Skip to content
Spend £40 for FREE P&P.
All Products Are Vegan
Animal Cruelty Free
Suitable For All Skin Types

5 DIY Skin Care Trends which can harm your skin

By Ryan Harvey

From home remedies passed down through the generations to the latest beauty hacks gaining viral fame on social media platforms, skin care trends keep on popping up. Maybe you’re looking to save money on skincare products? Eco-conscious or just feeling a little curious? We’ve all been tempted by DIY skin care.

But what the TikTok videos and beauty life hackers don’t warn you is of the harm these homemade concoctions can cause to your skin. Here’s 5 DIY skin care trends we recommend avoiding…

 

DIY Coffee Scrub

Homemade facial scrubs are a popular beauty hack. Ground-up walnut shells and sugar scrubs are a common ingredient in DIY exfoliants. The latest skin care trends focus on making your own coffee scrub. We don’t recommend any of these ingredients, and here’s why.

Unlike a tested and professionally-approved exfoliator, a DIY coffee scrub can be harmful to your skin. Rather than leaving you with a brighter and younger-looking complexion, you run the risk of irritating and damaging your skin. This includes scabs, infection, discolouration and scarring the skin. Bacteria can also easily be introduced when the scrub is stored over the long-term.

Leave the coffee for your morning brew. Better and safer results can be achieved with a shop-bought exfoliator and cloths made of soft, natural fibres.

 

 

Deodorant on face

If deodorant can be used to manage the moisture under your armpits, why not lather some on your face as a DIY primer? Here’s why you shouldn’t do this.

The skin on your face and the skin on your armpits are very different. Armpits have a lot more sweat glands, while your face has more sebaceous (or oil) glands.

Deodorants are made to prevent perspiration, not oil production. They can clog your pores, and also usually contain fragrance to reduce or mask body odour. Fragrances are a common cause of irritations and breakouts – especially if you have sensitive skin.

Oily skin? Ditch the deodorant and use skincare products which are made specifically for oil control instead.

 

Toothpaste on acne

An old home remedy for treating spots overnight. Once upon a time, toothpaste contained an antibacterial ingredient known as Triclosan. This was believed to kill the bacteria which causes and worsens breakouts.

Most toothpaste brands have since ditched this ingredient. And while other ingredients (baking soda, alcohol and hydrogen peroxide) may dry out and help to shrink a spot, toothpaste can also irritate the skin, cause rashes and disrupt the skin barrier.

Though it might be tempting to dab toothpaste on a pimple in a pinch, you’re better off buying an over-the-counter spot treatment to treat acne.

 

 

Dental Floss for blackheads

Dental floss attracted viral fame for removing blackheads.

This method may only be effective at removing blockages which aren’t deeply rooted. Picking, increasing pressure or using something sharp (e.g. your nails) can hurt, inflame and even scar the skin. This is why many skincare professionals will recommend salicylic acid cleansers and scrubs to treat and prevent blackheads. These absorb excess oil and can remove dead cells from the skin’s surface.

Just like toothpaste, dental floss is made for your teeth and not for the face!

 

Nail Polish Remover for cold sores

Do a quick Google search on cold sore cures. It will bring up a bunch of blog posts toting nail polish removers as containing a “secret ingredient” which treats active blisters.

This ingredient is known as acetone. It’s often used in household products and industry settings. Small amounts of acetone are naturally produced by our bodies too. Known for its versatility, acetone can remove paint, rust and grease, as well as nail polish. But it’s risky to put on cold sores.

While nail polish remover can dry out a cold sore, reducing its size, it can introduce a host of problems far more serious than a pesky blister! These include chapped lips, skin breakage, infection, and even post-blister scarring. Nail polish remover is also toxic and best kept away from your mouth.

Just because the nail polish remover method has worked for some doesn’t make it any less dangerous! There are much safer ways to treat cold sores.

 

 

Bonus Hack: Raw eggs to tighten skin and treat brown spots

A popular remedy which promises to tighten and lighten your skin is using egg whites. It’s more affordable than a skin serum, but there’s little proof it works. There’s also many reasons why you shouldn’t put egg whites on your skin.

As well as allergic reactions and skin irritations, you put yourself at risk of infection. And yes, that includes salmonella infection!

 

Looking for a safe and effective way to tighten your skin and treat brown spots? Check out our Vitamin C serum, Wonderment.
0
    0
    Your Cart
    Your cart is emptyReturn to Shop
      Calculate Shipping
      Apply Coupon
      Available Coupons
      shifferbrains Get 95% off
      Unavailable Coupons
      bf30 Get 30% off
      cm50 Get 50% off Cyber Monday 50% Off Promo Code
      tennertuesday Get £7.99 off
      xmas Get 50% off