A lot of the skin-care products and "hacks" you've stumbled upon in your Instagram feed are actually not doing your complexion any favors.
In fact, many of these trending beauty routines may sound intriguing at first, but can actually wreak havoc on your pores.
INSIDER reached out to skin-care professionals to do some skin-care myth-busting on some of the most popular beauty trends and ingredients that are secretly damaging your skin.
Charcoal peel-off masks might remove healthy skin cells.
Don't use these especially if you're using retinol.
Although those peel-off masks are satisfying to peel off, Dr. Mauricio said that they could be seriously damaging your skin. While she is a lover of charcoal, the type of glue within these masks could be too sticky and can strip away healthy skin cells.
And if you're using Retinol on a regular basis, you'll definitely want to back away from these masks: they may cause a layer of the skin to peel off, according to Dr. Mauricio. Overuse of these masks can also cause the skin to be dry and sensitive, so Dr. Mauricio says to be careful and proceed with caution when using these masks.
DIY skin-care products aren't as good as they seem.
Stay away from certain ingredients when doing a DIY mask.
We all love a good DIY project, but Tess Mauricio, MD, FAAD, and CEO of MBeautyClinic.com says that you should save those do-it-yourself hacks for your arts and crafts.
"DIY skincare is a huge trend as people want natural solutions," she said. "But depending on the ingredients you are using, you can get contact allergies, irritation and also bacteria can grow in your products if you store them too long."
If you insist on crafting up your own cleansers and body scrubs, make sure you stay away from ingredients that can instigate an allergic reaction.
Organic ingredients don't always work.
Coconut oil won't let your skin breathe.
The "all natural" craze hit the skin-care scene in full-force, and it's clear to see why — the promise of clear skin without any harsh toxins like parabens (which we'll get to in a second) sounds almost too good to be true. Well, organic skincare lovers, we hate to break it to you, but Joshua Ross, celebrity aesthetician and owner of SkinLab, said that just because a product is slapped with the natural label does not mean it's going to do wonders for your skin.
"Not all organic products are created equally, and fragrance in a product whether it's natural or synthetic has the ability to irritate the skin," he said.
Ross highlighted that these are a few of the natural ingredients to avoid:
Lavender: it's toxic and can cause skin cell death
Citrus oils: they cause inflammation
Menthol and peppermint oil: they both can be inflammatory to the skin
Coconut oil: "While coconut oil is great to create a barrier on the skin, it doesn't allow the skin to breathe and can contribute to breakouts," he said.
If you want to incorporate skin-friendly natural ingredients into your skin care, Ross recommends using a seed oil like rosehip seed. "Those oils will mimic the oils in your skin and allow the skin to breathe," he said.
Online chemical peels can be dangerous.
Don't buy face peels online.
Chemical peels have become a trendy skin-care treatment, and when done right by a skin-care professional they can have great skin-refining benefits. But, if you're ordering chemical peels from some random website and you're doing them yourself, Dr. Mauricio said you should expect some issues.
"Ordering chemical peels online can be dangerous especially if you have darker skin," she said. "Some aggressive peels can cause enough irritation and even burns and result in discoloration or even scarring. Peels are best done by professionals to ensure safety and efficacy."
The science on parabens is still unclear.
Parabens might have hormonal effects.
While parabens — which are preservatives that allow your skincare products to last longer — do wave a red flag in many of our brains, quite a few people dismiss its claims, and Dr. Mauricio even noted that there are many studies showing that small concentrations of the chemical are regarded as safe. She's still not convinced, however, that incorporating this ingredient into your daily cleansing routine won't impact your health.
"Since it is in many products that are used daily, there is controversy whether the additive and cumulative effect of parabens can lead to negative effects," she said. "It has been reported to have hormonal effects, can be linked to contact allergies and some groups are worried about the possible link of parabens to breast cancer, although investigation of the American Cancer Society and FDA have found that current levels of parabens in consumer products are not dangerous."
Using multiple skin-care products at once can backfire.
Less is more when it comes to skin care.
While double cleansing and 10-step regimens have caught fire within the skin-care community, Dr. Debra Jaliman, board-certified NYC dermatologist, assistant professor of Dermatology Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai and author of the book, "Skin Rules: Trade Secrets from a Top New York Dermatologist," suggests the less-is-more approach.
"Using too many products can backfire," she said. "Give a product enough time to work and for you to see results before you start another new product. Using too many products can aggravate the skin and many don't take their skin type or concern into account."
Electronic facial brushes can get dirty.
It can cause inflammation.
Ross recommends ditching your cleansing brushes.
"It's a hotbed for bacteria and germs even if you clean it," he said. "It also causes a lot of inflammation and can create micro-tears on the skin."
Lip plumpers often contain irritants.
They can cause redness and peeling.
We all want fuller, plumper lips, but at what price? Dr. Mauricio said that using lip plumpers that involve suction of any kind will cause all kinds of damage to them — bruising, swelling, pain and discomfort, to be exact.
Dr. Jaliman is also against the at-home plumping craze, particularly plumping glosses and plumper products that contains irritants. Although those irritating components create a fuller look, they also lead to itchiness, redness, burning, cracking, and peeling.
"If you want plumper lips, better to go see a medical professional and get hyaluronic acid fillers to get plumper lips that is long lasting and without the negative effects of these faddish lip plumping methods," said Dr. Mauricio.
Microneedling only works for some people.
You need durable skin to withstand microneedling. Robert Przybysz/Shutterstock
Derma-rollers and professional micro needling are both costly and extremely popular skincare procedures, but are they really worth it? It depends on your skin type, according to Ross.
"Microneedling is not the golden ticket to beautiful skin that everyone may think," he said. "This treatment only works on thick, durable skin and is not meant for those with fair or thin skin. On the wrong skin type, this treatment can result in too much inflammation—the exact opposite of what you want."
Hair extensions can damage your scalp.
They can lead to hair loss.
One of the most forgotten parts of our skin is undeniably our scalp, yet it's prone to so much flakey damage. And according to Dr. Jaliman, hair extensions are a major scalp abuser. Not only can extensions lead to hair loss and damaged follicles, but Dr. Jaliman said that these hair pieces can cause irritation to your scalp and can lead to bleeding.
Steam rooms could dehydrate your skin.
Limit your time in steam rooms.
Steam rooms and saunas have been a beloved skincare treat for decades, but Ross says that lingering in them could actually lead to dehydrated skin. He recommends staying in steam rooms for 5-10 minutes at most.
Sheet masks might contain harmful ingredients.
You don't know what's in your sheet mask. Anna Webber/Stringer/Getty Images
Sheet masks: they're fun, they feel refreshing, but they might be messing up your skin. Ross noted that quite a few of these popular masks are unregulated, meaning manufacturers can add whatever they want to them. Ross also highlighted that many of these face masks contain heavy fragrances that can irritate your skin.
Now, we're not saying that all face masks should be avoided. Ross said to make sure you're getting a quality face mask, you have to do your research: know the manufacturer/brand you're buying from, look at the ingredients, and make sure you're buying them from a reputable source.
Source: Insider