Lately a lot of terrible DIY makeup tips and "hacks" are coming out of nowhere. I'd like to put a stop to the madness and give a list, with a bit of insight, as to why you should NOT do these things to yourself.
1. Oreo mascara: Aside from it being a cookie that is meant for ingestion, why would you want to take something that is not sanitary, or meant for the eye area, and apply it on the lashes? Debris can be harmful to the eye, especially sharp crumbs. This screams eye infection!
2. Kitty litter mask: This has me asking WHY?! Majority of kitty litters out there, without added ingredients, are simply bentonite clay. But this does not mean this is safe for the face! It is not manufactured in a cosmetic-grade setting making it unfit for cosmetic use. You can easily purchase cosmetic-grade bentonite clay online and in health food stores at very reasonable prices.
3. Red lipstick to cover dark circles: First off, this is where I will have to say that red does not cancel blue or purple. Brush up on color theory. Secondly, there is no use for such an intense color of red as a corrector, not even on the deepest shades of skin. This can be very harmful since the pigments in lipstick are safe for the lip area, but not the eyes. The pigments I am referring to are particularly the ones in cheek and lip colors, typically these are the ones that make the cosmetic red, orange or yellow. Majority of the time those are safe for the lip and cheek area, not the eyes. It goes the same way for colors that are safe for the eye and cheek area, but not the lips.
4. Cayenne lip plumper: No. Just no. Many people who try this can have a terrible reaction to the capsaicin in the ground up pepper. No one wants a bright red rash on their mouth!
5. Coconut oil as a makeup remover: Coconut oil is comedogenic. End of story. It can clog your pores regardless of its antibacterial properties.
6. Petroleum jelly as moisturizer: Many know this product as Vaseline, but it is not as safe as we would like to think. Petroleum jelly is basically what the name states - a petroleum byproduct. It is scraped up from the oil rig and refined into a clear, jelly-like substance. Grades of purity are found in petroleum jelly since the process of refining is removing carcinogenic chemicals. Petroleum jelly creates an illusion of moisturized skin. It is water-repellent so it suffocates the surface of the skin, trapping the moisture already there for an immediate moisturized effect. That being said, your pores actually dry out trying to keep out the air and moisture being held in by the product. It can also further irritate skin conditions.
7. Hair spray as makeup setting spray: Absolutely NOT. Hair spray contains alcohols and laquers in it that will dry your skin out terribly. The propellant in the can can also irritate your skin leaving you with redness and bumps.
Comment below with questions and your take on bad makeup tips!