10+ Popular Beauty Procedures That Are Actually Just a Waste of Money

We tend to spend tons of money on beauty procedures because we want to look pretty and attractive. But sometimes it’s just a waste of money and time because the results of these procedures can be quite disappointing. For example, we may end up with bald eyelids instead of long eyelashes, or with 2 red lines instead of groomed eyebrows. We decided to study this topic and put together a list of beauty procedures you should be cautious about.

Gel nail extensions

Nails are usually extended with gel or acrylic. This is a popular way to make them longer and visually stronger. But the procedure negatively affects the health of the nail plates and can weaken them over time. And this strongly depends on how experienced your technician is. Extensions with the wrong architecture can be very harmful, resulting in the loss of your nail plates because these extensions often break, sometimes below the nail bed.

• I love long nails, but I could never find a nail tech in my town that actually did nails the way I liked. Aside from the acrylic damaging your nails, it also looked too thick and unnatural. Unknown author / Reddit

Eyelash extensions

Eyelash extensions need special care — you should never wet them or use skincare products that contain oil. To follow these rules, many people stop washing the area around their eyes. But this can lead to the development of various infections in the eye, as dirt and bacteria remain on the eyelashes. In addition, there is a risk of losing your own eyelashes. Long and thick extensions are too heavy for your natural eyelashes, which may result in them breaking and falling out.

• Extensions are very easy to get hooked on. The “addicted” feeling generally kicks in when you’ve done it a couple of times and then see your “normal” lashes. I definitely wasn’t hooked after one day. But once I got used to the effect, feeling pretty when I looked at myself in the mirror each morning, it was really weird seeing my lashes without the added drama of extensions. © Donothingdilettante / Reddit
• We have all heard of the wonders of eyelash extensions. I also decided to give it a try. The lady that did them actually put them too close to my tear ducts and it was burning my eyes afterward. She told me to take them off with olive oil or hot water. It didn’t work. In fact, I lost almost all of my eyelashes. © Сelestica__ / Reddit

“I tried to remove my lashes at home. And I’m in tears now at how many lashes I lost.”

Facial massage

The procedure removes excess fluid from the body, which is why your face looks toned afterward. But this effect lasts only if you get facials regularly. At the same time, if there are noticeable age-related changes on the skin (deep wrinkles, sagging, etc.), then massage will no longer help you because your skin has already lost its fatty layer, which is impossible to restore with this massage. The missing volume can be replenished only with the help of injections.

• Facial massage does improve the absorption of product into one’s skin, and when the specific techniques of lymphatic drainage massage are applied, facial puffiness is reduced. But remember that wrinkled skin is like a piece of oft-washed clothing — after a certain point, despite careful use, it just loses its color and shape, and the only way to really fix it is to alter it (i.e. plastic surgery). Genetics and responsible sun exposure are the most important factors in the aging of your skin. © Susan Blake / Quora

Needleless mesotherapy and biorevitalization

Both biorevitalization and mesotherapy use injections of different anti-aging products into the skin. But currently, many salons offer to carry out this procedure without injections, as a technician applies the product on the skin and then uses a laser or ultrasound to stimulate absorption. However, the main function of our skin is to work as a barrier. Even the smallest molecules can’t penetrate the dermis.

Currently, there is no technology that can deliver active substances to the right layers of the skin without an injection. So, classic biorevitalization and mesotherapy still remain the most effective procedures to provide your skin with a visible, long-term effect.

LPG body massage

Initially, the device was invented to help people get rid of scars. But soon, patients noticed that it worked well as a massage tool too. However, this technology is unable to remove cellulite completely, as it only reduces its external manifestations. The feeling of weight loss after LPG massage occurs due to fluid loss. As soon as the water balance is replenished, everything returns to the way it was. Losing weight is possible only through a healthy diet and physical activity.

• As a professional masseur, I can say that if your fat layer is too thick, you won’t see any changes at all. LPG body massage is only efficient for slim women who want to polish their shape to perfection. So, let’s be honest: this procedure suits only 10% to 15% of all people, while the rest need something more serious.

Under-eye patches

The cooling effect of hydrogel patches can reduce dark circles and puffiness under the eyes, but eye patches are absolutely useless for skin rejuvenation. The gel does contain particles that can help to reduce wrinkles, such as collagen molecules, but they are too large to penetrate the upper layer of the epidermis and reach the deeper layers of the skin. Actress Gwyneth Paltrow suggests using a massage roller on top of patches so that the beneficial substances work better on the skin.

Permanent makeup

When permanent makeup first appeared, many women were crazy about it because it helped them look their best all the time. But over time, women realized that this limited their opportunities to change because eyebrow fashion trends change every year.

Moreover, the pigment of the tattoo wears out over time, so your eyebrows can become red, blue, or gray. This also applies to eye and lip tattoos. Even if a woman takes care of her face, the shape of the tattoo blurs after some time, and the permanent makeup starts to look messy.

• They say that microblading is a semipermanent tattoo that will eventually go away. But it does not go away. It is permanent (some pigment will always be there), so it’s unfair to not notify clients that it doesn’t just disappear in a year. © Sindoreis / Reddit

Hair Botox

This procedure consists of 3 steps: washing your hair, the application of Botox, and then evaporating it with a hair straightener. The hair structure is severely damaged during this procedure, but the client doesn’t notice this immediately, as their curls look smooth, shiny, and healthy. However, after the product is washed out of the hair, it becomes dry and dehydrated.

You can repeat the procedure only after 3 months. But women sometimes do it more frequently because they want their hair to be smooth all the time. But doing so can lead to hair loss.

Anticellulite body wraps

Cellulite occurs when fat deposits come up through the connective tissue beneath the skin. And it’s impossible to get rid of it with cosmetic procedures that only affect the surface of the skin. Only a healthy diet and exercise can help decrease the layer of fat underneath the skin, making cellulite less visible. As for body wraps, they are just relaxing spa treatments. Wrap mixtures can’t reach the deeper layers of the skin, so they can’t reduce the fat tissue in any way.

• I can’t do body wraps, I have a specific form of claustrophobia that only comes with being tightly wrapped in things. © UnicornMeatTaco / Reddit
• While they can help you lose a little bit of water weight, this does not translate into inches. As soon as you have a drink of water, your thirsty body will soak it back up again. © Schwarzermond / Reddit

Lip fillers

Stars like Kim Kardashian and Kylie Jenner made lip fillers a new fashion trend some time ago. But now, the trend requires us to look natural. So, even if fillers are used, the lips should look as natural as possible. Still, you should be cautious about this procedure. The problem is that there is no regulation for it, so you have to be very careful when choosing a beautician because a poorly done procedure can lead to inflammation or scarring.

• I call them duck lips. They look so fake and so ridiculous. I’ve yet to see one set of filler that looks real. © Carol Morales / Quora
• If you walk around observing people’s lips, you’ll notice those that stand out because they look obvious, unnatural, excessively large, and strange. You are then making the assumption that all these people have had lip fillers and that all these lip fillers have been done badly with no regard to acceptable aesthetics. On the other hand, you are unlikely to notice all those lips around you that look natural, well-shaped, and beautiful. These lips might be natural, or they might have been enhanced by skilled aestheticians who provide natural aesthetic results. © John Silverton / Quora
  

What do you think about these beauty procedures? Have you ever used any of them?