16 Popular Beauty Myths We All Fall For: Truth or Lies?

 

What You Have Heard: To get rid of a pimple overnight put toothpaste on it
True/False: False
The Inside Story: Dermatologists suggest you stick to using toothpaste on the place it was intended for: your teeth. While the ingredients in toothpaste will have an effect on your pimple - it seems like it’s speeding along the process it is in fact irritating your skin and drying out the area. And there’s nothing trickier than applying concealer to flaky skin.

 

What You Have Heard: Applying Vaseline to your eyelashes will make them grow longer
True/False: False
The Inside Story: This old wives' tale has no scientific backing to it, so while it will leave your lashes soft and shiny it's unlikely to promote any kind of growth. Stick to a specially formulated product like Eyelite Double Lash, RapidLash or Latisse, and especially because Vaseline can irritate sensitive skin. Or use those mascaras with ingredients which promote healthy lashes like Elizabeth Arden’s Ceramide Lash Extending Treatment Mascara or Clarins Mascara Supra Volume.

 
Related: Do You Want Big, Bold & Beautiful Lashes? Here's How.

 

What You Have Heard: You don't have to cut off your split ends if you use certain miracle products
True/False: False
The Inside Story: We know you don't want to hear it but there is no cure for split ends; once your hair has split there's no repairing it. Save your money on products that promise to repair your ends as they only offer a temporary fix and rather focus preventative measures like using a wide toothed comb, high-quality hair scrunchies and a good leave-in conditioner.

 

What You Have Heard: Rubbing your eyes causes wrinkles
True/False: True
The Inside Story: Your mom was right; you should stop rubbing your eyes. The skin around your eyes is super thin and sensitive and any force applied in that area is therefore extra damaging. Keep eye drops at hand if you're prone to itchy eyes, or you can use an old home remedy that actually works: cucumber slices.

 

What You Have Heard: Natural and organic ingredients are always better for you
True/False: False
The Inside Story: Thanks to advertising we find ourselves being lured in by products that claim to contain only natural ingredients as we think they will be good for us. Sure, this is true for some products and ingredients, but rather test them out before you blindly buy them based on the 'organic' label. After all, nuts are a 'natural' ingredient but some humans are deathly allergic to them.

 

What You Have Heard: Waxing makes your hair grow back thinner
True/False: False
The Inside Story: Waxed legs feel smoother for weeks longer than shaved legs, which makes you think your hair is growing back thinner. While waxing can damage hair follicles, meaning the hairs stop growing back, this can take years and is not a foolproof plan for reducing your hair. If anything, stick to waxing because it lasts longer, not in the hope that it will eventually have the same effects as laser hair removal.
 
Related: The Bikini Wax Inside Story - Everything You Need to Know

 

What You Have Heard: You should brush your hair 100 times a day to make it shiny
True/False: False
The Inside Story: This myth stems back to your grandmother's day and has been decidedly debunked. Pulling on your hair that much every day is unnecessary and will cause breakage. It is true that brushing your hair makes it shiny, as it moves the oil from your scalp down your hair shaft, but a few brushes which will do the job just fine. Our pick: Cala's Oval Bamboo Brush.

 

What You Have Heard: If you wear nail polish all the time your nails will turn yellow
True/False: True
The Inside Story: Nails are porous and will absorb the pigment from your nail polish, causing them to turn yellow underneath, especially when using dark tones. You can, however, avoid this by always painting a base coat first and using a top coat that contains UVA/UVB protection. We like Morgan Taylor’s React base and top coats.
 
Related: What You Need to Know Before You Get a Gel Manicure
 

 

What You Have Heard: Using anti-cellulite cream every day will eliminate cellulite
True/False: False
The Inside Story: Sadly, cellulite is here to stay - it mostly depends on your genes. While cellulite treatment creams will contain levels of caffeine that will temporarily firm and tighten your skin there are no long-lasting effects. An every day moisturiser can also hydrate the area and lessen the appearance of cellulite but your best bet is a bit of fake tan to mask it. Try the easy to use Caribbean Tan Spritzer.

 

What You Have Heard: Rinsing your hair with beer makes it thicker
True/False: True
The Inside Story: Surprisingly this one actually works. The ingredients in beer make your hair shaft swell and leave you with noticeably thicker locks. If you don't want to smell like a brewery, however, choose a shampoo that contains hops, which will give you the same finish. Our recommendation to boost fine, limp hair is Aussie Aussome Volume Shampoo.
 
Related: 7 Easy Ways Guaranteed to Help You Get Longer, Stronger Hair

 

What You Have Heard: Too-tight clothing can cause ingrown hairs
True/False: True
The Inside Story: This isn't something your mom made up to get you to stop wearing tight clothes. Restricting clothing interferes with your hair growth and leads to ingrown hairs so give your legs a chance to breathe every now and then. And make sure to exfoliate regularly to help prevent ingrown hairs, taking extra care with your bikini area. We like Mineral Line's Dead Sea Body Scrub and Nature's Edition Exfoliating Sugar Scrub.

 

What You Have Heard: Wearing a full face of make up is bad for your skin
True/False: False
The Inside Story: Many women believe that wearing foundation every day leads to bad skin when in fact it could be having the opposite effect. Your foundation should contain an SPF so going without it for a few days actually leaves you exposed to the sun. A layer of make up is a layer between you and the sun, so if you're going to go barefaced be sure to apply sun protection cream. The only time wearing make up is bad for you is when you forget to clean it off thoroughly at the end of the day. Make sure you invest in a good makeup remover like BioNike Defence Make Up Removing Oil.
 

 

What You Have Heard: Your hair can get used to your shampoo and it stops being effective
True/False: False
The Inside Story: The first time you try a new shampoo your hair feels amazing and squeaky clean after, but by wash number 5 it definitely feels different. So what’s happening? While your hair doesn't 'get used to' the shampoo the state of your hair will change and therefore react differently to your products. This could be due to a change in weather or conditions, your workout routine or your hair's reaction to the shampoo ingredients. Make that fresh hair feeling last by keeping a range of shampoos and conditions with different qualities at hand and choosing and using them as you need.

 

What You Have Heard: Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker
True/False: False
The Inside Story: If there were truth to this wouldn’t every balding man on earth immediately get his razor out? When you shave, you are not touching the living part of your hair, only the dead section that lies above the skin’s surface, so shaving cannot affect your hair growth rate. Stubble just feels and appears darker and thicker because it’s shorter, and hasn’t had time to be lightened by the sun or be softened by products like the rest of your hair.

 

What You Have Heard: You have to replace your mascara every three months
True/False: True
The Inside Story: You hoped that this was just a myth created by beauty brands who want you to spend more money but there’s truth to regularly throwing out old products. Mascara is the beauty product with the shortest lifespan due to water being its main ingredient, a natural breeding ground for bacteria. Your eyes are the last place you want to have an infection so be sure to bin your tube every three months, if not sooner.

 

What You Have Heard: Using horse shampoo makes your hair grow faster
True/False: False
The Inside Story: Many people have flocked to buy some Mane 'n Tail to make their locks grow quickly but this is yet to be scientifically proven. Horse shampoo does, however, thicken your hair shaft, which leads to healthier and thicker hair, and the healthier your hair is the more likely it is to grow. If you want to try it out remember to dilute the product with water as it is much more concentrated than normal shampoo - and only use once or twice a week.

 

And what about all those water myths? The message used to be simple: Drinking water is good. Not drinking water is bad. But somehow over the years the hydration message became cloudy and now, rumours about water temperature, speed of intake and more are running rampant. Equinox asked Marie Spano, MS, RD, a sports nutritionist and consultant for smartwater, to set the record straight. See more here.