In the age of social media, you can learn just about anything via YouTube. It has never been easier to be self-taught and take the world by storm. You can learn to play countless instruments, fold origami, perform any number of yoga poses and solve all of your computer’s problems. It is no longer necessary to stay at a Holiday Inn Express to become an expert.
And the advent of Pinterest means that you can create just about anything yourself. From croissants to almond milk to wedding decorations and candles, the sky’s the limit for DYI – well almost. They say that if you shoot for the moon, you might land among the stars, but for some of these tasks, shooting for the moon might mean a collision with an airplane or a painful tumble back to earth. Either way, take it from us, there are certain things best left to the professionals.
13 Sunscreen
With everything that has been going around about toxic chemicals in sunscreen that alter your hormones, it may be tempting to try to make your own. However, unless you live in a chemistry lab, you don’t have an accurate way of testing the SPF. Normally, tests are performed in the lab to make sure that the sunscreen’s ingredients provide protection against UVA and UVB rays and remain stable in tandem and when they are under heat. Moreover, the oils called for in many a Pinterest recipe can actually promote sunburn rather than preventing it. Generally, DIY recipes are also not waterproof, meaning constant reapplying at the beach. Your best bet is to buy chemical-free, fragrance-free sunscreen at the store, keeping your skin safe and beautiful.
12 Making your own sex toys
No! Most of the time, people who make their own sex toys are the ones who have to make awkward trip to the hospital. Keep in mind sex toys may be pricey but these companies have to abide by certain rules and regulations that you just forget about when constructing your creation. Plus, you don't want to end up on the embarrassing TLC show Sex Sent Me to the ER.
11 Cut your own hair
First off, it is most likely that you do not have professional hair cutting scissors and if you do, you will soon realize that it is quite difficult to cut your own hair properly. Even with the many articles and videos online that teach us how to cut our own hair we still suggest that you leave this to the professionals.
10 Home demolition
Demolition always seems like a lot of fun. It might not seem like much to take out a wall in your home to make some extra space. However, you may not know what is hiding inside. There may be plumbing, electrical wiring or gas pipes behind the wall or embedded inside. Before you take down any walls, contact a contractor. This is a better move than having to call a realtor to find a new house after your demolition project went out-of-control.
9 Nail polish and nail polish remover
Nail polish is composed of many different ingredients, including hard-to-handle and harsh solvents and a wide variety of dyes and chemicals that have to be mixed in the right concentrations. Nail polish remover is already composed of a number of harsh chemicals and borders on being toxic. Unless you are a chemist in the beauty industry, it is a bad idea to try to devise your own solution. You don’t want to be damaging your airways or chemically burning your skin with a homemade concoction.
8 Plumbing repairs
We’re not talking about repairing a toilet, changing a shower head or putting on a new faucet. If you have some basic plumbing knowledge and an existing plumbing system in place, these shouldn’t be a problem. When we start to worry is when non-plumbers try to create modifications to the existing plumbing system without the proper tools or expertise. For instance, extending your hot water lines involves copper pipes and requires a blow torch and some welding experience. If you’re thinking you want to make modifications to your sewer pipes, you may want to think again. Unless you find great joy in being covered in raw sewage, it’s best to hire a professional.
7 Your own hair on your wedding day
As much as your trust yourself and know how to get the look you want, it is best to have a professional handle your locks on your big day. What if you can't get the look you want and have no one there to help you, all while being minutes from walking down the aisle. Do you really need that added stress? The best thing to do is have a trial appointment to make sure he/she knows the look you want and how to get it.
6 Kitty litter
A cat may not be man’s best friend, but that doesn’t mean your furry friend deserves anything less than the best. First of all, making your own cat litter is likely to lead to a big mess, which you probably won’t want to clean up. Get the absorbency wrong, and your kitty may be standing in a puddle of pee. If you wouldn’t wish that upon your cat, also beware that inhaling the homemade stuff could also lead to lung irritation. You will both breathe easier if you buy some at the store instead.
5 Wax treatments
We’re not talking about the wax that goes on your floor or your car. What we’re talking about is the hot stuff that goes on your legs, eyebrows, or anywhere else that you have unwanted hair. There is a reason that this should be reserved for beauty salons. Getting the wax at the right temperature as to not take a layer of skin off with the hair is a delicate process. Do it wrong, and you may have a bigger problem on your hands – serious burns and skin grafts. Even if you get the temperature right, you still might make yourself vulnerable to infection. Invest in yourself and head to the salon.
4 Contact solution
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They say that seeing is believing, but if you try to make your own contact lens solution, you may be endangering your eyesight. You don’t have to be an optometrist to know that eyes are sensitive organs. Contact solution has been specially devised to clean your lenses and keep your eyes healthy. You might think that saline solution is a simple blend of salt and water, but it’s not that simple. Save yourself some red eye and possible infection and buy your solution at the store. The same goes for eye drops and anything that goes in your eyes for that matter.
3 Tampons
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This one may seem like common sense. You don’t want to stick just anything inside of one of the more sensitive areas of your body. Not only could making your own lead to a bloody and embarrassing mess, you could also be setting yourself up for infection and even toxic shock syndrome. You don’t want anything to be left in when you pull your tampon out, and, unfortunately, most homemade models aren’t well-engineered enough to prevent potential problems. Fork over a bit of extra cash and head to the feminine product aisle. You gynecologist will thank you.
2 Hair Dye
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Even though you may love to make your own crafts, this is not one of those things you should be making yourself. When dyeing your hair you can already tell that there are many harsh chemicals that are used and mixing the wrong ones together yourself can certainly be dangerous. Another aspect to consider is that you aren't sure how your hair will turn out, what if you are stuck with blue or green hair for a week when all you wanted was to go blonde!
1 Dental repair
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Unless you have an endless supply of Novocain, you may cringe at the prospect. However, filling that cavity can get pricey, and it may be tempting to plug that hole yourself. However, any homemade dental repair is just likely to cause you extra money in the long run as a poorly placed filling could mean a dental disaster that results in a crown later. Moreover, poor oral hygiene has been known to be linked to health in other parts of your body, so make sure your pearly whites see the dentist’s chair regularly.
Sources:dailymail.co.uk, popsugar.com, huffingtonpost.com, howstuffworks.com
