There are great skincare DIYs out there, like making avocado face masks and using coconut oil as a moisturizer. But there are a lot of terrible ones that include ingredients that should never even go near your gorgeous face. Some kitchen ingredients are totally fine, but leave the following out of your beauty routines.
Lemon
There are tons of DIY face scrubs and masks with baking soda as an ingredient. Heck, we’ve used it on our faces before. But baking soda has a pH of 9, meaning it can strip all the good acid out of your face, increase dryness, and end up causing your skin to overproduce oil. Some people swear by using baking soda as an exfoliant, but it can cause serious long-term damage to your skin.
Baking soda
We, too, used to be a fan of lemons as a skin-brightening ingredient. That is until we realized it’s actually super damaging to our skin. It’s true: lemon juice can brighten your skin. However, it’s highly acidic and dangerous to your skin. Lemon juice can cause severe dryness, burning, blisters, and even phytophotodermatitis, which is basically a serious burn that occurs when certain botanical substances react with UV rays. It is horrible, painful, and absolutely not worth it. If you want to lighten your skin or get rid of hyperpigmentation, use an actual brightening or lightening cream.
Egg
Putting egg whites in your face mask probably won’t make your skin fall off, but using eggs in combination with other ingredients can cause adverse reactions. Your biggest worry is being exposed to salmonella. While eggs are fairly safe and can tighten your skin, if they’re not preserved correctly, you may experience not-so-pleasant results. If you really want to utilize eggs in your skincare routine, there are plenty of options you can get at your favorite beauty store that contain the correct ingredients and preservatives.
Hair spray
Have you ever heard the ol’ “use hairspray as a setting spray” tip? Hopefully not, but if you have, don’t do it. Hairspray is meant for one thing: your hair. While it’s safe to keep your flyaways at bay, it’s packed with chemicals that keep those hairs in place. Literally save face and buy yourself a setting spray or powder so you can safely lock in your makeup.
Cinnamon
Many beauty bloggers claim that cinnamon is the perfect ingredient for getting rid of acne, dark spots, and hyperpigmentation. But too much cinnamon can even cause permanent damage, according to dermatologists.
Foot Cream
Foot cream can’t do any good to your face rather they will really messed up your skin. How? Well, foot cream is designed for your feet, which has the toughest skin on your body. Foot cream is thick and is packed with ingredients that are not meant for your face, since it’s made to break down hard calluses. If you use foot cream on your face, you’ll likely clog your pores and wind up with a bunch of breakouts.
Mayonnaise
Mayonnaise works well as a DIY hair mask, but it’s not so great as a face mask. While it will make your hair super shiny and soft after 20 minutes, it will leave your face feeling greasy and gross. Mayo, much like foot cream, is too thick for your face, can clog your pores, and will make you break out. Save it for your hair, sandwiches, and deviled eggs.
Generally, just be smart about what you’re putting on your skin. If you find something that works for you, great! But if you are going to try a new ingredient, do so sparingly and test out a spot before you slather it all over your face.
