reported feeling a bit sticky after the use.
Not Worth It
Either due to not being good for your skin or just not being worth the money, these products got negative reviews from our experts.
COSRX Snail Mucin 96% Power Repairing Essence
Adding essences to your skin care routine has been a huge trend with folks aiming to emulate many prominent multi-step Korean skin care regimens.
CORSX uses snail mucin to provide hydration while protecting your skin from any moisture loss, ultimately contributing to smooth and radiant skin.
A concern that has come up for folks new to the idea of snail mucin is the well-being of the critters used.
According to the site, extracting mucin from the snails doesn’t harm them.
“The snails are placed over a mesh in a dark and quiet room, where they are left alone to freely roam the net and leave mucin in their trails,” the site reads. “There is no external process applied to the mesh to force mucin production.”
Why It Isn’t Worth The Hype
While the derms didn’t take any issue with the brand itself, there’s been consistent questioning of the necessity of this product.
Don’t worry — it won’t actively cause you any harm, but it likely isn’t adding much to your routine.
“I believe less is more when it comes to skin care,” Rodney said. “This product, though it has some good ingredients, does not add anything to a simple skin care routine.”
Peter Thomas Roth Instant FirmX Temporary Eye Tightener
Peter Thomas Roth’s eye tightening product is said to quickly and temporarily help tighten and firm the appearance of fine lines, wrinkles, and puffiness under and around the eyes.
While the tightener is honest about its temporary solution, the site says that continued use can lead to long-term improvement of eye appearance and texture.
Why It Isn’t Worth The Hype
This one got a thumbs down across the board from the experts.
Rodney questioned the efficacy, saying that it’s, “very difficult for a product to reduce wrinkles temporarily. A consistent routine or dermatologist treatment works best.”
In addition to wondering about the results of a product with instant effect claims, Chacon cited users sharing difficulty in removing the white cast after application.