DIY Face Masks are all the rage on Pinterest. As it’s easy, convenient, and most of all, cheap, beauty girls like us are guilty of trying it out to see what the fuss is all about!
But here’s the catch: the all-natural ingredients may seem perfectly safe to use (it’s natural, after all!), some of these kitchen staples can unknowingly take a toll on your skin. So before you indulge in a DIY mask, here are the ingredients you should steer clear of:
4. Baking Soda
Baking soda is a common ingredient in many beauty DIYs, from teeth whitening to nail exfoliation (with its antibacterial properties, it does work wonders!). But while it’s safe to use for your teeth or nails, it’s simply too harsh for the face. In most DIY masks, baking soda is usually paired with safe ingredients like oatmeal or honey but that doesn’t stop itself from damaging your skin’s barrier. The result? Pesky breakouts and dry skin.
3. Lemon
Ah, lemons—a good ol’ brightening hero! Sure, lemons are packed with skincare goodies like vitamin C and antioxidants, but when applied on the face, its high acidity can cause dryness or worse, it can irritate the skin. It’s similar to baking soda—both are harsh and can damage the skin’s protective barrier. Pro tip: a safer brightening mask alternative would be a mix of papaya and honey!
2. Toothpaste
After the age-old hack of using toothpaste as a spot treatment for acne, toothpaste is now added to DIY masks to get rid of blackheads. It’s only toothpaste, what can go wrong, right? “Toothpaste is filled with irritating ingredients, like peppermint, peroxide, fragrances, and alcohol, making it the perfect combination of things that will tear up your skin and possibly lead to chemical burns,” shares Danbury, Connecticut dermatologist
Mona Gohara, MD on Style Caster. Do your skin a favor and rely on drugstore treatments, instead!
1. Cinnamon
If you’re a sensitive-skinned gal, you definitely should cross out cinnamon from your DIY list as it can cause intense allergic skin irritations. Take it from the fans of French Youtuber Maria Lopez who experienced burning sensations 20 minutes after trying out the beauty guru’s homemade cinnamon mask. Although you can try doing a patch test first, we say ditch it entirely to have no regrets.
Liked this post? Follow The Girl on TV on Facebook and @thegirl_ontv on Instagram for more!
