Let’s get one thing straight: no expert recommendation you stumble across online—whether from a YouTube influencer, a layman cosmetologist, or even a dermatologist—is guaranteed to work for your skin. Your skin isn’t a statistic; it’s a unique ecosystem with its own specific needs. The smartest investment you can make is learning to understand those needs and addressing them in the most cost-effective way possible.
Scroll through YouTube or TikTok, and you’ll find countless influencers with flawless, glowing skin touting their latest skincare hacks or must-have products. The logic seems simple: they have perfect skin, they swear by these tips or products, so those recommendations must be the secret sauce—and they’ll work for you too, right? Not quite. This line of thinking often falls into a trap known as the appeal to authority fallacy. It’s when someone’s presumed expertise or personal success is used as proof that their advice is universally valid, without solid evidence or reasoning to back it up. The argument hinges on their credibility—say, their enviable complexion—rather than on science or logic that applies broadly.
A common flavor of this fallacy is the appeal to anecdotal evidence. An influencer might say, “This abrasive scrub transformed my skin,” and suddenly it’s gospel for their followers. But one person’s experience doesn’t account for the diversity of skin types or the broader scientific reality. Generalizing from a single story can lead to shaky conclusions—and worse, misguided recommendations.
So, what’s the problem? Many of these “expert-approved” products fall into a category I’d call abrasives: think hot water, harsh detergents, or physically rough scrubs. These can wreak havoc on your skin barrier—the protective layer that keeps moisture in and irritants out. Even if an influencer’s skin looks great, that doesn’t change the fact that abrasives are generally damaging, potentially leaving you with sensitive, irritated skin or worsening existing conditions. And if there’s a legit medical reason to use something abrasive? There should still be a clear warning about the risks, not a blanket endorsement. Then there’s the other stuff: serums, toners, eye creams, hand creams, night creams—often overpriced, sometimes useless, and rarely tailored to what your skin actually needs.
Following an online authority figure blindly could cost you time, money, and even your skin’s health. So, what’s the alternative? Get to know your skin. Learn the basics of skin biology—how it functions, what it needs, and how it talks to you. Does it feel tight and itchy? It might be irritated. Soft and balanced? It’s probably happy. Figure out what products are universally harmful (like those abrasives), which ones are just marketing fluff, and what simple, practical steps can meet your skin’s real, actionable needs when they arise.
The bottom line: don’t outsource your skincare to someone else’s highlight reel. Be intentional about every product and practice you use—have a clear, sensible reason for it. Your skin’s not here to follow trends; it’s here to be cared for by you.
If you found this helpful, subscribe to Dr. Bibi's Newsletter for cutting edge skincare and share this article. For further insights into skincare simplification, check out my book "Sick Skin - Skin Care Made Simple" on Amazon, now available in audio.
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Thanks for reading and God bless.
Yuval Bibi, MD/PhD - Board Certified Dermatologist.
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