5 DIY beauty treatments that are NOT a good idea

We’ve all got an arsenal of DIY beauty hacks that work. Coconut oil can happily hydrate your legs. A handful of colloidal oatmeal tossed into the bath really does soothe your skin. And who hasn’t whipped up an avocado face mask? The thing is, many of these DIY beauty treatments are effective at best, but not always harmless at worst. We get some expert advice on a few beauty tricks from the ‘gram that are best left untouched – trust us, these DIY beauty treatments are not a good idea.

Using baking soda as a scrub

“Your skin has a natural pH of between 4.5 to 5. Baking soda is much higher than that, meaning it’s very alkaline and can damage your skin’s barrier repair function,” says skincare therapist Chantal Bester. If you want to exfoliate, use a product specially created for the purpose instead of digging in your baking cupboard. 

Lightening dark marks with lemon juice

Nope, nope, nope. Chantal says lemon juice is far too acidic and irritating to use on your skin. It also contains a chemical called psoralen that can cause sun sensitivity, even after you wash it off. “Rather buy a treatment product that contains proven melanin-inhibiting ingredients like vitamin C, and leave lemons in the fruit bowl,” says Chantal. 

Putting toothpaste on a pimple

Erm, don’t do that. “Possibly one of the most well-known DIY beauty treatments, many people believe that toothpaste can help dry out pimples, but it’s really just drying out your skin in general, which can actually inflame the spot and make it worse,” says Chantal. “Instead use an over-the-counter treatment that’s specially formulated for pimples and contains antibacterial ingredients like benzoyl peroxide, tea tree oil and zinc.”  

Making a skin-firming mask using egg whites

“When raw egg whites dry on your face they contract in a way that only creates the illusion of tightness. They don’t contain any collagen-encouraging ingredients but can carry the bacteria which, if accidentally ingested, causes salmonella,” warns Chantal. “Save the eggs for your morning scramble and buy a face mask that won’t potentially put you in hospital.”

Plumping up your lips with wasabi

One of the crazier DIY beauty tips floating around the internet sees vloggers rubbing wasabi onto their lips in an attempt to plump them, but they’re really just causing swelling and inflammation. “Inflammation breaks down your skin’s collagen, so if you do it often enough a short-lived plump means thinner-looking lips over time,” says Chantal.  That’s a “thanks, but no thanks” from us.

IMAGE CREDIT: 123rf.com