7 'Skincare Hacks' That Are Actually Bad for Your Skin
In 2022, it’s safe to say that skincare has become a norm, or should we say a necessity? There’s nothing wrong with giving your skin a bit of TLC and thanks to the internet, reading up on maintaining its health is easier than ever! But here’s the thing about the internet, not all of the information you stumble across is reliable.
The online beauty community has used platforms like social media to broadcast skincare hacks both good and bad. In this article we’ll debunk 7 popular skincare hacks and explore how advanced skincare technology can be used to clear blemishes and get your skin glowing!
1. Lemon Juice
In the beauty world, lemon juice has become known both as a supposed skin-lightening and anti-bacterial agent. When used correctly, it can promote skincare benefits, but it’s important to remember that lemon juice contains citric acid. When applied directly to the skin, it can be very damaging. Burns, skin irritation, increased hyperpigmentation and a weakened skin barrier are amongst the few things that can be caused when using undiluted lemon juice on the skin.
2. Toothpaste
Not so long ago a trend of using toothpaste as an acne spot treatment went viral. Many beauty gurus attested that it would shrink zits and pimples overnight making them less visible. Following this, skincare experts and dermatologists shared their take of the skincare hack, discouraging it.
Many toothpaste brands contain corrosive ingredients and chemicals that are meant to specifically treat your teeth. Hence, using them on your skin can cause further irritation and damage, resulting in more breakouts.
3. Salt & Sugar
DIY face scrubs grew in popularity as an easy, affordable way to exfoliate at home. From mixing sugar and honey, to adding salt to facial creams, people began creating all sorts of concoctions. Exfoliation is a necessary part of almost all skincare routines. However, not all products work well to do this. Unlike the granules used in store-bought exfoliators, sugar and salt granules are much larger. As a face scrub, they can cause harmful micro cuts that damage the skin.
A Skincare Hack Supported By Science
Far-infrared (FIR) light therapy is a new, up-and-coming skincare treatment known for treating sensitive skin. It involves exposing the skin to gentle wavelengths of light. Like topical products, light photons can penetrate and be absorbed by the skin.
When this happens, cells within the skin are stimulated to produce higher levels of adenosine triphosphate (ATP), a nucleotide that plays a role in various intracellular processes. ATP provides many skincare benefits such as anti-aging protection and ensuring that the skin is well-hydrated. Hence, regular use of far-infrared light therapy can prove to be effective in maintaining your skin's health.
The LOOKEE® G-Mask is an effective treatment to combat acne and promote cellular regeneration. By balancing the production of sebum and stimulating the skin to detoxify itself of impurities, the G-Mask proves to be an effective acne spot treatment and reduces the chances of breakouts. It also has included benefits such as:
- Skin rejuvenation & restoration.
- Brightens skin to fade blemishes, hyperpigmentation & dark spots.
- Smoothing fine lines & wrinkles.
- Increasing blood circulation & skin metabolism.
- Tightening skin & shrinking pores.
- Strengthening skin immunity & tolerance.
4. Egg whites
A skincare hack that promised tighter, smoother skin was using egg whites as a facial mask. People began suggesting that since egg whites contain collagen, an enzyme also used to maintain the skin’s natural health, applying it to the skin would be beneficial. What many failed to consider is that raw, unpasteurized eggs usually contain bacteria that can increase the risk of a salmonella infection. This would hardly do any good for your skin.
5. Glue
Believe it or not, people were trying to create their own pore strips using a mixture of deactivated charcoal and Elmers glue. It’s clear to understand why this would be an absolute no-go. White glue is meant to be used on anything but our skin. Not only does it use harsh chemicals, but it would be extremely abrasive to use as a peel-off face mask.
6. Coconut Oil
Coconut oil works great to treat dry skin on the body, but experts suggest that it doesn’t work as well when used as a facial moisturizer. Most oils, when applied to the face, can result in blocked pores. Coconut oil is not an exception and may only work well for people with extremely dry skin types.
7. Petroleum Jelly
A skincare trend known as ‘slugging’ recently made its way into the beauty community. Online influencers were smearing large amounts of petroleum jelly on their face and keeping it on for extended periods. The aim of this was to achieve skin that was soft and well-hydrated. As mentioned above, using large amounts of oil on the face can block your pores. This would obviously lead to more breakouts.