Fans are baffled by Selena Gomez's serum as cleanser hack—but what do the skin experts think?

Is Selena Gomez's serum hack hack good for the skin, or even safe? Here's what a skincare expert has to say about this new, celeb-approved cleansing method...

While Selena Gomez's dating situation remains a mystery, the same luckily can't be said for her makeup and skincare routines! Thanks to her TikTok videos, we've already learned all of Selena's favorite makeup products—with the Rare Beauty mogul also sharing a number of her top beauty and skincare tips. 

However, in her latest TikTok (which is just as mesmerizing as Hailey Bieber's skincare routine) the Only Murders In The Building star floored viewers by demonstrating her use of a serum concentrate as a cleanser to remove her makeup. And not just any serum—a La Mer serum—which costs up to £435 a pop!

In the video, Selena applied a few drops of the concentrate to her dolled-up face and began gently massaging it into her skin, before showing the makeup melting away on her fingers. 

Sharing a PSA in the caption, she revealed that she was actually gifted most of the products—so no, she didn't drop £400 on the La Mer serum just to use it as a fancy makeup remover (we love the transparency). Though she did go on to add: "Use any serum to take off makeup before washing. It breaks it up nicely."

@selenagomez

PSA I got most of these products free. I ain’t just rolling like that everywhere. Use any serum to take off make up before washing. It breaks it up nicely. Also use a sponge to wipe eyes to treat eyes delicately when removing make up. K I’m done pretending I know what I’m taking about.

♬ Never Be Me - Miley Cyrus

Understandably, some fans were left baffled by her skincare routine, with one saying: "Not the concentrate to remove makeup 😭" 

While another commented: "Serum to remove makeup 😳" and a third wrote: "is. she. really. using. la mer. as. a. oil. cleanser."

So, despite the online discourse, should this be our new go-to way of removing our makeup? We spoke to the experts...

What skin experts say about Selena Gomez's serum hack?

Chartered chemist and founder of SOS Serum Skincare, Bruce Green has some thoughts on the matter, explaining: "Serums can come in many different packages and formulations; some can perform as cleansers, some do not. 

"Some serum formulas can be too oily, exacerbating blemishes and contributing to a build-up of clogged pores. Depending on the serum used, there may also be a high concentration of alcohol which can irritate the skin, worsening an existing skin condition."

Green also shared another reason for NOT just using any serum (like the best vitamin c serums, or retinol serums) to cleanse your skin, adding they can cause "skin purging." 

He said: "Ingredients such as glycolic acid, retinoids and lactic acid accelerate skin activity of getting rid of dead skin cells, but because of these speedy components, it can bring sebum to the skin's surface, causing breakouts."

So, what's the verdict? 

Green says serums are not designed to remove makeup or dirt from the skin, adding: "Cleansers however are made to remove skin impurities, microbes, pollution, dirt and everything else so that the skin is left with a clean base to apply the rest of your skincare routine. Serums can be applied onto fresh skin, after your usual cleanser.

"I say use a cosmetic formulation designed for a specific job. Life is not one cosmetic fits-all. Drain cleaners are a good cleanser but would you use them on your face?!”

So while you should definitely incorporate the best hyaluronic serums into your routine—only use them for what they've been designed to do.

Selena Gomez's beauty blender hack

While the serum cleanser hack is a no-go for us, fans were loving Selena's clever way of removing her eye makeup.

In the same video, she shared that she douses a mini Beauty Blender in Micellar water (she uses the one from Bioderma) and gently applies it to her under eyes and lashes.

She added in her caption: "Also use a sponge to wipe eyes to treat eyes delicately when removing makeup. K I’m done pretending I know what I’m talking about."

One fan commented: "THE SPONGE SOAKED IN MICELLAR WATER!!!!!! Ma’am !!!! Genius."

As another quipped: "The beauty blender for removing eye makeup is GENIUS Selena!!!!!" 

We'll 100% be trying this one out!