Here are 7 things you should NEVER put on your face

Every skin has a type — that also means not everything can suit everybody. The fact is we are so fascinated by social media DIY tricks that we follow them blindly, without giving it a second thought. Result – skin problems. Therefore you need to be utterly careful before applying anything on your skin, because there are things that might suit others, but it’s not a good idea to apply them to your skin. 

Here are seven things you should think twice before applying them on your face

1. Expired sunscreen

Even today, many people use sunscreen only during the summer season, and save it for next year, once the heat is over. Until then, there is a high chance of the sunscreen getting past its expiry date. The unfortunate part is that people use expired products like sunscreen without checking their expiry date. Usage of expired sunscreen can cause allergic reactions.

2. Lemon juice

Lemon juice is enriched with Vitamin C and is considered quite healthy for our body. But applying lemon topically on the skin is not a good idea. Many DIY solutions available on the internet say that it helps in skin brightening and whitening, but the high level of citric acid in it can damage your skin and cause burns. It can also lead to breakouts and irritation.

“Psoralen, a chemical found in lemon makes the skin sensitive to light. Being exposed to the harsh sunlight, after using lemon, may irritate the skin. You may experience rashes from phytophotodermatitis, a skin reaction that happens if we expose chemicals in certain plants and fruits to sunlight or other ultraviolet light,” suggests celebrated dermatologist, Dr Ajay Rana. 

3. Toothpaste

Toothpaste is popular as a DIY remedy to treat any kinds of blackheads and zits. But using toothpaste on the face can lead to burns and even infections. What’s more, it has strong ingredients, which can irritate the skin and cause facial redness. So, it’s always necessary to avoid using toothpaste on the face and use safer remedies instead. 

Many people also suggest that applying toothpaste on a pimple acts as a quick remedy to dry it out. Applying toothpaste on the face can increase melanin production and form discolouration and dark spots on the areas where it was applied. Mint, which is used in toothpaste, can further irritate the skin and cause blemishes.

4. Shampoo

Shampoo is a surfactant that we all use to clean our hair, which is useful to get rid of excess oil and dirt. But remember we should not be cleansing our skin with this variety. Shampoos are manufactured to clean and do things to our hair shaft; they’re not designed to deal with the delicate molecules of the skin. Washing the face with shampoo can make your skin really dry and flaky. 

5. Coconut oil

We’ve all heard that coconut oil acts as a magic elixir for our beautiful skin, but it is not true. Coconut oil contains lauric acid, which has proven zit-fighting powers. But it’s also about 90% saturated fat, which can clog the pores of our skin. Use it as much as you want on your body; it can help with severe dryness or eczema but always keep it away from the face.

“Coconut oil usage is especially not recommended for people with oily skin types. It is a good carrier oil and used in many homemade remedies for hair. But when coconut oil is used on facial skin, it takes time to get absorbed into the skin. If you have oily skin, coconut oil will clog the pores of the skin that results in an acne breakout,” says Dr Rana.

6. Glue

There are many DIY hacks available on the internet that suggest turning school glue into facial masks to remove blackheads. Many people even spread a layer of the white sticky stuff around their problem-prone areas, let it dry, and peel it off.

But this hack won’t clean out the pores. Applying glue can make your skin irritated and even cause broken blood vessels. It can strip away the surface layer of the skin.

7. Wax

Our facial skin is much softer and delicate, as compared to the rest of the body. Waxing can be a great option for removing body hair, but it is such a bad idea to use wax to remove facial hair.

Using wax to remove facial hair can lead to ingrown hair, cause sensitivity to sun, rashes and in some cases, scarring as well. Medication for acne, wrinkles and sun damage makes the skin extra sensitive, so you need to be extremely careful before applying wax on the facial skin.

The bottom line is – your skin is really delicate, so think before you apply anything to it.