Why D.I.Y Skincare is a Bad Idea

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. Let me example how.

Ingredients:

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? Allow me to explain. First, the 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. Second, the concentration of Vitamin C is going to be higher in professional products compared to a lemon.  This is true for all other natural ingredients that DIY skincare requires.

This brings me to two VERY common ingredients in DIY skincare: sugar and coconut oil. Sugar is commonly found in DIY masks for a physical exfoliation agent. While this may sound like a great idea, the problem is that sugar molecules are all different shapes. 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! Our biggest beef with Coconut Oil is that it is comedogenic, meaning pore cloging. Coconut oil cannot penetrate the skin, so it sits on top and suffocates your skin. This causes unwanted and completely avoidable breakouts.

Testing:

What could be wrong with buying fruits and veggies from the grocery store to make a mask with? Well, think about everyone who handles the fruit, the pesticides on the produce, or the possible food allergens they were shipped with. A quick rinse at home is not going to wash all the bacteria and chemicals away.

Ingredients in professional skincare products are carefully chosen and tested/mixed in sterile laboratories, by professional and qualified chemists. This is something that we simply don't have access to at home.

To add to this, DIY skincare is unstable. What I mean by this is the lack of preservatives in at-home skincare. I know it's been drilled into our head that preservatives are bad, but this is not necessarily true when it comes to skincare. Preservatives are added to make our products stable and last. You risk germs, bacteria, and mold growth as soon as you mix the concoction together.

Now that you know the risk of DIY skincare, you can understand why companies go through so much testing. It's all for your own safety!

For More Information:

For more information about DIY Skincare or have more questions, please contact us at ZONA Med Spa. Or book a consultation online by clicking here.