DIY Skincare: Contamination, pH and Burn Risks

Homemade skin products are not tested the way commercial products are, and the studies we read found real problems with online recipes. This page explains the risks. It gives no recipes and no step-by-step methods on purpose. For acne, eczema, or any rash that keeps returning, see a clinician instead of mixing a remedy.

What the sources found

Why spoilage matters

Microorganisms can survive and grow in a product, which may spoil it and may infect the consumer. [2] The recipe analysis found the finished products were not adequately preserved. [1] We did not find a study counting infections from homemade skin products. Proper evidence not found on how often this happens; we searched PubMed for homemade cosmetics and contamination.

pH, irritation and "natural" cleansers

• Normally acidic skin changes to alkaline in atopic dermatitis. [5]
• A study of 250 commercial cleansers found pH ranged widely (3.59 to 10.83) and all 37 soaps were highly alkaline. [5]
• MedlinePlus lists alkaline materials such as soaps and detergents among irritating substances. [6]
• The NHS says contact dermatitis is most commonly caused by irritants such as soaps and detergents. [7]

These studies tested commercial products. We found no study measuring the pH of homemade mixtures, so we cannot say how a given homemade product compares.

Plant juices, sunlight and burns

The American Academy of Dermatology describes a bartender who squeezed lemons and limes indoors with no rash, but developed a painful rash and large blisters when doing it outdoors on a sunny day. [8] MedlinePlus lists oil from the skin of a lime among substances that can cause a reaction only when skin is also exposed to sunlight. [6] This is a documented reaction to plant juices on skin in sun, not a treatment.

Proper evidence not found in the sources we read for how often vinegar, baking soda or other kitchen ingredients cause skin burns when used on skin; we searched PubMed for skin burns from vinegar, baking soda and home remedies and found no study to read. Do not treat this as proof that they are harmless. For the cautions that apply to specific ingredients, see Apple Cider Vinegar and Baking Soda: Household Uses and Health Claims Checked.

Allergy, children and unlisted ingredients

Allergic reactions to botanicals are documented, and a patch test may not find the cause if it is an unlisted ingredient or contaminant. [9] Children can be patch-test positive too. [10] See Common Contact Allergens in "Natural" Products.

What commercial products are and are not

Cosmetics do not need FDA premarket approval, but makers carry legal responsibility for their safety. [11] Products that claim to treat or prevent disease are treated as drugs. [12] Neither fact makes a commercial product risk-free; both show someone is accountable for it. Homemade sunscreens, in contrast, are not regulated or tested for efficacy like commercial sunscreens. [4]

What a reader can safely do

• Choose a labeled product and check the ingredient list. See Skin Barrier Care and Skin Care Basics.
• Ask a pharmacist or dermatologist before treating acne, eczema or a rash at home. See Natural Ingredients for Acne, Eczema and Dry Skin.
• Do not put home mixtures on broken, infected or burned skin; the skin-protectant rule warns against even approved protectants on deep wounds, bites and serious burns. [13] See Skin and Hair Safety: When to See a Doctor.