London Daily

Focus on the big picture.
Monday, Sep 15, 2025

Why You Should Avoid These 5 Harmful DIY Beauty Hacks

Why You Should Avoid These 5 Harmful DIY Beauty Hacks

Coffee scrubs and toothpaste spot treatment might sound like an easy fix, but these DIY treatments may be doing more harm than good.

The temptation to create DIY skincare from ingredients that we can easily find at home has grown enormously over the past few years. Especially since quarantine started, we have all found ourselves at home trying new things and following online trends. Although ingredients from the kitchen are delicious to eat and products such as toothpaste serve our daily personal care, they are not necessarily safe to use topically on our skin.

Although Pinterest boards and TikTok trends may have you thinking otherwise, plenty of DIY skincare and beauty hacks aren't beneficial and may even cause harm in the long run. When it comes to skincare, makeup, and body care, it's important to be well informed about the ingredients that we apply. Here, learn about five products and ingredients that you should avoid, as well as some alternatives with this roundup created by L’OFFICIEL.

Lemon




The highly acidic properties of lemons make them a harmful natural ingredient that can visibly irritate skin. While acids can help diminish dark spots and exfoliate the skin, those found in lemons and other citrus fruits aren't suitable for topical use. When applied directly to the face, lemons make the skin extremely sensitive to UV rays from the sun, putting you at risk of developing discoloration, sunburn, and overall skin damage-it's best to stick to drinking lemon water to reap the fruit's benefits. Although they are a rich source of Vitamin C, when it comes to skin and body care, opt for a formulated serum that is safe to use and is proven to deliver results that will brighten your face and even your skin tone.



Fleur & Bee Vitamin C Serum, $28, Fleur & Bee

Coffee




Although homemade coffee scrubs might not seem harmful, they are for your skin and wallet. Not only can DIY scrubs damage your face and body by causing micro-tears, irritation, and discomfort, but they can also clog your pipes and, in the long-run, create costly drain blockage. For your skin, the micro-tears produced by rubbing the untested coffee grounds directly to your face can result in severe dryness and irritation according to your skin’s sensitivity. Instead, try a gentle exfoliator that can smooth the skin's texture without any tearing.



Dermalogica Daily Microfoliant, $59, Sephora

Toothpaste




Trying to get rid of pimples overnight is something we have all dealt with, but the beauty hack of using toothpaste as a spot treatment should be avoided. Formulated with both, baking soda and peroxide, toothpaste creates irritation leaving your skin dry and flaky. Also, leaving toothpaste on pimples overnight can worsen your zits leaving scarring and marks. We recommend you give pimple patches a try as the hydrocolloid bandages are proven to visibly reduce the appearance of pimples, most times overnight.



COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch, $6, Dermstore

Vinegar




The vinegar as toner trend has been widely tested by people all over the Internet, however, its potentially harmful effects make it a product you should avoid for DIY skincare. Aside from its strong smell, when vinegar is applied directly to the face it immediately causes a burning sensation that irritates the skin and can even lead you to experience a superficial chemical burn. If you are looking for a toner to really benefit the overall appearance of your skin, look for one that is formulated with lactic acid which encourages cell turnover and skin renewal leaving you with an even and balanced complexion.



Freck Beauty Cactus Water Cleansing Lactic Acid Toner, $28, Sephora

Glue




Even if the thought of applying glue, letting it dry, and peeling it off seems utterly satisfying, don’t do it. As a DIY blackhead removal method, glue is largely ineffective and puts chemicals close to your skin that are otherwise used for arts and crafts. It can also cause dryness and allergic reactions. Your best alternative is to find an exfoliating product, formulated with safe ingredients that will help dissolve the trapped oil and dead skin cells that cause blackheads.



Paula’s Choice 2% BHA Liquid Exfoliant, $29, Paula’s Choice

Newsletter

Related Articles

0:00
0:00
Close
London Daily Podcast: London Massive Pro Democracy Rally, Musk Support, UK Economic Data and Premier League Results Mark Eventful Weekend
This Week in AI: Meta’s Superintelligence Push, xAI’s Ten Billion-Dollar Raise, Genesis AI’s Robotics Ambitions, Microsoft Restructuring, Amazon’s Million-Robot Milestone, and Google’s AlphaGenome Update
Le Pen Tightens the Pressure on Macron as France Edges Toward Political Breakdown
Musk calls for new UK government at huge pro-democracy rally in London, but Britons have been brainwashed to obey instead of fighting for their human rights
Elon Musk responds to post calling for the murder of Erika Kirk, widow of Charlie Kirk: 'Either we fight back or they will kill us'
Czech Republic signs €1.34 billion contract for Leopard 2A8 main battle tanks with delivery from 2028
USA: Office Depot Employees Refused to Print Poster in Memory of Charlie Kirk – and Were Fired
Proposed U.S. Bill Would Allow Civil Suits Against Judges Who Release Repeat Violent Offenders
Penske Media Sues Google Over “AI Overviews,” Claiming It Uses Journalism Without Consent and Destroys Traffic
Indian Student Engineers Propose “Project REBIRTH” to Protect Aircraft from Crashes Using AI, Airbags and Smart Materials
French Debt Downgrade Piles Pressure on Macron’s New Prime Minister
US and UK Near Tech, Nuclear and Whisky Deals Ahead of Trump Trip
One in Three Europeans Now Uses TikTok, According to the Chinese Tech Giant
Could AI Nursing Robots Help Healthcare Staffing Shortages?
NATO Deploys ‘Eastern Sentry’ After Russian Drones Violate Polish Airspace
Anesthesiologist Left Operation Mid-Surgery to Have Sex with Nurse
Tens of Thousands of Young Chinese Get Up Every Morning and Go to Work Where They Do Nothing
The New Life of Novak Djokovic
The German Owner of Politico Mathias Döpfner Eyes Further U.S. Media Expansion After Axel Springer Restructuring
Suspect Arrested: Utah Man in Custody for Charlie Kirk’s Fatal Shooting
In a politically motivated trial: Bolsonaro Sentenced to 27 Years for Plotting Coup After 2022 Defeat
German police raid AfD lawmaker’s offices in inquiry over Chinese payments
Turkish authorities seize leading broadcaster amid fraud and tax investigation
Volkswagen launches aggressive strategy to fend off Chinese challenge in Europe’s EV market
ChatGPT CEO signals policy to alert authorities over suicidal youth after teen’s death
The British legal mafia hit back: Banksy mural of judge beating protester is scrubbed from London court
Surpassing Musk: Larry Ellison becomes the richest man in the world
Embarrassment for Starmer: He fired the ambassador photographed on Epstein’s 'pedophile island'
Manhunt after 'skilled sniper' shot Charlie Kirk. Footage: Suspect running on rooftop during panic
Effective Protest Results: Nepal’s Prime Minister Resigns as Youth-Led Unrest Shakes the Nation
Qatari prime minister says Netanyahu ‘killed any hope’ for Israeli hostages
King Charles and Prince Harry Share First In-Person Moment in 19 Months
Starmer Establishes Economic ‘Budget Board’ to Centralise Policy and Rebuild Business Trust
France Erupts in Mass ‘Block Everything’ Protests on New PM’s First Day
Poland Shoots Down Russian Drones in Airspace Violation During Ukraine Attack
Brazilian police say ex-President Bolsonaro had planned to flee to Argentina seeking asylum
Trinidad Leader Applauds U.S. Naval Strike and Advocates Forceful Action Against Traffickers
Kim Jong Un Oversees Final Test of New High-Thrust Solid-Fuel Rocket Engine
Apple Introduces Ultra-Thin iPhone Air, Enhanced 17 Series and New Health-Focused Wearables
Macron Appoints Sébastien Lecornu as Prime Minister Amid Budget Crisis and Political Turmoil
Supreme Court temporarily allows Trump to pause billions in foreign aid
Charlie Sheen says his father, Martin Sheen, turned him in to the police: 'The greatest betrayal possible'
Vatican hosts first Catholic LGBTQ pilgrimage
Apple Unveils iPhone 17 Series, iPhone Air, Apple Watch 11 and More at 'Awe Dropping' Event
Pig Heads Left Outside Multiple Paris Mosques in Outrage-Inducing Acts
Nvidia’s ‘Wow’ Factor Is Fading. The AI chip giant used to beat Wall Street expectations for earnings by a substantial margin. That trajectory is coming down to earth.
France joins Eurozone’s ‘periphery’ as turmoil deepens, say investors
On the Anniversary of Queen Elizabeth’s Death: Prince Harry Returns to Britain
France Faces New Political Crisis, again, as Prime Minister Bayrou Pushed Out
Murdoch Family Finalises $3.3 Billion Succession Pact, Ensuring Eldest Son’s Leadership
×