Say no to these beauty moves
WE all want to look good, feel good, and smell nice and, sometimes, in trying to achieve this ideal we’ll try things we’ve seen online – products and fads that seem to work for others. Being able to buy almost anything on Amazon and ship it in worry free has meant that everyone is now an aesthetician and an expert – doing their own hair, nails, and hair removal – sometimes to their detriment.
But there are some treatments you should never attempt to try yourself, and some you shouldn’t try at all, says aesthetician Nicola Meredith.
She says, while you’ll find success in some, others can lead to problems – some irreversible if you’re not careful.
These are the techniques you should not be trying yourself.
Waxing using a hot pot
“Using wax strips is fine, but using a pot with hot wax and muslin to do hair removal on yourself is a recipe for disaster,” Meredith said. “People have gotten burned badly trying this, and burnt skin will scar.”
Acrylic nails
“It may seem simple enough once you’ve watched a few YouTube videos, but applying acrylic is actually a very technical process that demands a certain skill level to prevent things like nicks and cuts and infection,” Meredith said.
Bleaching your hair
“Unless you want to be bald, leave this to a professional. It’s a professional treatment for a reason, and it says so on the box, and you’re taking a big risk with your hair if you go that route. What seems cheaper at first might work out more costly for you in the long run.”
Laser hair removal
You can get kits online, but laser is a procedure that’s best left up to a professional. “Especially with black skin, you have to be extremely careful with this treatment, as improperly administered, it can also cause scarring and hyperpigmentation,” Meredith said.
Chemical peels
“This is not recommended as a home treatment at all. Some peels available online are safe and have low concentration of acids, however, many are way too strong. Some people even go online and buy the actual acids, but they run the risk of getting serious burns,” Meredith said. “You have to stick to peels that basically just exfoliate for your at-home regimen.”
And, never do these…
Put acrylic on your toes
“You’re more likely to notice acrylic fingers that need refilling than toes, and if the acrylic nail is damaged or as your natural nails grow, a gap can develop between the acrylic nail and your natural nail, which will provide a moist, warm environment in which a nail infection can flourish,” Meredith said.
“Also, because the nails are so rigid, they may be uncomfortable in shoes. This exacerbates the warm, moist environment that’s perfect for bacteria to grow.”
Wearing your gel polish too long
“Try to give yourself a break between gel polishes of up to two weeks or longer,” Meredith said. “This will allow your nails time to repair. The fact is, although these manicures are beautiful and seem next to natural, they can cause nail brittleness, peeling, and cracking, which will take weeks to heal. Imagine going from polish to polish, and just imagine the state of your nails if this is your routine.”
