Diwhy? Homemade Skincare
Hey! Remember a time when all our skincare tips came from teen magazines or Pinterest? It was a simple time, when people would rub lemons on their faces for a “brightening” effects or worse do an egg yolk mask! Im 100% guilty of doing most DIY skincare faux pas out there. I rubbed lemons on my face, made the mayo-avocado face mask (YUCK!) and one of the worst of all, using pure baking soda as an exfoliator.
MASKS
Making face masks from household ingredients sounds like the ultimate green goddess things to do. I feel you! But using these ingredients together without knowing how they will react when mixed can be messy and dangerous af. Ingredients your want to avoid include lemon juice, cinnamon, crushed up supplements, sugar, baking soda, oatmeal and others.
instead
I love a face mask, I use them on places and do one almost 2-3 times a week. Im a fan of Pacificas wake up beautiful mask and the kale charcoal. Another one of my favorites is the aztec healing clay which contains bentonite.
Face Scrubs
I’m not a fan of physical exfoliation (i.e exfoliating with products that contain small grains) mostly because they can cause irritation, can cause micro tears and can further problems. A lot of DIY scrub recipes include ingredients like sugar, salt, ground coffee or baking soda as the physical exfoliant all of which can destroy your skin in many different ways. If you have dry skin, its best to avoid physical scrubs all together.
INSTEAD
Using chemical exfoliants is great way to achieve smoother and brighter skin. There are many out there but AHAs and BHAs are the most common. AHA or Alpha Hydroxy Acids include lactic and glycolic acid which are present in a lot of high end skincare products. Other sources of exfoliation are fruit enzymes contained in papayas, pineapples and berries. They are not as strong as AHA/BHAs but if you have sensitive skin this is what I recommend.
Two words: Coconut oil
For the past like 6 years, coconut oil has had its cupcake moment. From hair treatments to oil pulling, it has found its way into almost every aspect in our lives. The one place you wont find coconut oil is on my face. This oil is comedogenic meaning it can severely clog pored and cause even more breakouts. If coconut oil on your face works for you thats wonderful but just be aware that there are other oils out there that can hydrate your skin.
instead
Marula oil, rose hip seed oil, argan oil, olive oil and avocado oil.
Spot treatments
Just don’t put toothpaste or glue on your face. Don’t do it! Toothpaste dries your skin to the point where its too dehydrated and ends up irritating your skin.
instead
If you’re into the natural route, tea tree oil is a wonderful spot treatment. If you’re looking for a kickass products that works, I would def recommend the Mario Badescu drying lotion and the Cosrx Acne Pimple Patches are incredible.
The verdict
I’m a skincare fanatic, i’ll admit it but ever since I started being mindful of what I put in/on my body I have made a huge product overhaul. During the past 3 years I have almost transitioned to using mostly vegan, cruelty free and more natural products but those can be expensive and like everything they dont always work.
All my life I battled with hyperpigmentation, acne and oily skin. Its true that after going vegan my skin changed, I no longer have oily skin but obviously get a little oily during the summer, I rarely get breakouts but when I do its usually hormonal and I still suffer from hyperpigmentation. What Im trying to say is that YES a vegan/plant-based diet can do wonders for your skin but you might have to fight some breakouts now and then.
Full disclosure here — I’m NOT a dermatologist or an esthetician, therefore most of the info here is based on my personal experiences and the internet. If you have questions about skin issue, please ask your a professional.