Journal

It’s no secret that TikTok, Instagram, and YouTube have given us a plethora of inventive beauty hacks that have made our lives so much easier. Through the lockdown itself, we have seen so many (and I mean, soooo many) hacks and it always triggers one question in my mind –– how did they even discover it? However, floating amongst this overflow of creativity, is a tad bit of silliness. And that triggers another bigger question in my mind –– why would they even do that? Unfortunately, all it takes is one viral video, and Jack, Jill, and Harry, are all giving it a try without even understanding the implications of it. Whilst following skincare trends is always fun for a beauty buff, it’s equally painful to see people doing things that aren’t just counterintuitive to their routine, but can be rather dangerous.~by Tatiana Dias

So the next time you’re scrolling through the Gram and are tempted to try out any viral skincare hacks, trends, or routines, you might want to steer clear of these ones –– and here’s why!

#1 - Drop the dropper

Whenever I see this, it literally gives me the heebie jeebies. When using any skincare product with a dropper, do not touch it to your skin! Ever. It looks cool to see your oil, serum, or at-home peel drip down your face as you press the dropper, however, it’s not good for either your skin or your skincare product. When the dropper comes into contact directly with the surface of your skin, it can pick up bacteria. And that bacteria is then transferred into your beautiful and probably expensive bottle. This could spoil the product and reduce its shelf life. It can also reduce the efficacy of your serum or oil. Either keep the dropper a few inches away from your face, or just drip the product in your hands and then apply it. Just don’t touch it directly to your skin.

#2 - Double cleansing with coco-‘not’ oil

Repeat after me –– coconut oil is great for the hair, but not so much for your face. As a rule, double-cleansing is good especially if you wear makeup throughout the day. However, you need to choose the right oil to do so. And coconut oil isn’t ‘the one’. Coconut oil is thick and way more waxy than other plant-based oils. It is super comedogenic for your skin and can penetrate into your pores and clog them. This leads to breakouts and ironically, your skin can get super dry too. Even if you’re cleansing your skin with a face wash after, coconut oil can leave a film-like layer on top of your skin and hence clogging your pores once again.

#3 - DI-Why?

It’s always good to go down the natural, clean route when it comes to skincare. However, a lot of kitchen ingredients that are ‘supposed’ to be good for the skin can be too potent for it. 
Replacing your vitamin C serum with lemon juice is one such DIY ingredient that isn’t recommended. Known as an age-old remedy to lighten dark spots and brighten the skin, raw lemon juice is really acidic and can result in inflammation and irritation and even damage your skin’s barrier.

Another ingredient to stay away from is raw apple cider vinegar. Using it as a cleanser or a toner is a no-no since it causes skin irritation and will burn the skin.

Baking soda is another popular DIY ingredient that is used in beauty hacks. Using it as a cleanser can strip your skin off its natural oil barrier, mess around with its pH levels, and cause breakouts. Enough reason to not follow this skincare trend? 

#4 - Contouring...with sunscreen!

This abomination exists. Why? I have no clue. Sunscreen contouring is when you wear sunscreen only on certain parts of your face, so that the rest of it gets tanned. Apparently, this gives you a natural contour. But, it’s dangerous! Not protecting your skin from UV rays is damaging and can result in premature aging. Forget contour lines, you’ll be left with fine lines instead (as well higher chances of developing skin cancer).

#5 - Dermaroll-away

Okay. I’ll admit to being swept away by this trend. As much as we nonchalantly pass the phrase ‘beauty is pain’, it really shouldn’t be. Microneedling or using a dermaroller at home is not only dangerous but is also super unhygienic. Dermarolling involves a tool consisting of tiny needles that poke your skin to stimulate collagen production. When done by a professional, it helps slow down ageing and heals acne. When done by idiots (including myself), it can cause microtears and result in hyperpigmentation and scarring. Plus, if you don’t sanitize it well, you risk putting bacteria into those tiny open wounds caused by the needles.

#6 - Skin suckers & pokers

This is an outright scam! Using a pore vacuum to remove the gunk on your skin, blackheads, and whiteheads included, is not recommended by professionals. It may look satisfying, however, if you use it on a high suction setting you could cause micro-tears in the skin. Using a device like this can cause irritation and can aggravate acne and rosacea. It can also result in broken capillaries or bruising.

And as for blackhead removal tools, just leave it to the professionals to do it. Everything that touches and penetrates through your skin needs to be properly sanitized before use. Using dirty tools that poke and probe your face isn’t a good idea and can lead to serious infections –– so just don’t. Instead, try opting for chemical exfoliants or retinols to help reduce cleanse the pores and remove blackheads. 

Tatiana Dias’ skincare journey began all thanks to her long-standing battle with acne. Then on, she learnt to be comfortable in her own skin, yet give it all the TLC possible — and that’s what started her serious love affair with beauty writing. She’s written for magazines such as Femina, ELLE India, and Vogue India.