Trends We Hope Won’t Stick Around in 2021

There’s plenty that happened in 2020 (and even before) that we’d like to forget, including some skincare trends. Like the Marvel universe, the “beautiverse” continued to expand beyond what we can process and filter. That said, there are always inescapable topics taking over our social media and virtual beauty aisles – ones we may not even be interested in but get forced to think about. Like – do I need a skincare fridge? Or, I’ve got vitamin C, retinol, and sunscreen – do I need something with CBD? We compiled some of the worst of the worst, hoping they either won’t stick around in 2021 or make a more deserved comeback.

Too much exfoliation / when less is more

We’ve all heard about the ancient exfoliation history that is St. Ives Apricot Scrub, and since then, there’s been no shortage of more sophisticated physical (or mechanical) and chemical exfoliants in the form of cleansers, scrubs, toners, and peels. Over the last couple of years, The Ordinary’s AHA 30% + BHA 2% went viral, Kylie Skin launched a face scrub that reminded everyone a little too much of the apricot days, and Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Exfoliant made a comeback (if it ever even went away). We love the variety and choice available based on skin type and preference, but too much of a good thing might have made everyone go a little overboard.

We get it – exfoliation is one of the more immediately gratifying and sensorial experiences in skincare. But after years of multiple, potent formulas popping up in routines with increasing frequency, and exfoliation myths that lead to improper or over-exfoliation, we’re seeing some major issues in the form of redness/inflammation, dryness, increased sensitivity, and generally compromised skin barriers.

To top it off, brands are playing the numbers game and touting higher and higher percentages of chemical exfoliants on their labels, many of which exceed recommended dosage levels. And product usage instructions aren’t helping either. Cult classic Biologique Recherche P50 recommends using their toner twice daily, while Paula’s Choice 2% Exfoilant recommends up to twice daily.

Exfoliating in general, let alone that often, can do a lot more harm than good. Remember, dead skin cells within the stratum corneum (top most layer of the epidermis) – also known as the skin barrier – are there for a reason; to form a barrier that keeps water in so you stay hydrated and irritants or pathogens out.

Luckily, the solution to over-exfoliation is simple: you can stop temporarily or substantially reduce your frequency. And of course, we always recommend consulting with a board-certified dermatologist for recommendations on products that will help your skin recover. There are truly some great exfoliants out there – it’s all about knowing your skin type and proper usage to let them shine.

Roller go-round

There is nothing that makes us squirm more than the rising popularity and risks associated with derma rollers, which try to re-create the micro-needling technique at home. The goal of micro-needling is to create microscopic punctures across the face. Our skin essentially recognizes these as little wounds, which jump-start its ability for self-repair, resulting in brightening effects, collagen production, an improved appearance of acne scars, and even enhanced product absorption.

Derma rollers are hand-held devices with teeny, tiny rows of needles that are meant to mimic micro-needling. While some of these devices might impart a temporary brightening effect, you won’t achieve meaningful or long-term results, and safety can become an issue. There's no comparison between at-home devices and the benefits/efficacy and safety of in-office treatments. In 2021, let’s avoid injuring and potentially infecting our skin, and leave this treatment to board-certified dermatologists to administer in a highly controlled and sterile environment.

Fear-mongering and the misinformation movement

There was a time when none of us had heard of an INCI list, or bothered to read one. Now, not only is there a namesake brand (if you live in a cave, it’s called The Inkey List), a host of websites, brands, and influencers are devoted to dissecting ingredient lists. While we’re all about empowering consumers, we’d love to see more holistic approaches to product education that don’t isolate ingredients from their formulas or demonize them based on insufficient data or speculation.

The “clean” beauty trend has fueled a movement of denigrating ingredients as “toxic” or unsafe, often without substantial clinical evidence. Brands and retailers have also created their own varying lists of "no-no" ingredients, and classic examples of ingredients that don't make the cut are petrolatum (a.k.a, petroleum jelly or Vaseline) and silicones.

With occlusive and healing properties instrumental to skin barrier repair, petrolatum has been a popular, FDA-approved ingredient that continues to be recommended by medical professionals for a variety of uses. But petrolatum has faced criticism for being derived from crude oil, despite the fact that it is refined (i.e. contaminants removed) for cosmetic use.

Silicones, which are made from sand (silicon dioxide) have faced a similar fate, even though they are key to creating smoothness and emollience in formulas beyond skincare (think hair). And as non-comedogenic, non-allergenic, non-reactive ingredients, silicones are some of the most reliable and versatile ingredients out there.

Most importantly, let’s not forget that risk assessment in cosmetics is based on potential for hazard plus levels of exposure, and that all ingredients are “chemicals” – whether natural or synthetic. So let’s see the forest for the trees and get a bigger, better picture of what we put on our skin.

Celebrity skincare

2020 saw more celebrity skincare brands than we might be able to handle – Fenty (Rihanna), Keys Soulcare (Alicia Keys), GOGO (Carmen Elektra), Humanrace (Pharrel), Loops (Emily Ratajkowski), and JLo Beauty (Jennifer Lopez). Whew. We’re personally tired of so many famous names and so few products that wow.

While there was some cool, sustainable packaging (Pharrel’s Humanrace) and brilliant marketing in terms of positioning and product naming, there wasn’t much in terms of innovation. These brands continue to rely on the name, with little information on formulation and efficacy, and a major lack of authenticity.

We’d like to forget the Vogue Go to Bed With Me nighttime routine video in which Rihanna uses her Fenty cleanser to remove makeup – followed by a moisturizer with SPF. It didn’t respect consumers’ knowledge and savvy (or pure logic), and we hope brands/founders will realize that we all know better. And in his review of J Lo’s line, skincare influencer Hyram breaks down the mediocrity, proving that while the packaging may have received an A+, all that glitters isn’t gold.

This is not to say that all celebrity skincare is bad or should be avoided. If you’re a fan and want to support your favorites, that’s great. We just wish that celebrities could leverage their resources and reputation to give us formulas that we haven’t already seen. Until then, we’re happy to listen to their music but move past their products.

Micro fridges

We get it. These skincare fridges are beyond cute. They might be cuter than Baby Yoda (aka, Grogu). But do they serve any purpose or do they just consume energy and occupy limited real estate on your bathroom counter? Not really – this is what we call great marketing, people, and one made for our Instagrammable lives.

Skincare is formulated with preservatives and is tested to withstand storage under everyday conditions. Cooler temperatures are typically only recommended for prescription products and potentially natural/organic formulas that explicitly require it. Keeping certain facial tools cool can be a major plus, but there’s probably more than enough room for them in your regular fridge. The verdict: go easy on the energy consumption, save your money, and move on.