10 Things You Should Never Put On Your Face

By Bhumika Chitkara

When it comes to taking care of the skin, we try to choose the safest products! But we often end up using a lot of DIY remedies  on our face that we see on the internet with the belief that it can make us achieve all our skin goals! Little did we know that these ingredients are harming our skin more than any good. While some products are full of ingredients that can work magically for our skin woes but some things are better on the shelf! Here are some things that you should never put on your face:

Toothpaste:

Beauty hacks are taking over the beauty industry! One of the beauty hacks people are gravitated towards is using toothpaste as a spot treatment for active acne. While it may be extremely tempting to pop a pimple or use something that can provide you with instant relief, using toothpaste on your face is not an ideal choice to get rid of red bumpy and painful acne. Toothpastes contain chemicals that can actually cause skin irritation, worsen redness and dryness. Even if it dries out your pimple, there are chances it will leave behind stubborn acne marks. 

Lemon:

Indian kitchens are full of ingredients that can actually work wonders on our skin however lemon is not one of them. Although, lemon has gained a lot of popularity as a skin lightener and brightener in the beauty industry, the truth is lemon is extremely acidic and can cause skin irritation. Lemon is a great source of vitamin C which is the reason behind the popularity it has gained. While incorporating products rich in vitamin C is a great choice, using a lemon directly on the face may not have a great result especially if you have sensitive skin. Redness, dryness and skin irritation are some of the common side effects of using lemon on the face. 

Body lotions:

The skin on our face is extremely sensitive and delicate as compared to the skin on our body. The body lotions are generally thick and oily which may clog the pores and cause acne, blackheads and whiteheads if applied on the face. Another reason why you should not use body lotions on your face is that these body lotions are filled with fragrance and ingredients which can easily cause skin irritation and can trigger allergies. 

Hot water:

The correct temperature of water to wash the face is something very debatable. Some say you should use cold water to wash your face while some say hot water should be used. While both have their pros and cons, hot water should be avoided to wash the face. Hot water can strip off the natural sebum from your face and can make it extremely dry and can cause acne breakouts and itchiness. It also might not be a great choice for people with sensitive skin as it can worsen your skin concerns. Hot water should also be avoided by people with eczema. 

Hair setting sprays:

Just when you think using hair setting sprays is an alternative to makeup setting sprays is the time when you are wrong! Hair setting sprays and makeup setting sprays are two different products made for different uses and should not be interchanged. The chemicals used in the hair sprays can adversely affect the skin on your face causing irritation, dryness and redness. Not only that, it can fine lines and wrinkles making your skin look old and mature! 

Coconut oil:

Using oils on the face may not be an ideal choice when it comes to moisturising. Coconut oil is one such oil that should be avoided due to its highly comedogenic properties! This means that coconut oil has the tendency to clog the pores and cause breakouts. Another reason why this oil should be avoided is that it does not get absorbed easily into the skin which forms an additional layer of oil. 

Baking soda: 

 With all these emerging beauty trends, using baking soda as an ingredient in various DIY face packs has taken over many beauty hacks. As baking soda is basic in nature, it can mess with our skin’s pH levels and natural sebum production which can lead to acne breakouts ,skin irritation, infections and dryness. Some even use baking soda as a natural exfoliator, but the truth is using baking soda as an exfoliator can lead to over exfoliation of skin. 

Sugar:

Sugar is yet another ingredient used in a lot of DIY face scrubs! Sugar granules can be really abrasive causing small tears on the skin. Exfoliating the skin with sugar can lead to premature ageing, fine lines and wrinkles. That’s not it, it can even lead to scratches, skin irritation and redness.

Expired products:

‘Better in the bin, than on the face.’ We understand that throwing off makeup and skincare products is really painful especially when you have put your hard earned money on it and let’s face it, some products really take a toll on one’s pocket! But the harsh truth is that every expired product has just one place, that is the bin and not your face! Makeup and skincare products have an expiry date for a reason and if used beyond that it can cause skin infections. It may look fine but the active ingredients in the products may have gone bad and it can cause several skin conditions. 

Alcohol:

Simple alcohol is one of the worst things that can ever touch your face! People with dry skin should especially stay away from skincare products that contain simple alcohol as it can strip off the oil from the skin which leads to skin damage ,inflammation and acne. So, be sure to double check the ingredients!