Pinterest is a soothing, magical DIY haven that turns us from procrastinating hermits into productive princesses set to rival Martha Stewart. Scrolling for hours, there’s not shortage of makeup looks, travel inspo, recipes, and super handy life hacks.
What you may not realise is that Pinterest is essentially a beautiful Wikipedia – meaning anyone can post anything. So, before you reach for the seems-too-good-to-be-true beauty hack, let’s find out if they really are too good to be true.
Charcoal teeth whitening
Sadly, charcoal is not the best way to whiten your teeth. The issue? When you brush your teeth with charcoal, it simply doesn’t spend enough time in your mouth to absorb discolouration. While it does have a whitening effect, it’s due to the abrasive nature of the charcoal granules. Yes, you heard right. It’s essentially sandpaper for your pearly whites. Ouch.
Baking soda face masks
Have you been told to use baking soda for a mask that fades scars and reduces pores? Did you also know baking soda makes an excellent oven cleaner? Bleaches white sneakers? Polishes silverware? Your skin is your largest organ. If you wouldn’t rub oven cleaner on your spleen, don’t rub it on your face. Baking soda makes great cupcakes, not face masks!
Coconut oil on your face
Coconut oil is a miracle, all-rounder beauty product. It’s a nourishing body moisturiser and makes our Bondi Sands smell more like a perfume than a tanner. The one place you should never put coconut oil is on your face. Coconut oil is super thick which is great for your limbs, but can clog the pores of your delicate facial skin.
Love these tips? Check out our blog on how to up your skincare game.
Written by Aisha Sini
“Gemini, dog person, cappuccino enthusiast.”