DIY or Why Make Skin Care When Professionals Make it Better?

I look at all the recipes and I listen to all my clients that come in complaining about how sensitive their skin is.  The common thread is making products for themselves because they are, “Natural.”

Anyone who has come to see me knows the first thing I do is find out what’s been used on the skin to cause irritation.  I always want to find out what someone has applied to the skin so I don’t aggravate the skin any further.  Often I find my clients have been quite crafty with the DIY recipes, not really knowing the extent that they are damaging their skin.   There are so many great recipes for revitalizing your skin, but the education level needed in bringing true change to your skin should probably be left to the professionals.

My earliest memory of the facial is my mother and my grandmother doing an egg facial.  They would whip up an egg and after a shower would put it on their face and neck.  I started doing the same ritual when I became an adult.  For me it was my go to if I had a bad reaction from an over the counter product or when I wanted to freshen up my skin.

When I became an esthetician and began studying what and how ingredients work on the skin I realized eggs work because they are pure protein. More than half the protein of an egg is found in the egg white along with vitamin B2 and lower amounts of fat than the yolk. Eggs are rich sources of selenium, vitamin D, B6, B12 and minerals such as zinc, iron and copper. They are a source of fat soluble vitamins A, D, E and K and lecithin.

I’m a big believer in DIY facials, but only with limited ingredients and followed with professional products.  There are a lot of very active products in your refrigerator.  And when I look at so many DIY recipes most are active and  exfoliating without the nutrition that follows every exfoliation.

Anytime you are using fruit you are using acids on your skin.  When you add dairy to your facial recipe you are adding more acid.  Common fruit, dairy, nut acids include citric acids, lactic acids, glycolic acids, malic acids, tartaric acids and mandelic acids taken from sources such as sugar cane, milk, lemons, apples, pears, oranges, and grapes and almonds.  Another mildly exfoliating ingredient is honey.  Honey will moisturize and cleanse the pores but you have to remember it is a gentle exfoliant.

So, if you mix all these fruits together with a little dairy you have quite an active face mask.  Used once would probably have a lovely effect, skin brightening, lightening, acne reductions (maybe) softening and retexturing.   Used regularly, 2-3 times a week or month without proper nutritional support you will find your skin becoming dry, sensitive, hyper-pigmented and yes, acne.  It’s like giving yourself a peel every other day.

Some great nourishing ingredients commonly used are avocado,oatmeal, chamomile, and eggs. 

The problem is most of the recipes that I have seen combines these ingredients with the more active ones,nullifying the calming effects. 

The biggest component DIY is missing is consistency.  When you make product out of your kitchen the recipes efficacy will change depending on the conditions of the day.  There are so many variables when making product.

When professional beauty brands formulate skin care they use pharmaceutical grade ingredients with research and product testing.  The recipe is consistent.  And, although you’ll benefit from the active ingredients you’ll  also benefit from powerful blends of peptides, hyaluronic acid, and other nutrients that balance out great skin care.

There is a reason that professionals make skin care.

So we don’t have to.