From lemon juice to olive oil: Why you should NOT make homemade masks

Have I made homemade masks before? Yes, I did, in my darkest times. Have I seen any results? I do not mean in vain, but never. This is because most of the "good" ingredients for the skin (which can be obtained from a certain food) are not in the right% to be beneficial to the skin.

For example: Lemon juice contains 0.0001% niancin and for the skin to reap the benefits of niacin it must take it in the concentration of 2-10%. In addition, not only do most not work, but they also damage the skin. Here are some examples:

Baking soda - ingredient with high irritation potential. Due to its alkaline nature, baking soda disrupts the skin's pH * and destroys the delicate balances that enzymes create on the skin, the flora of healthy skin bacteria and the acidic mantle that serves as a protective barrier.

pH - "hydrogen potential", in chemistry refers to the acidity or base in an aqueous solution. Skin pH is usually 5.5, slightly acidic.

Lemon juice - has a very low pH and contains phototoxic ingredients (psoralens, furanocoumarins) that in the presence of the sun cause frightening irritations, burns, etc. contains low percentages of ascorbic acid and niacin and since they are not in the right concentrations, the skin can not get any benefit from them, while it also contains high percentages of citric acid which can cause irritation. Also due to the low pH of lemon, it can cause depigmented spots on the skin (chemical leukoderma).

Cinnamon - ingredient with high irritation potential. It can also cause allergies in some skin and in some others it can cause skin burns. This is due to the pH of cinnamon which disrupts the skin’s natural pH, damages the barrier and pushes the skin to lose its moisture.

Olive oil - will olive oil burn / irritate the skin? Jo. Is it a great choice for your skin? Jo. Olive oil enters the oils with its consistency to become a suitable environment for bacteria which, in addition to blackheads, can cause acne.

Sheqeri – të përdorësh sheqerin si skrab për lëkurën e fytyrës ndoshta nuk është zgjedhja më e zgjuar që mund të bësh. Kjo sepse grimcat e sheqerit janë në forma të ndryshme (copa, maja, kënde) që mund të shkaktojnë mikro-çarje të lëkurës (që ndoshta dhe nuk shihen me sy të lirë) dhe rrjedhimisht, barriera e lëkurës dëmtohen, shkaktohen irritime, skuqje, hiperpigmentim, shenja dhe inflamacion. Kjo gjithashtu vlen dhe për skrabet e blerë me përmbajtje sheqeri ose grimca të tjera me forma me majë si kafe, lëvozhgë arre. Gjithashtu me skrabe të tillë, të ashpër nga forcat e fërkimit në lëkurë, lëkura pëson tërheqje, të cilat më vonë përkthehen në vija të holla derisa thellohen me kalimin e kohës në rrudha.

- Written for Anabel by Sara Gjylbegu, skin care passionate and curator of beauty blogger @ 20ecavjec .