Last Updated:
As porcelain and glass-skin ideals fade, Gen Z turns to unfiltered trends like menstrual masking, but dermats warn that this pursuit of “realness” may carry serious health risks.
Porcelain To ‘Glass Skin’ To Menstrual Masking: The Viral Shift In Beauty Ideals That’s Sparked A Global Debate (Image-AI)
There was a time when porcelain skin sat unchallenged at the throne. For centuries, from the villas of ancient Rome to the candlelit courts of Europe and even into the glamour-soaked studios of early Hollywood, pale and near-perfect skin was the gold standard. Porcelain skin slipped off the pedestal so quickly that it felt as if the world had collectively decided to forget it.
In its place emerged a new obsession, the ‘glass skin’ look. Smooth, high-shine, poreless complexions were curated through elaborate routines, filters, and carefully edited morning rituals. Yet simmering beneath this glossy shift was a growing frustration among young people tired of perfection being sold as authenticity.
In a cultural moment where Gen Z openly pushes back against the ‘glass skin’ aesthetic, favouring texture, pores and “realness,” menstrual masking has surfaced almost as a symbol of radical authenticity. This beauty trend, where people apply menstrual blood to their face, has ignited intense debate online. While some claim it clears acne and brightens skin, dermatologists strongly warn against it, citing infection risks and zero scientific backing.
The Rise Of Menstrual Masking
To perform the trend, many users collect menstrual blood usually via menstrual cups – apply a thin layer to their face for a few minutes and rinse it off. The visuals alone are enough to spark online frenzy. What makes this menstrual masking so controversial is not just its shock factor but the potential infection risks it carries.
Influencers frequently claim that period blood contains stem cells, cytokines, growth factors and proteins that rejuvenate the skin. To its advocates, the idea feels poetic and empowering: using the body’s own discarded material to heal and beautify itself.
The trend’s spirituality-focused community calls it a way to connect with menstrual cycles, femininity and ancient rituals. But dermatologists argue that behind these trends lie a layer of serious health concerns.
The Cultural Shift: Gen Z and Real Skin
“Gen Z prizes authenticity, diversity and visible identity and pushes back against highly airbrushed, homogeneous beauty ideals promoted by older influencer cycles,” according to Dr Shefali Mahlawat, Department of Dermatology at NIIMS Medical College & Hospital in Greater Noida.
The trend reflects a broader generational shift. Platforms like SkinTok, she notes, have amplified creators who show acne, scars, texture and untreated skin—imagery that counters the unattainable “porcelain” perfection once associated with K-beauty routines. However, the search for authenticity, Dr Mahlawat warns, has also created an environment where untested, risky DIY hacks can take root.
“This is mostly healthy,” she says, “but it also opens room for risky DIY extremes.” Menstrual masking appears to be one such extreme — born from a desire for natural, raw, unfiltered skincare, but drifting into unsafe territory.
What Studies Say
Supporters of menstrual masking frequently reference scientific studies, often without understanding their context. The study published in The FASEB Journal in July 2018 found that plasma derived from menstrual fluid significantly enhanced wound healing in lab tests.
Wounds treated with menstrual plasma showed 100% repair within 24 hours, compared with 40% using regular blood plasma. But dermatologists emphasise that this research was conducted in controlled laboratory environments using processed plasma, not raw menstrual blood applied to skin.
Another study published in PubMed Central in January 2016 examined MenSCs — stem cells isolated from menstrual blood. These cells are versatile and can differentiate into multiple cell types. Research suggests that mesenchymal stem cells may help boost collagen, repair burns and reduce UV damage, under controlled medical conditions.
“Lab findings about isolated cells or purified factors do not validate applying whole, unprocessed bodily fluid as a consumer skincare treatment,” notes Dr Mahlawat. There are no clinical trials showing that applying menstrual blood to the face provides skin benefits.
Global Health Agencies Issue Warnings
The U.S. Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), through its Bloodborne Infectious Diseases page (NIOSH), issued a reminder on February 15, 2025. “Blood and certain body fluids can contain bloodborne pathogens. Exposure to these fluids can present a transmission risk.”
While applying one’s own menstrual blood carries lower viral risk than someone else’s, the CDC emphasises that bodily fluids are never sterile, and contamination can occur through skin cuts, acne lesions, microtears, open pores and improper handling.
Why Menstrual Blood Is Not Like PRP
Some influencers compared menstrual masking to the celeb-favourite PRP (platelet-rich plasma) vampire facial, but the experts reject this analogy. PRP is extracted from the patient’s blood, processed under sterile conditions, injected into the skin with microneedles and applied by trained professionals.
Menstrual blood, on the other hand, is a mixture of blood, hormones, bacteria, vaginal secretions, endometrial tissue, protein and fungi. As it exits the body, it encounters microorganisms, including Staphylococcus aureus, a bacterium which can cause infections if introduced into open pores or broken skin.
According to Dr Mahlawat, “Applying menstrual blood to the skin carries real infection and irritation risks. Menstrual blood is not sterile. It can harbour bacteria or become contaminated by skin flora and environmental microbes.”
Potential consequences include:
- Contact dermatitis
- Bacterial infections
- Folliculitis
- Allergic reactions
- Acne flare-ups
- Exacerbation of rosacea
- Long-term barrier damage
Why Do People Try It?
Menstrual masking has been framed not just as a beauty practice but as a political and spiritual statement. There is also a growing mistrust of conventional beauty products, with many users turning toward DIY alternatives.
Dr Mahlawat notes, “Authenticity is a positive cultural value — but ‘natural’ doesn’t equal ‘safe.’ Safety comes from evidence and sterile technique when blood or invasive procedures are involved.”
Other Body-Based Beauty Products
Menstrual masking has also joined a long line of unconventional skin hacks involving bodily fluids, including urine therapy, breast milk facial and more. Urine therapy, for example, has Ayurvedic roots, but modern dermatology notes that the urea in urine is far less concentrated and not equivalent to clinical-grade cosmetic urea.
Such practices focus on a broader online shift toward extreme DIY skincare — often without a scientific basis or safety considerations.
Safer Alternatives For Skincare Routine
When asked about safer alternatives and realistic skincare routines, Dr Mahlawat stresses simplicity. She recommends:
- Use a gentle, pH-friendly cleanser
- Apply a broad-spectrum SPF 30–50 every morning
- Keep your barrier strong with a moisturiser suited to your skin type—lightweight gels for oily skin and richer creams for dry skin.
- Add targeted actives slowly and correctly, like retinoids at night for texture and acne.
- Limit exfoliation to once a week with mild AHA/BHA formulas instead of harsh daily scrubs.
And above all, “Stay sceptical of extreme viral hacks — if it isn’t backed by science, skip it.”
Menstrual masking may feel intimate or spiritually meaningful for some, but medically, it remains unsafe and unsupported by evidence. While research continues to explore the regenerative properties of menstrual-derived cells, these studies occur in sterilised lab settings — not bathrooms and not on bare skin. Menstrual masking is a reminder that not everything natural is harmless and not every beauty ritual belongs on the skin.
December 01, 2025, 08:00 IST
Stay Ahead, Read Faster
Scan the QR code to download the News18 app and enjoy a seamless news experience anytime, anywhere.
login