Top 6 Natural Skincare Ingredients to Stay Away From
DIY skincare and masks are comprised of "natural" ingredients. Usually, this means things that you can find in a common household kitchen. We're sure you've seen a ton of DIY skincare videos, posts, and/or articles all throughout the web and you may have even tried some of your own, but we're here to warn you against it. DIY skincare and masks, while they seem harmless, can do some serious damage.
DIY skincare is comprised of natural ingredients, so what can be so bad? Well, when you squeeze half a lemon into your face mask, it's not the same as the vitamin c you find in professional skincare products. The difference? Let me break it down with the 6 most common natural skincare ingredients we see.
Witch Hazel:
Witch hazel is wildly popular in the "natural" skincare world. It's used as a toner and most people get great results for a short period of time. The problem comes when you use it longterm. One of the main antioxidants in witch hazel is a group of chemicals known as tannins. Tannins are sensitizing. It's also distilled with alcohol which is extremely drying and irritating to the skin.
Coconut Oil:
Coconut Oil is that it is comedogenic, meaning pore-clogging. Coconut oil cannot penetrate the skin, so it sits on top and suffocates your skin. This causes unwanted and completely avoidable breakouts.
Lemon:
Vitamin C in lemon is extremely acidic. Our skin's natural acidity is 5.5; a lemon? 2.0. Throwing off your skins' natural pH in such a large measure is harmful to the health of your skin. If your skin is too acidic you may break out, and be red and inflamed.
Baking Soda:
Using baking soda as a scrub or cleanser is sadly still very common in home skincare remedies. "All natural and no chemicals" is usually the tagline used. However, it is quite literally a chemical, sodium bicarbonate. But that doesn't mean chemicals are bad for you! Everything is a chemical! Baking soda is very alkaline. Applying something extremely alkaline will strip your skin's moisture barrier, leaving it raw and exposed to bacteria and pollution.
Sugar:
Sugar is commonly used as a sort of scrub for exfoliation in DIY skincare. However, what most people don't know is that sugar could very well be causing microtears in your skin. Far away sugar looks to be perfectly circular, but in reality, they have jagged uneven sides that all vary in sizes. So one sugar molecule can be very small and the next much bigger, which can cause you to over-exfoliate without your knowledge. Not to mention, the different sizes of sugar molecules can cause micro-tearing in the skin!
Apple Cider Vinegar:
Like lemon juice, Apple cider vinegar is acidic coming in at a 2-3 on the pH scale and our skin at a 5.5. As stated, this difference in acidity levels acts as a harsh remover in our protective barrier, leaving it raw and red.
For More Information:
For more information please contact us at ZONA Med Spa. Or book a consultation online by clicking here
