This is how your skin can end up with the 'caveman routine', the viral trend of not washing your face.

We live in extreme times. The trend of impossible skincare routines, with thousands of steps, is now coexisting with another completely opposite trend, popularized on TikTok as the " caveman routine " by influencer Tia Zakher : not using any products on your face, not even water to wash it. But what consequences can this method have? Why is it not recommended?

«Especially for neglecting facial hygiene. Even if you simply used water, you wouldn't be able to remove all traces of dirt, which is essential, since dead skin cells accumulate (our skin renews itself every day), sweat, and sebum. Cleansing products help us remove this dirt, as well as heavy metals, particles, and combustion products found in the air, especially in cities. All of this is deposited on the skin, which we know has a dermatological effect: it alters the skin microbiota, promotes bacterial proliferation , irritations, infections, acne breakouts (most likely due to the occlusion of pores from the accumulation of sebum and impurities), accelerates aging, and also produces dermatosis neglecta or terra firma-forme , which is when dead cells and dirt accumulate, forming plaques or grimy areas with an earthy appearance, not to mention the unpleasant odor produced by bacteria. Furthermore, we stop benefiting from cosmetics that help us combat aging and have better skin," warns Dr. Ana Molina, a dermatologist with the Spanish Group of Aesthetic and Therapeutic Dermatology (GEDET).

For the expert, it makes no sense to follow this trend. She acknowledges that if a person is young and doesn't have skin problems, "it won't be dramatic in the long term; after all, men haven't followed a skincare routine for a long time, but at least they washed their faces with water (and sometimes soap). However, it could have the aforementioned side effects." On the other hand, when there are conditions such as seborrheic dermatitis, acne, or rosacea, "the skincare routine ensures we have a series of active ingredients that help us control them." "If we followed the caveman method in that case, we could have many more breakouts or infections," she warns.

It's also not better to wash your face with just water: "Let's use the example of dishes. Would you wash them with just water? No, because the grease and dirt would stick. The same goes for skin: it doesn't effectively remove sebum, makeup residue, environmental pollutants, or sunscreen on its own."

The dermatologist is an advocate of a basic skincare routine : “ facial cleansing with a gentle cleanser that respects the skin barrier, morning and night; hydration ; sun protection (broad spectrum, which combats UVA, UVB, infrared and visible light radiation) and transformers (retinoids and/or alpha hydroxy acids, to promote the exfoliation of dead cells and allow the skin to renew itself better, which translates into fewer spots, wrinkles, etc.).”

In the hydration step, "if anti-aging active ingredients such as the antioxidant vitamin C or niacinamide (the two with the most scientific evidence) are also included, even better," the expert concludes.