The 6 Products That Went Viral On TikTok That We Hated. And What To Try Instead.
by The Candidly Team
We admit. Seeing actual unpaid, non-influencer people try products and get real results on TikTok can be deeply satisfying, not to mention influential. So when things go viral, we like to test them for ourselves.
Sometimes, we find that the hype is extremely well-earned. Like in the case of these 9 truly transformative products.
And sometimes, it really…isn’t. Like with these 6 things that took flight on TikTok but that really let us down when we tried them.
But listen, we’re not here just to hate. Part of the reason certain things get hype to begin with is because of the idea of what they can do. The problems they attempt to solve.
So rather than just lay out the 6 things that left us underwhelmed, we’ve included the things to try instead. For over 35 women like us, whose skin just isn’t the same as most 22-year-old TikTok creators, they have made a wooooorld of difference. So, here is our list of the products you can skip, followed by the ones that deliver.
Cerave Facial Cleanser
As much as we want this to be the holy grail drugstore item it’s long been speculated, this madness has to stop. It’s nothing. It strips. It leaves us dry and desperate for moisture.
Try this instead:
2. Charlotte Tilbury Beauty Highlighter Wand in Pinkgasm
We LOVE Charlotte Tilbury. Many of their formulas are pure genius, like THIS one and THIS one. But we must admit this trending highlighter shade is waaaay too shimmery for textured skin. If you’re blessed with perfect (and we mean perfect) glass skin, then go for it. Otherwise, it’s like putting a shiny pink spotlight on any unevenness, blemishes, and wrinkles we possess.
Try this instead:
3. First Aid Beauty KP Bump Eraser Body Scrub
We love the idea of a product that addresses those pesky red bumps that appear on our arms and legs. But we’re sorry to say this did nothing for us. We faaaaar prefer THIS scrub from Peach & Lily.
Try this instead:
4. Peter Thomas Roth Instant FIRMx Eye Temporary Eye Tightener
We really love the “idea” of something that tightens under our eyes in an instant, and admittedly, the results from the above viral video do look impressive. But sadly this product does not sit well under makeup. It leaves a “dusty” finish, which makes it less than ideal for those of us who want any sort of coverage under our eyes in addition to a tightening effect.
Zoom in on the photo below to see how the product can look caked on and flaky on a real person.
In truth, anything that claims to “remove” wrinkles tends to be a scam or to have egg whites or some ingredient that’s not realistic for everyday wear, unless you’re doing it for photos or something extremely temporary. But if you want something that lasts, that brightens, and that doesn’t look “makeupy,” you have these two glorious options:
Try this instead:
5. L'Oréal Infallible Fresh Wear 24HR Foundation
This powder/ foundation can be cakey and uneven on skin that has even an ounce of dryness. As much as we love and long for an affordable option (we even write long lists of our favorite drugstore dupes), we find time and time again that powder is just NOT the place to save. It literally determines the smoothness of our skin, aka the most important final step of all our other glowy efforts.
Try this instead:
6. Olaplex No. 4 Bond Maintenance™ Shampoo
We can’t say for sure whether Olaplex hair products cause breakage and hair loss as some TikTok users have complained. What we can say is that we’ve tried things that work better when our hair gets weird and brittle and confusing. Like these 7 shampoos, for example.
Try this instead:
And here are some more of our favorite things if you’re over 35 and want actual results:
At The Candidly, we try a lot of stuff so you don’t have to. We only recommend things we truly love, and that we think you’ll love, too. All products are chosen independently by our creative team, and all details reflect the price and availability of products at the time of publication. If you buy something we link to, The Candidly may earn a commission.
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