12 DIY Skincare Ingredients You Should Never Put on Your Skin!
When it Comes to Your Skin, DIY is Usually a Don’t...
1. Apple Cider Vinegar as a Toner
Intuitively, people tend to think the tingling sensation that you feel from a skincare product means it’s just “cleaning” harder. But, that’s not actually what happens at all.
Vinegar = Acid. Meaning that using apple cider vinegar as a toner can burn your skin! Just remember, a burning or tingling sensation does not mean it’s working.
In fact, it probably means you should be getting the product off your face IMMEDIATELY!
2. Elmer’s Glue and Charcoal as a Face Mask
This DIY trend has not been proven to be neither effective nor safe by skin experts. – In fact, most advise against it. Even though Elmer’s Glue says “non-toxic” on the label, it’s not supposed to be used on skin.
Also, the so-called cleansing power of charcoal remains scientifically unproven. If you want a face mask that’s actually proven to be effective, stick to ones- like Raybae Beauty’s Overnight Collagen Mask – that are filled with natural plant based ingredients.
3. Coconut Oil to Moisturize
Some say it’s good for your skin because of its anti-inflammatory and anti-bacterial properties, but coconut oil tends to block pores—slowly and imperceptibly. You can get those same benefits without clogging pores from other products. Like the Deep Water Day or Deep Water Night Cream from Raybae Beauty- with water based formulas and nourishing natural ingredients.
So, avoid putting coconut oil on your skin, and check the ingredients of whatever cleanser, moisturizer, masks, serums, or makeup products you’re using to make sure there isn’t any coconut oil in it.
4. Lemons for Skin Lightening
No. More. Lemons.
I repeat: No More Lemons!
For some reason, this citrus fruit is known as “Mother Nature’s Skin Lightener” and is the star of DIY beauty gurus but is the nightmare of most dermatologists.
Lemons have a pH level of about 2, which can really mess up the skin's natural pH levels that are around a 4 - 5. Plus, lemons are highly acidic resulting in inflammation, irritation and damaging of the skin’s barrier function. Eventually your skin will become more sensitive to the sun which increases your risk of sunburn, skin cancer and hyperpigmentation. Instead try using a Vitamin C Serum which will safely and effectively get the job done.
Now, don’t get me wrong - I love lemons. I use them in my water, my teas, in cooking, I even love the citrus smell! But please just stick to using lemon in your tea… and not on your face.
5. Coffee Grounds as a Face Scrub
Coffee grounds are another popular DIY skincare ingredient- especially in scrubs.
Often used to add "caffeine" to the skin, to constrict blood vessels and reduce redness. However, coffee does not have any proven advantages and it's just a terrible idea to use it in scrubs.
Why? Because the sharp coffee grounds end up forming micro-tears on the skin, causing light dermal trauma, irritation, and breakouts. -This also applies to Sugar or Sea Salts as a scrub.
6. Exfoliating with Baking Soda
Continuing with what not to use in a scrub…baking soda. Because it may feel like a powder and not rough like the ingredients above, it may seem safe and gentle to use as an exfoliant. But it is not!
Despite the sheer number of DIY recipes suggesting it online, baking soda is not to be used on your face! Like Lemons, it also has a basic pH much higher than where healthy skin should live. To avoid reactive, rashy skin, keep this orange box in the fridge and away from your face.
7. Hydrogen Peroxide for Healing your Skin
This might be everybody's go-to product for cleaning scrapes and cuts. Though 3% hydrogen peroxide is great for debriding and disinfecting wounds, it’s not meant for daily, undiluted application.
In fact, it is actually considered to be toxic to skin. Repeated use of hydrogen on the skin can cause irritant and allergic reactions, blisters, and inflammation, and prevent your wound and the surrounding area from healing.
8. Using Toothpaste to Shrink Pimples
Toothpaste is a cult classic when it comes to DIY zit treatments. But its main ingredients — peroxide and baking soda (see numbers 6 and 7!) — aren't so great for your skin.
Though it might bring down inflammation temporarily, it will eventually create irritation. Even worse, you run the risk of being left with marks and discoloration after the acne has faded.
Instead, use retinol to clear your skin- such as Raybae Rejuvenating Retinol Serum. Retinol works by increasing cell turnover which reduces the appearance of acne, scars, and hyperpigmentation.
9. Egg Whites as a Mask to Reduce Wrinkles
Egg whites have been touted as a home remedy for wrinkles as well as acne — some people whip them into a meringue and let it dry on their face. Others will mix the egg whites with other ingredients to make a mask.
As the it dries, it develops a film on the skin which is what gives your face that “tight” feeling. But just like any wrinkle reduction that sensation is very temporary (as in minutes after washing it off!).
There’s also no proven benefit for acne, and you could cause harm to yourself, because as we know raw eggs can be contaminated with salmonella.
For tips on safe and effective wrinkle treatment, check out our Age-Defying Wrinkle Serum or learn more about our anti-aging skincare guide blog!
10. Cinnamon and Ginger for a Face Scrub
It may taste sweet on your buns, but it can wreak havoc on your face. We're talking irritation, blisters, and in some cases, even burns. You might as well just use pepper — you'd get the same results.
Instead of making your own mask, consider using a natural face cleaner with ingredients that will gently exfoliate.
11. Applying Mayonnaise as a Face Mask
Mayonnaise may be good for lunchtime sandwiches, but it's not so great for your skin. A mayo mask is made mainly of oil and fat and can bring on a full face of acne, plugging pores, and encouraging skin bacteria to grow.
On the other hand, it does hydrate hair, and is a legit remedy for dry ends! But on the face, it is a one way ticket to Grease-O-Rama and is the perfect primer for pimples.
12. Tomato Juice to Balance your Skin
Some DIY skincare enthusiasts suggest that by rubbing a tomato slice over their skin, making a tomato face mask, or even a tomato-and-sugar scrub will help you to reduce skin oiliness, acne, and redness.
While tomatoes do provide vitamins and antioxidants, you’re better off eating them than wearing them. Also, because tomatoes are acidic, putting them on your skin could actually worsen the acne, leaving your skin irritated and dried-out.
Conclusion
Phew! That’s a lot of debunking. But we hope we’ve helped you out by saving you the time, effort, and mess of trial-and-error testing these inexplicably popular DIY skin treatments. When in doubt, don’t DIY your skincare routine
Unless you have extensive knowledge of how the skin works and what ingredients to keep away from your skin, then it’s best to just leave it to the experts. If you feel like you’re saving yourself some bucks by DIY-ing your skincare, chances are you’re really not…when it comes to your skin’s health, some things are best left to the professionals!
