Ingredients You Should Avoid If You Make Your Own Skin Care Products At Home

 

It is always interesting looking at skin care products whether in the store or on Amazon.  Sometimes the prices end up being way more than can be afforded so maybe you decide to make your own skin care products.  If you do a search for recipes, you'll find lots on blogs and webpages. Unfortunately, some recipes include ingredients that are not recommended by dermatologists. 

One such ingredient is lemon  Lemon is touted as a wonderful skin brightener but it can cause burns on the skin since it is an acid. It could leave your skin red and discolored.  If lemon is place on skin that is exposed to the skin, it could cause phytophotodermatitis which is where the skin is blistered and hyperpigmented. Other fruits should not cause the same reaction unless you are allergic to them. However, it is best to conduct a patch test to make sure there is no allergic reaction to your creation.

Another ingredient is toothpaste or baking soda. Sometimes, toothpaste is listed as a great hack to treat acne which it might due to it's antimicobal properties but it is still not recommended because it contains ingredients that are too strong for your skin and will irritate it. Toothpaste has a basic pH while skin needs ingredients that have more of an acidic pH.  If you decide to use baking soda, it has the same problem with pH and the baking soda could change the pH of your facial skin leading to burns and irritation.

Watch out for anything that calls for the inclusion of raw eggs.  Unfortunately, raw eggs may contain salmonella and this could enter the body via an open cut or opening which would not be good. This includes using the egg white, especially if you are allergic to egg whites.  If you have a severe enough allergy to egg whites, your skin might break out in a rash, hives, itchiness, or breathing problems.  Furthermore, egg whites can also irritate your skin.

If you check on vinegar, it is said to be a wonderful toner due to its acidity and pH balancing properties.  Unfortunately, vinegar can cause irritation, possible redness similar to a bad sunburn, superficial chemical burn from repeated applications, and depigmentation. 

Be careful of ingredients such as sugar, salt, ground up nuts, or coffee grounds that are said to be wonderful for exfoliating the skin.  Although they work on the body which has thicker skin, they are not recommended for use on the delicate skin of the face.  Any of these above mentioned ingredients can be abrasive to the skin and damage it.

Many skin care products contain vitamin A, E, and other antioxidants, so recipes suggest they be added to the homemade mixture by crushing vitamin pills.  When the pills are crushed and added to water or other ingredients, they become extremely unstable and oxidize. Consequently, the mixture can cause free radical damage instead of protecting the skin. It can also damage the skin because it burns it.

Next time, I'll look at some DIY recipes that will work at home and be good for your skin.  Let me know what you think, I'd love to hear.  Have a great day.