Skincare is a booming industry, with a global worth of $155.7 billion in 2023. Blink and you might miss the newest trending active or product on TikTok. Visit Reddit and you’ll find hundreds of comments seeking the holy grail skincare routine to banish all epidermal woes. Multimillion-dollar businesses have been built off the back of one viral product.But amid that intense desire for poreless pores, smooth foreheads, and zit-free complexions, there have also been losses: bestsellers that leave the buyer disappointed or worse, cross-product interactions that leave the skin irritated, red, and raw. For the skincare connoisseur, the fight to assemble their Insta-worthy bathroom shelf of choice doesn’t come without collecting a few battle scars along the way. Single-ingredient–focused formulas have turned every bathroom countertop into an amateur dermatologist’s office.For the industry, catering to this hungry crowd also isn’t easy. Demands driven by a “more is more” approach—higher concentrations of actives or overnight results to create the biggest bang for one’s buck, quick turnaround to restock sold-out products on shelves, the eager anticipation for the next release once a brand’s hero product has hit the mainstream—create a high-stakes environment. The competition to stand out among one’s peers becomes a challenge that only substantial investment, unique ingredient discoveries, or genius influencer marketing can help conquer. Once the purchase is made, a repeat buy isn’t always guaranteed, especially in today’s experimental crowd.