Popular Pinterest Beauty Hacks that are NOT Safe for your Skin

We’ve all been there – we’re bored, scrolling through Pinterest, and we see tons of “beauty hacks” that require common ingredients we can easily find around our house. Everyone loves a good beauty hack – they’re cheap, easy, convenient and require very little work. However, some of the most popular beauty hacks are not as safe as we would like to think – especially for delicate facial skin. Just because the ingredient is natural or labeled “non-toxic” doesn’t automatically mean it’s safe to put on the skin. Below is a breakdown of some of the most common hacks and the reasons why they’re not everything they’re cracked up to be: 

DIY Pore Strips/Glue Mask – The most popular ingredients for this hack involve a combination of charcoal and glue or gelatin. You’re supposed to apply these substances on the face until dry and then peel them off to rid yourself of blackheads. Both glue and gelatin are substances that can clog pores and cause harm and irritation to the skin when pulled off. Not a good idea!

Cinnamon– Some claim that cinnamon helps to dry up acne,  helps with fine lines and smooths the skin but this information is false. Yes, cinnamon is a natural substance but that does not mean it’s safe to use on the skin. Cinnamon is actually considered to be dermocaustic, meaning that it’s a substance known to irritate the skin and cause severe burns.

Baking Soda– There are a plethora of beauty hacks that require baking soda as an ingredient. Although your skin may feel soft and clean after using baking soda, it really messes with the skin’s natural pH balance, stripping away all the natural oils that provide a protective barrier for the skin. You will most likely break out a few days later after using baking soda for this reason.

DIY Fruit Masks– There are so many of these DIY face mask out there and most involve strawberries, kiwis, blueberries, etc. Like baking soda, fruit acids disrupt the skin’s
natural pH barrier and when this occurs, it upsets the bacterial balance of your skin giving bacteria the chance to flourish and cause breakouts. Also, the acid from these fruits may result in irritation such as burns, redness, and peeling. If you are wanting a chemical peel, we suggest visiting an experienced esthetician or purchasing a professional product such as our Gunilla® Brighten and Renew Cream with 10% AHA Moisturizer that contains 100% natural glycolic acid, lactic acid,  acid, citric acid, and tartaric acid.

Eggs–  Egg face masks are pretty popular these days claiming that they will leave your face smooth, tighten your pores and make breakouts disappear. Unfortunately, these results are a bit of a stretch and many have claimed that eggs have actually irritated their face and led to more breakouts. Another concern is being exposed to salmonella. While eggs are fairly safe and can tighten your skin, if they’re not preserved correctly, you may experience negative results.

Mayonnaise– Yes, mayonnaise can be used to hydrate the hair due to its high oil content but it should not be used on the skin because it’s too acidic and too occlusive, meaning it doesn’t allow your skin to breathe and can clog your pores. Also, the acidity can mess with your skins natural pH thus leading to breakouts.

Toothpaste– Toothpaste has been floating around the internet as a quick zit treatment for ages; however, it can really dry out the skin because it contains ingredients like baking soda, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide, to name a few. Also, methanol can be found in toothpaste, which may cause irritation and inflammation. When you put toothpaste on pimples, the combination of the ingredients can be very harsh. Opt for a spot treatment such as our LEROSETT® Clay Spot Treatment and Clearing Mask.

Sugar/Salt Scrubs– These can be used to exfoliate the body or lips; however, sugar and salt granules have rough, jagged edges that can tear up the delicate skin on the face. Therefore, doing far more harm than good.

 

Hopefully, these tips will help you decipher which beauty hacks are helpful and which ones are harmful. Always do your research and be cautious before trying any of these so-called beauty hacks to avoid having negative repercussions.