You can whip up cosmetics and skin care treatments in the kitchen, but there are
some ingredients you should never use in your DIY beauty products.
I’m all for homemade skin treatments and cosmetics. You can save a lot of money
and customize the products for your needs. But it can also be dangerous if you don’t
know what you’re doing. Just because something is safe to eat or “natural” doesn’t
mean you should apply it to your skin. There are several ingredients you should
never use in your DIY beauty products, and they might surprise you.
VINEGAR
Skin care forums sometimes recommend using vinegar for toners, but it’s not worth
the risk. No matter where you come across a tip—even if you’ve trusted the source
in the past—take precautions before you try it out. It could be damaging to your skin
type, if not everyone’s. Vinegar’s acidity could irritate or even burn your skin.
RAW EGGS
Some DIY enthusiasts will tell you that adding egg to a mask can give you tighter
skin and more refined pores. But they might not mention that it can also give you
salmonella, listeria, staphylococcus aureus, and other food-borne pathogens. You
might not be eating the egg, but your skin can still absorb more than half of what you
apply to it topically. That’s enough to get you sick.
LEMONS
I remember watching an episode of The Brady Bunch where Jan used a lemon to try
to fade her freckles, and I mentally filed it away as a beauty hack. Wrong—and for
several reasons:
- Jan’s self-image issues should have been taken more seriously. And come
on—Marcia was a nightmare of a sister.
- Freckles are so desirable now that there are products with the specific
purpose of faking them.
- You should never apply lemons to your skin.
You’ll still see beauty amateurs online touting the brightening effects of lemon juice,
but don’t fall for it. Lemons and other fruits are highly acidic and can burn your skin.
Unless you want to risk leaving your skin raw and discolored, you should avoid
lemons in your products.
CINNAMON
Working with spices is tricky. Some people swear by turmeric in facials, for instance,
while others say it’s an ingredient you should never use in your DIY beauty products
because it can stain your skin. Frankly, that’s all I need to hear. Be sure to spot-test
anything you want to use before you spread it on your face, especially if you’re prone
to allergies. And do yourself a favor and steer clear of cinnamon. Although it has
some antimicrobial benefits, that tingling sensation can turn into burned skin.
