Sol de Janeiro perfume, Drunk Elephant skincare, Dyson air wraps — these products have one thing in common: they were all once viral products that were overhyped on TikTok and Instagram by influencers.
I’ve always tried to not give into every latest beauty trend but if everyone is raving about the same product, I almost feel peer pressured to purchase it and see what the hype is all about. I’ve definitely found some beauty products I always end up repurchasing, but I’ve also had plenty of regretful purchases that did not live up to the hype. I’ve now developed a strategy to avoid making this mistake and hopefully help you avoid overconsumption and falling into the viral-TikTok-trend-blackhole.
- Buy products you’ll actually use and need
I try to avoid buying things on a whim, and focus on what I truly need at that moment and what is a missing step in my beauty routine. For example, when I really needed to find a go-to sunscreen to wear everyday I purchased the Supergoop! Glowscreen due to highly rated TikTok reviews, and it was one of my best skincare finds that I still repurchase monthly. It has SPF 40, Niacinamide, Hyaluronic Acid, and is even tinted so it not only protects my face but also makes my skin look dewy and airbrushed and I don’t even need to put concealer ontop.
- Don’t always trust the opinions of others on the internet
I hate to say it, but you can’t trust every review on the Internet. At one point, the rave was ALL about the Dior Lip Glow Oil. So, I decided to buy it. It ended up being one of the worst lip glosses I’ve ever used and honestly I would’ve been better off buying a set of five LipSmackers lip glosses for a quarter of the price. It wasn’t very hydrating, didn’t make my lips look plump or glossy, and was an overall waste of $40. Sometimes, I think people just agree with others’ opinions online and try to justify their purchase in order to not feel bad that they broke the bank for a subpar product. Always make sure to see it for yourself, maybe go into Sephora and test it out first before purchasing it. If it doesn’t wow you then, it probably isn’t worth buying the whole tube.
- Focus on the products that’ll best suit you
Only buy products that will actually suit your face and body best. We all come in different shapes and sizes, and one product might work for someone else and not work for you. I’ve tried plenty of skincare products that had great ratings on social media but ended up breaking me out (The Glow Recipe Watermelon Glow toner, *cough* *cough*). So, it’s best to choose products that were made for you, whether it’s figuring out which skincare products work best for your skin type, which hair care products best suit your hair type, or which beauty techniques suit your face shape. If you don’t know the answers to these questions, then do some research online and assess yourself based on which products and ingredients have worked for you in the past.
Obviously, it’s hard to not give in when everyone is raving over the exact same products. But, always make sure you don’t blindly purchase everything you see online and choose wisely with products that will leave you feeling your best and prettiest self when you use them.