In the last 12 months, women up and down the country, and in fact worldwide, have had to embrace DIY beauty treatments. From waxing your own legs to dying your own hair and giving yourself a manicure, when all the hairdressers and beauticians closed, you had to take matters into your own hands. You may have had some successes, although if you are honest, you probably had a few failures too.
Now, wouldn’t a little bit of hindsight been helpful?
Of course, it would, but as the saying goes, “better late than never”. So, whether you are thinking about trying out a beauty treatment at home for the first time or you would like to know what you can and can’t safely do without the help of a trained professional, keep reading to discover the four beauty treatments you should never carry out yourself.
Plus, learn a natural and 100% safe DIY alternative for each one!
1. Chemical Peels
A highly effective procedure that involves removing the outer layers of your skin, trying one of these at home is dangerous and can result in you burning your skin. The same goes for microdermabrasion and other advanced skin treatments that should only be carried out at a reputable beauty salon.
For a safer and natural alternative to a chemical peel that you can do from the comfort of your own home, mix one egg white, ½ cup of deseeded cucumber pulp, and one teaspoon of lemon juice to make a paste. Apply to your skin, leave for 20 minutes and rinse with warm water.
2. Derma fillers
This may seem obvious, but it is never a good idea to try and give yourself fillers as this advanced beauty treatment should only ever be carried out by a trained professional. Although you can buy filler online, you will never be completely sure about what product you are getting and how safe it is.
Injecting fillers that are unsafe into your face can lead to serious problems, including nerve damage, skin necrosis, and, in some cases, even blindness.
If you feel like your skin needs a little plumbing, try adding more collagen-rich foods into your diet, such as dark green vegetables, soy, and oily fish such as salmon or mackerel.
3. Piercings
You may think that the piercing process looks simple, especially if you only want to add another hole to your ears. However, there is a reason why there are professional piercers, notably because it takes both skill and experience to carry out this procedure, as well as the right equipment.
Do you know where important vessels and nerves lie in your body? If not, best to leave this beauty treatment to a pro.
Plus, if you are looking for something a bit more specialised such as nose piercing, you will be happy to know that salons have a special piece of equipment to make this hole with no needles in sight!
4. Extractions
If you are feeling tempted to carry out extractions on blackheads, whiteheads, or cystic spots yourself, then you should know that this is highly rejected by dermatologists. This is because extraction is a medical procedure that, when done incorrectly, can lead to pigmentation, acne scars, and even skin infections.
If you urgently need an at-home remedy for your problem skin, why not try a shop-bought exfoliator or make your own using ½ cup of finely ground almond meal, 2 tbsp of whole milk powder, and a dash of warm water?