A number of beauty and skincare enthusiasts on TikTok have shared that they found mold growing inside their facial cleansers. But experts suggested that it likely isn't the fault of the manufacturer but rather where people are storing their cleansers.
In a one-minute video on TikTok, user Diana Hasler opened up about a horrible experience she had with her facewash, the Cetaphil Gentle Skin Cleanser. She claimed to have found out that she had been using a moldy product just a month after buying it.
She wondered why the facial cleanser had gone bad quickly and asked viewers whether or not it may have been due to her keeping the bottle in the shower.
@bilashbabyboutique Check your products… they go mouldy ðŸ˜ðŸ¤¢ even if newly purchased. Yay for me 🥲 #skincare #mouldy #products #skincaretips #absolutelynot #nothanks #mould @Cetaphil Australia i love you … i dont blame you. I blame me 😂😅
♬ original sound - Diana - BilashBaby
The Australian mom and owner of a children's boutique stated in her video, "Friendly reminder that if you keep face wash in the shower, things go moldy. I just didn’t think it would happen so quickly."
Hasler discovered the issue after smelling a bad odor while doing her beauty routine. She immediately verified whether it was coming from the cleanser, and when she opened the lid, she was disgusted to find mold inside.
"What’s that smell? Why does it smell funky? I open the lid, and then I was like, ‘Oh my God, there’s mold,'" she recalled.
The Bilash Baby Boutique owner showed the mold she discovered to the camera before warning viewers: "Check your products… they go moldy even if newly purchased."
Hasler said she noticed it too late and claimed that using the spoiled facewash had caused her recent random skin breakouts.
She shared that she was forced to buy a new one, and fearing it would happen again, the TikToker said she was "going to check probably every single day for mold."
@bilashbabyboutique Replying to @cassssblair_ at least we can all laugh about it now 😅ðŸ˜ðŸ™ƒ #mold #facecleanser #cetaphil #gross
♬ original sound - Diana - BilashBaby
Surprisingly, Hasler wasn't the only one who experienced this. Hundreds of TikTokers also shared that they had found mold growing inside of products from the same brand, Cetaphil.
"I had the same issue with my Cetaphil,” one TikTok user commented on her video.
To explain this alarming dilemma of beauty lovers, dermatologists shared their insights with the New York Post regarding what may be causing mold to form in beauty products.
New Jersey-based dermatologist Dr. Hannah Kopelman of Kopelman Hair Restoration highlighted the importance of checking skincare expiration dates.
"Over time, the active ingredients in skincare products can degrade, reducing their effectiveness and potentially leading to irritation or even infections," she noted.
"Most products have a 'period after opening' (PAO) symbol, which indicates how long the product is safe to use after opening -- usually between 6 to 12 months," she added.
@bilashbabyboutique Replying to @Britt wish there was a better update but so far nothing. 😂😠#cetaphil #mold #facecleanser #update
♬ original sound - Diana - BilashBaby
Another expert suggested that the shower is not suitable for storing skincare products.
"Showers are damp environments. The damp, warm temperatures of showers can encourage the proliferation of microorganisms like mold," said Dr. Brendan Camp, a board-certified dermatologist of MDCS Dermatology in New York.
Instead, he recommended "storing your skincare products in a cool, dark environment like a medicine cabinet."
Meanwhile, Hasler shared an update that Cetaphil had reached out to her first but that the brand has yet to discuss the matter further with her.