DIY Skincare You Should Never Put On Your Face

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We’ve all heard, and even tried, DIY skincare techniques. Whether we learned them from our elders, or read about them in a magazine, we’ve all attempted to make homemade polishing scrubs and acne-fighting face masks.

But did you know there are a handful of common DIY skincare practices that are actually harmful to your skin, especially the delicate facial skin?

Let’s start with a common ingredient we’ve all been told works wonders on the skin, baking soda.

That’s right, for years people have been using baking soda as a facial scrub. Apparently the selling factor is it not only sloughs off dead skin cells, but helps neutralize oils.

The truth is baking soda has a high pH level and can actually cause excessive dryness to the facial skin, causing an overproduction of oil. The method to help control oil ends up causing more oil since the baking soda is stripping the skin of all its good acids.

Lemon is another age-old remedy. The tale says lemon helps fight acne and can brighten dark spots. Although lemon can brighten the skin, the reason why it works is because it’s so acidic. The acidity in lemon will not only dry skin out, but it can cause horrible UV burns when overexposed to sunlight.

Sugar and salt are commonly used in DIY body scrubs, but these two ingredients should never touch your face. The granules are far too harsh for the skin and will cause skin abrasions, leaving room for infection and scarring.

Sugar and salt, combined with oils like olive oil or coconut oil, make great body scrubs only.

Speaking of a product that can act as an acne-fighter, toothpaste is another no-no when it comes to DIY skincare. Toothpaste not only is ineffective in spot-treating acne, it can cause breakouts and skin irritations, especially to those who have sensitive skin.

Last but not least, never use rubbing alcohol in place of a facial toner. Using rubbing alcohol was said to help banish acne-causing bacteria while removing excess facial oil.

Much like baking soda, rubbing alcohol will only cause the face to overproduce oil since the rubbing alcohol will literally strip the skin dry. Not only will it dry the skin out, it will also strip the skin of its protective barrier which helps ward off infection.

Although some homemade and DIY remedies can be beneficial, remember to do some research and make sure what you’re putting on your face and body will actually be helpful and not harmful.