As the cost of living has made many people cut non-essential spending out of their daily lives, ‘DIY skincare’ has started to rise in popularity, with Google searches spiking by 127% since January 2023. 

However, skincare experts have warned that not every at-home-treatment is safe to try. That includes TikTok’s latest skincare trend: pickles.

Those who love pickles want to reap their benefits in every way possible; that includes their skin-boosting properties. However, rather than simply consuming the natural probiotics and antioxidants that gherkins boast, skincare addicts on TikTok have been applying the brine directly to their skin in lieu of their toner. 

Others are using the brine to create a DIY facemask and letting it soak in for a few minutes like a sheet mask. 

The trend claims to treat acne, tone skin like an acid-based toner and remove dead skin cells to reveal a glowing complexion, but according to Thom Watson, skincare expert at Humanery, applying pickles directly to your skin does not act as a natural toner and can instead cause inflammation and visible irritation. 

Instead, those who want a glow-from-within should seek benefits from drinking pickle brine instead, to benefit from the liquid’s probiotics, he explains.

“Applying pickles or pickle water directly to the skin is likely going to cause irritation, leave your skin inflamed, and will also leave behind a smell that will linger all day.

“If you’re worried about spending money on skincare in the cost of living crisis, please do not try applying pickle brine directly to your skin because you will definitely end up having to spend money on over-the-counter treatments to remedy the ailments caused by this TikTok trend.” 

So are there really any benefits to this trend? Interestingly, yes. There is a reason why #pickleskincare has nearly 80,000 views on TikTok. 

Thom adds: “Actually, ingesting pickles and the brine can be very good for you. They are high in lactobacillus, a very powerful probiotic that is highly beneficial to the skin as well as other antioxidants and other goodies that do the gut, body and skin well. So by eating them on a regular basis, you are making your gut happy, which will ultimately help to support your skin, too.”

“But if you are trying to get rid of acne scarring or dead skin cells, please look for a suitable toner and put the pickles down.”