The Pitfalls of DIY Skincare (and How to Avoid Them)  

DIY skincare is everywhere these days - soaps, scrubs, serums you can mix up at home. I’ll be honest: I’ve never made soap myself, and as a doctor, I tend to see the risks before the romance. That’s why I wanted to talk with Anne-Marie Faiola, founder of Bramble Berry. She’s spent decades teaching people how to make skincare safely, and she’s seen firsthand what can go right, and what can go wrong. 

The biggest one? Poor preservation. Any time you make a lotion, cream, or toner with water in it, you need a preservative. Without it,E mold and bacteria can grow, even if the product looks perfectly fine. Most of the time, nothing dramatic happens. But once in a while, it does, like when customers at Lush found little “trees” sprouting out of their shower drains thanks to unpreserved products. Funny to imagine, but not so funny if it ends up on your skin. 

Preservatives such as parabens have gotten a bad reputation, but the truth is they’re some of the most effective and well-studied options out there. I’d rather see a lotion with parabens than one with a pretty “paraben-free” label that can’t actually keep bacteria out. 

Another pitfall is bad or mislabeled ingredients. Beeswax looks a lot like emulsifying wax, but they don’t work the same way. Swap them by mistake and your lotion won’t hold together. And if you buy from the wrong seller online, you might not even be getting what you think. Anne-Marie says some sellers pass off plain cornstarch as expensive hyaluronic acid powder. Unless you’re sourcing from reputable suppliers who provide proof of quality, you can’t always trust what’s in the bag. 

And then there are the too-good-to-be-true claims. A cream that promises to “rebuild collagen overnight” is selling you hope, not science. Topicals just don’t work that way. Look for honest language like “softens skin” or “helps with hydration” - it shows the maker respects both science and their customers. 

DIY skincare can be fun and rewarding, but only if you keep it simple and safe. If you want to experiment, start with soaps or scrubs - low-risk projects that let you be creative without courting disaster. Always use reputable suppliers and don’t skip preservatives in anything water-based. And if chemistry isn’t your thing, that’s okay too. Supporting a small maker who does it right is often the best, and safest, choice for your skin. 

Thinking about upgrading your skincare routine? Book a consultation at Glow Medispa and let us help you separate fact from fiction.