TikTok Cosmetic Hacks to Avoid 

On episode 194 of the Korean Beauty Show podcast, Lauren discusses why you shouldn't DIY your own cosmetic formulation. Which are the TikTok skincare tricks you should avoid and which ones are probably fine? Tune into find out. 

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#CosmeticHack 

• One of the trending hashtags on TikTok at the moment is #cosmetichack. This is the place you'll find people sharing everything from how to make your own DIY exfoliating pads with olive oil to how to formulate your own lip gloss. 
• While some of the trends are more benign than others, the trend proves that there is an increasing demand for ultra-personalized products. People want to recreate products in their own desired color or formulation 
• In addition, the cost of living is also rising, which is another thing spurring the trend 
• Although DIY'ing your skincare and makeup gives you the ability of expressing your personality (for example, by creating a color that is not on the market), the safety of doing so is not guaranteed.
• Among TikTok's cosmetic DIY contents, there are many examples of people mixing lip gloss and eye shadow to make a new lip color.
• People are scratching out their powdered eyeshadows, mixing them with transparent lip gloss and creating a variety of colors and textures.
• Seeing as there is no "cost" to trying out all these new shades, the response from viewers is overwhelmingly positive 

The Dangers of DIY'ing Your Own Skincare and Makeup

• Cosmetic formulation is an art and to a larger extend, a science. Not only is getting the right color, shade and look important, so is ensuring the health and safety of the product as well.
• Put simply, DIY'ing your own skincare and makeup can pose a health risk 
• A particular area to watch out for is pollution cross-contamination
• This is much more likely to occur if existing products are mixed with each other. 
• For example, mixing lip gloss with eyeshadows containing water and starch can promote microbial growth, which also leads to the production of mould.
• Ramon Pagan is one cosmetic chemist who suggests avoiding this. Instead, he suggests sticking to the purpose of the product. So, for example, lip products are relatively safe to mix with other lip products.

What Not To Do When DIY'ing Your Skincare and Makeup 

If you are keen to start mixing up your own creations, keep in mind the following rules:

1 Don’t arbitrarily mix products that have already been opened

Why? Because they pose a risk of deterioration. Remember, cosmetics are made in sterile environments in a lab. This is not the same as throwing together a bunch of products on your bathroom shelf.

If you are going to mix anything, mix them only on a palette or your hand and use them straight away. Don't be tempted to create and store products you've mixed yourself.

2 Don’t dilute your sunscreen products

Some people say they mix sunscreens to get a nicer consistency or reduce issues white cast. I’ve seen other people say they do it to "save time in the morning". 

This is not a good idea for so many reasons. Firstly, you need to apply ¼ teaspoon of sunscreen to get the stated benefit. If you don’t apply enough, you risk sun damage. 

Secondly, if you mix your sunscreen with anything else it will dilute and destabilize it. This also means you are unlikely to get the listed protection. This is particularly the case if you're mixing foundation and BB Cream with your SPF. There's a reason we don't recommend relying on the sunscreen protection in your makeup and this is the main one. You're simply unlikely to apply enough makeup to get the stated level of protection because it's more makeup than looks natural. 

3 Don’t mix flavourings and natural products 

When it comes to mixing essential oils or "natural" products use caution. Professor Park Mi Yeon from Korea’s National Medical Centre says that this can cause dermatitis and allergies due to interactions and cross reactions of various molecular structures. 

TL;DR TikTok Cosmetic Hacks To Avoid 

In general when it comes to TikTok trends:

• Look who is giving the advice or information. If it is a random or teenager, probably best to avoid. 
• I'm not saying you should only follow skincare or cosmetic advice from a dermatologist or cosmetic chemist - after all, they often have their own set of safety factors considering their job. Dermatologists, for example, see people with skin issues (acne, eczema, dermatitis). It makes sense then that they recommend extremely mild products that are unlikely to exacerbate skin disorders. 
• However, when it comes to TikTok skincare advice, following someone that understands skincare, product formulation and has experience working in the industry is usually a good start

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