I Tried 10 Viral Skincare Products — Here’s What I Really Thought
I love TikTok for skincare recommendations. I am absolutely that girl who goes to bed on the pretence of being shattered, only to spend the next two hours doomscrolling and ordering whichever new skincare product a succession of impossibly glamorous influencers swear blind is going to change my life — or, at the very least, my skin.
And I fall for it. Repeatedly.
The eye patches that apparently erase bags. The cream promising glass skin. The spray that’s supposedly “Botox in a bottle”. The slightly ridiculous green chin mask that’s going to give me a jawline I haven’t seen since my twenties. If it goes viral on BeautyTok and enough people tell me it’s miraculous, there’s a fairly good chance it’s going to end up in my bathroom.
But here’s the thing: some of it is actually really good.
Over the past few months, I’ve bought, tested and lived with a frankly unnecessary amount of viral skincare. Some products have been used for a couple of weeks, others for months, and a handful have become permanent fixtures in my routine that I’ve reordered again and again. There have also been a few that left me wondering whether the product’s marketing team deserved the five-star review more than the skincare itself.
So rather than another round-up based on ingredient lists, online reviews and what everyone else is saying, these are the viral skincare products I’ve actually tried and tested. No filters and no miraculous overnight transformations.
Some are worth the hype. Some are perfectly nice but wildly oversold. And some prove that no matter how convincing a TikTok before-and-after looks at 1am, you probably shouldn’t believe everything you see on the internet.
Here’s what I genuinely thought.
1. Dr Melaxin Cemenrete Calcium Volume Eye Patches
Verdict: Worth the hype
These are one of the rare viral skincare products that have genuinely earned a permanent place in my routine. After using the Dr Melaxin eye patches consistently morning and night, I noticed a marked improvement in the skin around my eyes — it looked plumper, smoother, more hydrated and considerably less tired, while fine dehydration lines appeared softer and makeup sat better afterwards.
I use four patches at a time, including over my hooded eyelids, and particularly like the cooling feel and subtle tightening sensation. They’re certainly not going to replicate surgery or aesthetic treatments, but for around £19 for 60 patches, I think they genuinely live up to the hype — and I’ll continue buying them.
Best for: Tired, puffy and dehydrated-looking eyes
Would I buy again? Yes — absolutely.
Read my full Dr Melaxin Eye Patches review.
2. Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream
Verdict: One of my biggest viral skincare wins
This is probably the strongest endorsement I can give a viral skincare product: I’ve now reordered it three times.
Initially, I liked the Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream because it felt luxurious, delivered plenty of hydration and left my skin looking smoother and genuinely glowy without being greasy. Several months later, I love it even more.
I now ‘flood’ my skin with a generous layer around an hour before bed and use a smaller amount as a hydrating primer beneath makeup. There is some initial tackiness, but once absorbed my skin feels plump, comfortable and beautifully hydrated.
Does it give you the impossibly perfect ‘glass skin’ seen on TikTok? No. But it has noticeably improved how my skin looks and feels — and it’s become one of the few viral products I genuinely wouldn’t want to be without.
Best for: Hydration, glow and a dewy makeup base
Would I buy again? I already have. Three times.
Read my full Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream review.
3. Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm
Verdict: A handbag hero
This viral PDRN balm has become a genuine everyday favourite. I keep it in my handbag and swipe it over dehydrated areas whenever my skin starts looking tired, and it immediately leaves my complexion looking fresher, plumper and beautifully dewy.
I particularly like it around my eyes and lips, where I’m starting to notice a little loss of elasticity. Don’t believe the social-media hype suggesting a balm can replace fillers or dramatically reverse ageing — it can’t. What it does deliver is instant hydration and that lovely healthy, glass-skin glow in seconds.
It’s convenient, mess-free and one I genuinely reach for several times a day.
Best for: On-the-go hydration and instant dewiness
Would I buy again? Yes.
Read my full Medicube PDRN Pink Collagen Volume Multi Balm review.
4. Medicube Kojic Acid Turmeric Overnight Wrapping Mask
Verdict: TikTok got this one right
This is another viral skincare product that genuinely impressed me. I used Medicube’s Kojic Acid Turmeric Overnight Wrapping Mask every other night for two weeks and consistently woke up with skin that looked fresher, smoother, brighter and noticeably more radiant.
The thick gel dries into a comfortable film in around ten minutes — although, unlike those incredibly satisfying TikTok videos, mine certainly doesn’t peel off in one perfect sheet the next morning.
It hasn’t magically erased my fine lines, but they appear softer and my overall skin texture looks better after using it. Most importantly, it has earned a place in my regular routine and I would happily repurchase it.
Best for: Dull skin, texture and overnight glow
Would I buy again? Yes.
Read my full Medicube Kojic Acid Turmeric Overnight Wrapping Mask review.
5. d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum
Verdict: I didn’t get the hype — until I did
I didn’t understand the hype around the d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum when I initially reviewed it. A few weeks later, I was using it several times a day.
The difference came when I stopped treating it like a traditional once-a-day serum and started misting it over my skin whenever it needed refreshing.
It’s particularly brilliant over makeup, instantly bringing back that fresh, dewy, just-applied finish without making my face oily or causing makeup to slide. With continued use, I’ve also noticed my skin looking smoother, healthier and more even.
The results are subtle rather than miraculous, but this is perhaps the best test of a viral product: I finished the bottle and immediately wanted another one.
Best for: Refreshing makeup and adding an effortless glow
Would I buy again? Yes.
Read my full d’Alba White Truffle First Spray Serum review.
6. Skin Diligent Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil
Verdict: Expensive, but excellent
Having tried countless vitamin C products over the years, from supermarket bargains to expensive luxury formulas, this has quietly become my favourite.
I used Skin Diligent’s Vitamin C Serum-in-Oil morning and evening for a month and saw a gradual but noticeable improvement: my complexion looked brighter and more even, areas of mild redness softened and my skin felt considerably smoother.
Despite being oil-based, it absorbs remarkably quickly without leaving that greasy film I dislike, and it layers beautifully beneath moisturiser, SPF and makeup.
At £62 it certainly isn’t cheap, but you only need a couple of drops and, based on the results I saw, it’s one of the few premium skincare products I think justifies the investment.
Best for: Brightness, uneven-looking skin and smoother texture
Would I buy again? Yes.
Read my full Skin Diligent Vitamin C Serum review.
7. Dr Melaxin Eyephalt Retinol Eyebag Cream
Verdict: Useful — but understand what you’re buying
Despite the name, I wouldn’t really describe Eyephalt as a traditional eye cream. It’s more of a temporary treatment for those occasions when you want your under-eye area to look a little smoother and fresher.
Used correctly — and very sparingly — I found it visibly softened the appearance of fine lines and puffiness and made the skin look slightly firmer and more polished. Apply too much, however, and it can dry down leaving residue that actually makes the area look more wrinkled.
I’d happily use it before an evening out or special occasion, but I didn’t see any cumulative improvement with continued use and, given the choice, I still prefer Dr Melaxin’s eye patches.
Best for: A temporary under-eye refresh before an event
Would I buy again? Yes, although I’d buy the eye patches first.
Read my full Dr Melaxin Eyephalt Retinol Eyebag Cream review.
8. Dr Melaxin Cactox Cooling V-Up Mask
Verdict: Nice product, ridiculous expectations
This is a perfect example of a viral skincare product where the marketing rather oversells the reality.
I used the Cactox Cooling V-Up Mask twice a week for two months and, while my jawline did look slightly more defined immediately afterwards, the effect was temporary and most likely down to compression and reduced puffiness rather than any genuine lifting.
The mask itself is wonderfully cooling and hydrating, although those ear loops become uncomfortable after a while. I’d use one before an event or after a particularly salty meal when my face was looking puffy, but don’t expect the dramatically ‘snatched’ jawline promised all over TikTok.
Best for: Temporary de-puffing before an event
Would I buy again? Possibly.
Read my full Dr Melaxin Cactox Cooling V-Up Mask review.
9. Probioderm 3D Lifting Cream Mist — AKA TikTok’s “Botox in a Bottle”
Verdict: Botox in a bottle it most certainly is not
The so-called viral TikTok “Botox in a bottle” is a perfect example of clever marketing getting wildly ahead of the product.
I used the Probioderm 3D Lifting Cream Mist daily for two weeks and, as a facial refresher, I actually quite liked it. It smells nice, delivers a quick hit of hydration and leaves skin looking dewy and a little plumper.
What it absolutely did not do was lift, tighten or sculpt my face in any noticeable way.
I also found it too slick to use with makeup, causing my mascara to print beneath my eyes. If you want a pleasant hydrating mist, it does the job; if TikTok has convinced you you’re buying Botox in a spray bottle, prepare to be disappointed.
Best for: A quick hydration boost
Would I buy again? Probably not.
Read my full TikTok “Botox in a Bottle” Mist review.
10. Dr Melaxin Calcium Cemenrete Dark Spot Cover Eye Cream
Verdict: One of the rare TikTok products that actually performs
This slightly unusual skincare-makeup hybrid turned out to be one of my favourite Dr Melaxin discoveries. Although it’s marketed as an eye cream, the beige tint provides sheer coverage that genuinely brightens the under-eye area — but what impressed me most was how beautifully it sits on fine lines. Unlike many concealers I’ve tried, it doesn’t cake, collect in every crease or leave my under-eyes looking older than they did before. You need the tiniest amount (too much can give you slightly alarming reverse panda eyes), but used sparingly and blended properly, it leaves the area looking smoother, brighter and fresher while still feeling like skincare. At around £18, I’d absolutely buy it again.
Best for: Brightening under-eyes without emphasising fine lines
Would I buy again? Absolutely.
Read my full Dr Melaxin Calcium Cemenrete Dark Spot Cover Eye Cream review.
So, Which Viral Skincare Products Are Actually Worth It?
After testing all of these products, the biggest lesson is probably an obvious one: viral doesn’t necessarily mean brilliant, but it doesn’t automatically mean rubbish either.
TikTok skincare exists in a strange world where a perfectly good moisturiser suddenly has to “erase wrinkles”, a hydrating spray becomes “Botox in a bottle” and a cooling chin mask is apparently capable of rearranging your jawline.
Strip away those ridiculous expectations and some of these products are actually excellent.
The Medicube Collagen Jelly Cream is now a staple in my routine. The Dr Melaxin eye patches genuinely impressed me. I’ve grown to love the d’Alba Spray Serum, while Medicube’s Kojic Acid Turmeric Overnight Wrapping Mask is another product I’ll happily continue using.
Others aren’t necessarily bad products — they simply don’t do what social media would have you believe.
And perhaps that’s the most useful thing I’ve learned from spending far too many evenings being influenced by beautiful women with immaculate skin: judge skincare by what it can realistically do, rather than what somebody trying to sell it says it can do.
Will that stop me going to bed tonight, opening TikTok and ordering another Korean skincare product I absolutely do not need?
Obviously not.
Someone has to test it.
Joanne Brook-Smith is a writer and editor with two decades of publishing experience and a particular interest in beauty and skincare. As Editor of Crave Magazine, she personally tests the products she reviews, from viral TikTok skincare and K-beauty trends to established and luxury brands, offering honest, experience-led verdicts on what genuinely works — and what doesn’t.