5 kitchen ingredients you should not apply on your face

The skincare trend of going all-natural has been spiraling in recent times. People reluctant of using store-bought chemical-based beauty products are inclining towards including kitchen ingredients in their usual skincare routine. Easily available and affordable kitchen ingredients are being increasingly used as cleansers, scrubs, toners, and face masks as many people have a perception that natural products do not cause any harm to the skin. However, this misconception can lead to disastrous results since many kitchen ingredients are not suitable to be applied on the face. Arthi Raguram, Founder, Deyga Organics suggests five kitchen ingredients that you should never apply to your face.

Due to the rich content of antioxidants in lemon, many people use it directly on their face to address pigmentation issues and brighten skin. However, lemon is highly acidic in nature and the kitchen ingredient can disturb the pH balance of the skin and cause severe allergic reactions, excessive dryness, redness, and peeling of the skin. The symptoms can even worsen if you have a sensitive or problematic skin type. Thus, make sure to stay away from topical lemon applications, rather use a few drops of lemon juice in ubtans/face masks for best results.

Keep your hands away from using sugar in your DIY face scrubs as their sharp edges can damage sensitive facial tissues. Micro tears in the surface of the skin caused by using exfoliating with regular white sugar can lead to inflammation, irritation, redness, dryness, and other skin problems. People with acne issues should never use white salt or sugar as their application could lead to scarring, redness, and more inflammation.

Washing the face with baking soda or applying the ingredient as a face mask or physical exfoliator can remove the protective oil barrier of the skin and leave it vulnerable to infections and acne. Besides disturbing the healthy bacterial flora and delicate balance of enzymes, the application of baking soda can lead to more sun sensitivity and hyperpigmentation. Thus, leave the chemical better off as a remedy for heartburn rather than damaging the skin with its usage.

While cinnamon makes an excellent spice due to its great taste and flavor, the warm spice should not be used on the skin directly. The ingredient is rarely found in any beauty care product since cinnamon is a common irritant. If you still wish to use the kitchen ingredient in your skincare routine, then make sure to add the spice with honey, olive oil, etc. for smooth and blemish-free skin.

While some people have achieved great results using vegetable oil on their skin, many have regretted their decision big time. Using vegetable oils might add some extra moisture to your skin surface, but can also lead to clogged pores, acne, and a shiny appearance. Besides, refined oils are highly processed with chemicals, and using them on the face would only cause damage to the skin. If you have dry skin, use cold-pressed and organic plant-based oils only.