Experts reveal the worst thing you can do to your air fryer as warning is issued
Experts have warned this one mistake could lead to your entire air fryer breaking down.
Using just a spritz of cooking spray can severely affect the interior of your device.
This is because the sprays contain emulsifiers, which can build up over time and leave a goo-like texture inside the machine.
The sticky texture is a result of the sprays breaking down the nonstick surface, which can ruin your air fryer.
The Kitchn said: 'Cooking spray is oil contains lecithin (an emulsifier), dimethyl silicone (an anti-foaming agent), and a propellant.
'The droplets have a low smoke point and, over time, the lecithin will start to build up onto your basket or rack, resulting in a sticky spot.
'This sticky spot is hard to remove and can degrade the coating so that the nonstick surface no longer does its job.'
They recommend using an oil with a high smoke point to prevent this from happening.
Meanwhile, Isabella Forgione AO's small appliance expert has said it could be better to stop using oils altogether.
But if you want to crisp up your meal, try spraying the oil on the food before putting it in the air fryer.
She said: 'Because of the way air fryers work by circulating hot air around the appliance, this means that oil shouldn't be needed to cook your food.
'Try to spray your food before putting it into the air fryer.
'This will help to reduce the amount of spray touching your appliance and protect the non-stick coating from being damaged.'
Hashtags
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
The truth about 'Sephora kids' taking over TikTok: Children as young as 7 are using dozens of products on their faces - putting them at risk of lifelong skin allergies
The 'get ready with me' video is one of the most popular formats for TikTok influencers to show off their elaborate beauty regimes. Children dubbed 'Sephora kids' are getting involved in the trend, with terrifying consequences. Scientists from Northwestern University found that children as young as seven are using over a dozen products on their skin every day. These expensive routines are putting children at risk of skin irritation, sun sensitivity, and developing lifelong skin allergies. By creating dummy accounts posing as 13-year-olds the researchers collected 100 videos from the TikTok 'For You Page'. On average, girls aged between seven and 18 used six different skin care products in their routines, with some using far more. The survey also revealed the vast sums of money that youngsters are willing to spend on products. Teenagers' routines cost an average of $168 (£124) with some girls using products that cost over $500 (£370) in total. Searching for 'skin care' or 'skin care routine' on TikTok will return thousands of videos, many of which have hundreds of thousands or even millions of likes. These videos largely feature young women showing their complicated, multi-step skincare routines. For example, one video with over 4.1 million likes recommends a routine of six different treatments including Vitamin C cream, hyaluronic acid, and 'chemical exfoliants'. Yet the study found that many younger users on the app were showcasing routines with even more steps. While these routines promised to deliver 'glassy' or 'glowy' skin, the researchers found that they actually put teenagers at high risk of skin irritation. The top-viewed videos analysed by the researchers contained an average of 11 potentially irritating ingredients. Corresponding author Dr Molly Hales, a dermatologist at Northwestern University, says: 'That high risk of irritation came from both using multiple active ingredients at the same time, such as hydroxy acids. Those ingredients could trigger an allergic condition called contact dermatitis which can limit the kinds of soaps and shampoos that people can use for the rest of their lives. Dr Hales adds that there was also a risk from 'applying the same active ingredient unknowingly over and over again when that active ingredient was found in three, four, five different products.' However, the video creators appeared either unaware of the risks or unconcerned by the potential negative impacts. For example, in one video a young social media user applied 10 different products to her face in six minutes. Senior author Dr Tara Lagu, a pharmacist and health services researcher from Northwestern University, says: 'As she's applying the products, she begins to express discomfort and burning, and in the final few minutes, she develops a visible skin reaction.' In another post, a 'teenage girl in braces' smeared 14 products on her face while instructing her viewers on the proper methods of application. By the end of the video, the girl's face becomes visibly inflamed and red as she says: 'This is what my skin looks like. It is very glowy right now, I love it! But also, I just had some allergic reaction to something that I tried, so ignore how red my face is. 'I don't know what's happening. But if anybody knows how to get it to stop burning, that would be greatly appreciated, because it actually hurts a lot.' Additionally, the researchers found that the advice in these videos offered 'little to no benefit' to their intended audience. Researchers warn that using so many products risks causing skin irritation and developing skin allergies which can affect people for the rest of their lives For example, each of the top 25 most-viewed videos used an average of three products containing natural exfoliants called Alpha Hydroxy Acids (AHAs). While these can be used to treat acne, only eight of the 82 content creators had any visible blemishes. In these cases, the risk of developing contact dermatitis 'almost certainly' outweighs any potential benefits. In fact, only 26 per cent of the routines shown included suncream - which dermatologists say is the most useful part of any skin care routine and is especially important for children. Beyond simply giving bad skin care advice, the researchers also cautioned that these videos could be 'problematic' in other ways. Analysis of the videos showed a strong emphasis on lighter, brighter skin which could reinforce unattainable beauty standards. In the paper, published in Pediatrics, the researchers note that the videos encourage girls to pursue these goals under the guise of 'self-care'. Girls are shown waking up as early as 04:30 am in order to fit in an elaborate skin care and makeup routine before school. Dr Hales says: 'The insidious thing about 'skin care' is that it claims to be about health. 'It's problematic to show girls devoting this much time and attention to their skin. We're setting a very high standard for these girls. 'The pursuit of health has become a kind of virtue in our society, but the ideal of "health" is also very wrapped up in ideals of beauty, thinness and whiteness.' METHODS FOR PARENTS TO KEEP THEIR CHILDREN SAFE ONLINE Children as young as two are using social media, research from charity Barnardo's has suggested. Internet companies are being pushed to do more to combat harmful content online but parents can also take steps to alter how their children use the web. Here are some suggestions of how parents can help their children. Both iOS and Google offer features that enable parents to filter content and set time limits on apps. For iOS devices, such as an iPhone or iPad, you can make use of the Screen Time feature to block certain apps, content types or functions. On iOS, this can be done by going to settings and selecting Screen Time. For Android, you can install the Family Link app from the Google Play Store. Talk to your children Many charities, including the NSPCC, say talking to children about their online activity is vital to keep them safe. Its website features a number of tips on how to start a conversation with children about using social media and the wider internet, including having parents visit sites with their children to learn about them together and discussing how to stay safe online and act responsibly. There are tools available for parents to learn more about how social media platforms operate. Net Aware, a website run in partnership by the NSPCC and O2, offers information about social media sites, including age requirement guidance. The World Health Organisation recommends parents should limit young children to 60 minutes of screen time every day. The guidelines, published in April, suggest children aged between two and five are restricted to an hour of daily sedentary screen time.
Times
2 hours ago
- Times
I spent £4,000 on my smile — and yes, a good smile beats Botox
'Ooh, your teeth!' said a friend I hadn't seen for a while recently. 'They look lovely.' I beamed and flashed my pearly whites a bit more. I am vainly proud of my newly straight, newly whitened teeth. But they have come at a cost: about four grand, to be precise. Which is why I was ruefully amused to learn that smiling is considered a cheap alternative to Botox when it comes to looking more attractive. A recent study found that the perceived attractiveness of people receiving Botox or dermal fillers increased, on average, by just 0.07 points on a seven-point scale — so if you were rated a 4 out of 7 before it, you'd be a 4.07 afterwards. Smiling, by contrast, improves attractiveness by 0.4 points on the same scale — an effect nearly six times greater than Botox.
The Guardian
6 hours ago
- The Guardian
Teenage girls' TikTok skincare regimes offer little to no benefit, research shows
Skincare regimes demonstrated by young influencers on TikTok offer little to no benefit, researchers have found, adding that on the contrary they raise the risk of skin irritations and lifelong allergies in children. The team behind the study say there has been a rise in young girls sharing videos of complex skincare routines with moisturisers, toners, acne treatments and anti-ageing products. In the first study of its kind, researchers analysed such videos on the plaftorm and found the regimes are not only laborious – some girls wake up as early as 4.30am to fit in their routines – but pricey, unnecessary and potentially harmful. 'The risks associated with using these products, especially in young girls, far outweighs whatever marginal benefit you may get from using the active ingredients,' said Dr Molly Hales, the first author of the research from Northwestern University. Hales added that while social media can be a place for playfulness and self-expression, young girls do not need such regimes. 'The danger is when girls get the message that this is something that they have to do to take care of their skin and to protect their health,' she said. 'These products don't increase the health of your skin and they probably worsen your skin integrity over time.' Instead she said a gentle cleanser once or twice a day and the application of sunscreen is sufficient. Writing in the journal Paediatrics, Hales and colleagues report how they created two TikTok accounts, purportedly for 13-year-olds and, and accumulated a sample of 100 skincare routines videos filmed by young people. The team found all but one of the 82 creators were girls, and their age ranged from seven to 18 years old. 'Almost all content creators had clear, light skin without visible blemishes,' the researchers write, adding the videos 'made frequent reference to aspirational beauty ideals that may be tied to whiteness'. The study reveals the skincare regimes involved six products on average, often from the same brands, with a total average cost of $168 (£124). However, some involved more than a dozen products with a total cost of more than $500 (£369). 'Get Ready With Me' videos were the most common, followed by 'Skin Care Routine' and 'After School' skincare routine videos. The team found many of the ingredients in the featured products, such as citric acid, carry a risk of skin irritation and sun sensitivity – meaning they increase the chance of sunburn and other skin damage. Yet only 26% of the 84 videos showing daytime skincare routines included a sunscreen – something that authors called 'a significant missed opportunity'. Hales added the use of products with multiple active ingredients, or layering products with the same active ingredients, increases the risk of skin irritation. The researchers found that among the 25 top-viewed videos, 76% contained at least one potential contact allergen – often fragrance. Prof Tess McPherson of the British Association of Dermatologists, who was not involved in the work, said the study was important, backing up anecdotal reports of an increase in young people attending clinics with skin irritation. 'We're certainly seeing a huge increase in people wanting something they call perfect or flawless skin, which we know is unachievable [and] unhelpful – it doesn't make people happy,' she said. McPherson added she is aware of young people asking for birthday money to put towards expensive skincare products, many of which are now being targeted at young girls through appealing packaging. As well as the risks highlighted by the study, McPherson said the skincare videos contribute to an increase in stigma around conditions such as acne and eczema as well as a fear of ageing, a message she said was reinforced by women embracing Botox and fillers. 'Younger and younger children are seeking skincare products when they don't need them, they're not helpful,' she said. 'This is a very concerning statement on society and how we view how skin should look.'
