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One of the most highly thought of beauty hacks, milk of magnesia has beauty gurus and enthusiasts regularly running to the drugstore to stock up. And though adding milk of magnesia to your beauty routine as a face primer will work to keep you looking beat all day, there are issues with heavy use of it. Let us explain.
What is Milk of Magnesia?
Milk of magnesia, or MOM, is an over-the-counter laxative used to treat common health problems such as constipation, upset stomach, and heartburn. This product is also used to relieve gastric acid and acid reflux when too much acid builds up and sits in the stomach
Why is it such a hot item for YouTube beauty gurus?
Makeup artists of all walks of life have found MOM is able to treat our most common beauty issues like
•Reducing blemishes and blackheads
•Eliminating excess oils that contribute to breakouts
•Clearing skin imperfections from acne scarring or other causes
•Healing skin irritations and infections from bug bites and rashes
So how can it be bad for the skin?
•It contains a bleaching agent:
The main ingredients in milk of magnesia are water and magnesium hydroxide, newer formulas of the solution have added sodium hypochlorite, however, which is the main ingredient in bleach. Using a product with this ingredient is far too harsh for the skin and can easily burn a sensitive area like the face. It may cause blisters, soreness, redness, and other skin related issues.
•It contains hidden inactive ingredients:
Most of us don’t exactly read product labels, and if we do, often times we don’t understand them. If an ingredient looks suspicious to you, search the web to see its real chemical structure and properties. There are hidden inactive ingredients in MOM that may trigger allergic reactions.
•It causes dryness and tightness:
Excessive use of milk of magnesia will cause dryness and tightness for those with normal to dry skin and even those with oily skin. If you have sensitive skin or broken skin, you should never use this product. Allowing MOM to sit on top of your skin for an extended period of time will create more skin irritations and problems.
And don’t worry about giving up your milk of magnesia now that you know the real deal behind the hype, there are hundreds of primers on the market, created specifically for your face and the skin issues you have that don’t have scary side effects.
