22-year-old woman sparks viral debate by refusing to wash her face

Tia Zakher, 22, has gone viral after revealing she hasn’t washed her face—not with soap, not with water, not at all—for more than two months. Her unfiltered skin journey has stirred up both curiosity and concern across social media.

Why she stopped washing her face

Tia Zakher isn’t your typical beauty influencer. Instead of showing off the latest skincare products, the TikTok creator stunned her 125,000 followers by doing the exact opposite—quitting skincare completely.

Her decision came after years of struggling with acne and trying almost every treatment imaginable. “I did it all—peels, exfoliants, creams, even microneedling,” she explained. But nothing gave her lasting results.

So, on March 14, she decided to go completely hands-off. That meant no more touching, washing, or putting anything on her face—not even water.

At first, she kept quiet about her experiment. But by April, viewers began noticing changes in her skin. Some saw improvement. Others pointed out dryness, flakiness, and discoloration.

When questions started pouring in, Tia responded with a TikTok video explaining her routine—or lack of one. The clip has now been viewed over 10 million times.

What is the “caveman” regimen?

Tia says her approach is inspired by something she found online called the “caveman regimen.” The idea is to let your skin heal naturally, without any outside interference.

While she didn’t create the term, she believes the method could help others like her who’ve felt frustrated by modern skincare.

“It’s not about being lazy,” she said in one video. “It’s about resetting your skin’s natural barrier.”

But not everyone agrees.

Support and skepticism flood TikTok

The reaction to Tia’s no-wash routine has been divided. Some people are cheering her on, calling her brave and relatable. “Honestly, this made me feel less alone about my skin,” one commenter wrote.

Others are skeptical, accusing her of faking results or potentially harming her skin. Dermatologists on TikTok have even weighed in, warning that skipping basic hygiene could lead to more serious skin issues or infections.

Still, the video has opened the door to a larger conversation about how much trust we put in products—and how far people are willing to go to feel comfortable in their own skin.

Tia’s viral moment reflects a growing trend among young people – skin minimalism. As more users share unfiltered skin and ditch expensive routines, the message is clear—perfection isn’t the goal anymore. Authenticity is.

@tiazakher Replying to @purppanther ♬ original sound – tia zakher

TikTok has become a space where people share everything from chronic illness journeys to mental health struggles. For many, Tia’s story fits into this broader push to take control of your body, your choices, and yes, even your skin.

Whether you see Tia Zakher as brave or reckless, her viral skincare experiment is making people think twice about their own routines. Is less really more? Or could ignoring your skin do more harm than good?

As the debate continues, one thing’s clear: Tia’s face—unwashed and all—is getting a lot of people to look in the mirror and ask, What does my skin really need?