TikToker's "Caveman Skincare" Sparks Internet Outrage: Healing Or Hoax?

Tia Zakher says she's healing her skin by doing... nothing. Literally. No washing, no moisturizing, not even a splash of water. According to her, eight years of over-exfoliation wrecked her skin barrier so badly that she's letting it "rebuild itself naturally." In a video showing her face covered in thick, flaky patches, she admitted, "Days are tougher than others and I feel like I want to just exfoliate this off and pick it all off." But not everyone's convinced. Some viewers claim she’s faking it and are accusing her of caking on Aztec clay masks and powder to mimic a skin condition. Others think it looks more like a fungal infection than "healing." She's been dubbed the "Aztec Clay Mask Girl" on the platform by some users. TikTok creator DJHungryHuman said, "Thank God someone figured out that the fungus girl was using the Aztec clay mask. Because I was thinking to myself, I don't know if I just have decent skin, but I could probably go like two weeks without washing my face and not have it looking like that. That does not seem normal." Even Dr. Rubin (@rubin_allergy), a board-certified allergist, threw some caution into the mix, warning, "This caveman method that she talks about where you do nothing to your skin is not generally recommended for most people. If you do not do anything to your skin you don't clean it or anything you could increase the risk of developing something called dermatosis neglecta." Meanwhile, Zakher responded to the online frenzy in another video, saying, "I think just building up my confidence to not care about what other people who aren't in my life, essentially strangers, have to say." "If it was a friend or family member who would comment on something or give me constructive criticism, I'd fully take it," she continued. "But I've just learned to block that out. Moral of the story is don't place so much value and importance on external validation. And just be confident in yourself and in your own skin." Despite the backlash, Zakher’s been spotted out and about, flakes and all, even when out running a marathon. Whether she's genuinely healing or pulling a "scar girl" remains up for debate, but one thing’s for sure: everyone's watching. Subscribe today to get unlimited access to all of Evie’s premium content.