Saving face
These five everyday items should be kept away from your facial area, under all circumstances
In our attempt to keep up with today’s fast-paced lifestyle, we have unknowingly given up taking care of ourselves. From our inner health to our hair and skin, everything has begun to suffer, thanks to the hectic schedules we can’t seem to break.
This, coupled with the burgeoning variety of substandard skincare products available at local drugstores, has allowed us to resort to shortcut beauty remedies instead of taking out the time to indulge ourselves as we should. Have dry skin? No worries! Simply dab on some petroleum jelly on the affected area and be done with it.
Unfortunately, not all quick-fixes are beneficial for our skin. As cheap and convenient as they are, we need to be much vigilant of what we apply to ourselves, especially when it comes to sensitive areas like our face. Spare yourself the distress and check out our list of five everyday beauty items you should keep away from your face. We promise you won’t regret it.
Vinegar
While vinegar is a commonly used alternative to facial toner, it is best if you invest in a bottle containing the liquid ingredient rather than fetching it from your kitchen cabinet. This is because vinegar becomes stronger over time and loses water and if you are unsure of how long you have had the bottle, applying it can lead to breakouts, rashes and other skin problems.
Nail Polish
Many people use nail polish to paint their faces for costume parties without realising that it contains acrylic molecules that actually dry skin out. There are specially-formulated face paints you can invest in instead.
Body lotion
As convenient as it is to just use one lotion and be done with all your moisturising, body lotions are a lot thicker in consistency which can spur facial oil production, clog pores and ultimately cause acne. They also contain fragrances that can cause irritation and should therefore be strictly avoided. If you have dry skin or want to look younger, a gentle face cream is the right product for you.
Hair Colour
There is nothing wrong with wanting your eyebrows to match your dyed hair but using the same hair colour on your brows can be extremely detrimental. Just one box of dye contains numerous chemicals that can cause irritation, not just on skin but in the eyes too! Save yourself a whole lot of tears (literally) and instead use vegetable-based colourant or tinted brow mascara on your arches to do the trick.
Hair spray
You may have heard of using hair spray on your face to help set your make-up but did you know that it can actually make your skin look old and crumbly? Hair spray contains lacquers and alcohol that dries out skin, thereby causing it to lose moisture, dehydrate and appear older than it is. Not to mention, hair sprays are full of toxic chemicals and repellents that irritate skin, causing red and bumpy surfaces. If you are afraid your make-up might melt off in the heat, there are plenty of make-up setting sprays that you could look into.
Design by Maryam Rashid
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, March 1st, 2015.
This, coupled with the burgeoning variety of substandard skincare products available at local drugstores, has allowed us to resort to shortcut beauty remedies instead of taking out the time to indulge ourselves as we should. Have dry skin? No worries! Simply dab on some petroleum jelly on the affected area and be done with it.
Unfortunately, not all quick-fixes are beneficial for our skin. As cheap and convenient as they are, we need to be much vigilant of what we apply to ourselves, especially when it comes to sensitive areas like our face. Spare yourself the distress and check out our list of five everyday beauty items you should keep away from your face. We promise you won’t regret it.
Vinegar
While vinegar is a commonly used alternative to facial toner, it is best if you invest in a bottle containing the liquid ingredient rather than fetching it from your kitchen cabinet. This is because vinegar becomes stronger over time and loses water and if you are unsure of how long you have had the bottle, applying it can lead to breakouts, rashes and other skin problems.
Nail Polish
Many people use nail polish to paint their faces for costume parties without realising that it contains acrylic molecules that actually dry skin out. There are specially-formulated face paints you can invest in instead.
Body lotion
As convenient as it is to just use one lotion and be done with all your moisturising, body lotions are a lot thicker in consistency which can spur facial oil production, clog pores and ultimately cause acne. They also contain fragrances that can cause irritation and should therefore be strictly avoided. If you have dry skin or want to look younger, a gentle face cream is the right product for you.
Hair Colour
There is nothing wrong with wanting your eyebrows to match your dyed hair but using the same hair colour on your brows can be extremely detrimental. Just one box of dye contains numerous chemicals that can cause irritation, not just on skin but in the eyes too! Save yourself a whole lot of tears (literally) and instead use vegetable-based colourant or tinted brow mascara on your arches to do the trick.
Hair spray
You may have heard of using hair spray on your face to help set your make-up but did you know that it can actually make your skin look old and crumbly? Hair spray contains lacquers and alcohol that dries out skin, thereby causing it to lose moisture, dehydrate and appear older than it is. Not to mention, hair sprays are full of toxic chemicals and repellents that irritate skin, causing red and bumpy surfaces. If you are afraid your make-up might melt off in the heat, there are plenty of make-up setting sprays that you could look into.
Design by Maryam Rashid
Published in The Express Tribune, Ms T, March 1st, 2015.