The biggest beauty mistakes of the summer - and how to avoid them

Be honest, are you taking the time to apply SPF every day this summer? Failing to use sun protection is ultimately the biggest beauty blunder of the warmer months, with 43.9 million TikTok views, 1.9 million YouTube videos on the topic and a 417% increase in Pinterest searches around the topic this year.

We asked Jamie Long, Lead Stylist at HD Brows, what the harm is: “Whether you aren’t using SPF in the hopes of gaining a better tan, or you simply forget to apply it, it’s important to understand that not using SPF can lead to sunburn, inflammation and in some cases, skin cancer. When applying SPF, remember those forgotten areas such as your scalp, eyelids, fingers, ears, and neck.”

While moderate and safe sun exposure has some health benefits, using faux tan is an excellent alternative to exposing yourself to long-term skin damage and risking sunburn. Jamie Long adds: “If you’re making the most of the rays in your garden or heading abroad, fake tan can give you that summer glow, especially if you struggle to get a natural bronze. Moisturizing on top of this is key to keeping your skin hydrated and stopping your fake tan from going patchy or fading too fast.” This summer, we’re also fading away from the contouring trend and making way for the bronzed look. Putting dust of bronzer over the cheekbones not only accentuates your features but also adds that freshly sun-kissed glow.

Taking first place as the worst TikTok hack for your skin is Face Slugging with Vaseline. This hack requires you to slather vaseline all over your face at night as the final step in your skincare routine. The trend has seen over 9 trillion (yes, trillion) TikTok views, 307 million hashtag views, and 42k global searches. Jamie Long says: “Face slugging can lead to excessively oily skin and acne on the face, as the oil gathers up in the pores, triggering breakouts. This can often worsen acne for those already suffering from it. Instead, simply apply your favorite moisturizer as normal.”

As well as adding too much skincare, you could also be over-exfoliating. Jamie Long says: that while exfoliating is one of the best ways to shed dead skin, the increased popularity of scrubbing cleansers, toners, and serums that have made their way onto people’s TikTok feeds for the ‘clean’ aesthetic has meant that many are exfoliating a bit too much, too harshly and a bit too often.” “This can cause redness, irritation, and breakouts. Instead, gently apply a fragrance-free and mild moisturizer, and treat raw areas with aloe gel.”

Lash extensions or false lashes make your morning much faster, as you wake up feeling more glamorous with luscious lashes. However, using fake lashes too often can lead to eye infection, allergic reactions, and damage to your natural lashes. Suppose you simply can’t resist rushing to the salon to get your lashes done pre-summer holiday.

In that case, Debbie Law, International Lash Trainer at Nouveau Lashes, advises washing your eyelashes daily with an oil-free Gentle Eye Make-up Remover to remove a build-up of dead skin. To remove bacteria, she recommends using a Lash & Lid Foaming Cleanser twice a week, carefully dabbing a towel around the eye area to dry, then finally combing through with a Disposable Mascara Wand.

Beauty experts have issued warnings about the following summer trend: DIY Henna Freckles. This year, the trend that has taken over the summer involves using needles at home to inject dots of henna or black ink around the cheek and nose areas. The dangerous trend has seen 367 views on TikTok, 16k global searches on Google, and 5k dedicated Instagram posts.

Permanent Makeup Artist and Founder of KB Pro, Karen Betts, explains: ”‘You should never try to tattoo freckles at home. Even if you don’t have sensitive skin, you should be extra careful with henna because you can’t just rinse it off if it irritates you or you have a bad reaction. More than this, people who do tattoos could be putting themselves at risk for HIV or hepatitis.”