The Dangerous Sunscreen Contouring Trend

I love a good food, life, or skin care hack. I’m into anything that makes life easier. But some hacks are not meant to be followed and can be just plain dangerous. That’s just the case with this skin care “hack” trending on TikTok called sunscreen contouring. Don’t do it because it’s bad for your skin and can lead to skin damage, sunburn and possibly skin cancer.

What is Sunscreen Contouring

According to the TikTok trend, sunscreen contouring is when you only apply sunscreen to certain parts of your face – specifically only touching the high points of your face. It’s like only putting sunblock on the parts of your face where you’d apply a highlighter.

The goal of this is then to sit in the sun to achieve a contoured effect on your face – so you only tan on the parts where you’ve passed on sunscreen.

Why Sunscreen Contouring is A Don’t

While you might think the trend will make your skin look contoured – it’ll do a lot more harm than any good.

Here’s what dermatologist Dr. Joshua Zeichner has to say: “this absolutely not a safe treatment…We know that direct UV light exposure is the single greatest risk factor for the development of both premature aging as well as skin cancers."

And according to dermatologist Dr. Hadley King, MD, “remember that there is no such thing as a 'healthy' tan,..a tan is a defense mechanism that kicks in when your DNA is getting damaged."

All the experts agree sunscreen contouring is a big DON’T.

Suncare Smarts

So apply that sunscreen to all exposed skin. Plus, why be a trend follower, be a trend setter instead – use sunscreen to have healthy, glowing, and ageless skin .

For even more sunscreen tips and tricks check out our Sunscreen & Sunblock blog series.