Debunking 10 Common Beauty Myths

Forsooth, the untruth told in the name of beauty! Beauty myths are often no more than old adages that are handed down to each generation. They may have a “piece” of truth but largely they do not reflect modern wisdom; and some of them are just plain silly.

SKIN

MYTH: Drinking a lot of water will hydrate your skin.
While drinking water is necessary for our bodies, too little water in your body can give you a tired appearance. But your skin can still look dry even if you drink eight glasses a day. And too much will only result in too many trips to the bathroom.

MYTH: Dotting on toothpaste can help get rid of pimples.
Toothpaste often contains menthol, which can help dry out a pimple, but other common toothpaste ingredients can irritate the skin. In fact, the fluoride in it can actually burn your skin! So, Derms agree across the board that this tip should be shelved. There are better OTC options for zapping a zit without the potential burn. For a much safer paste that will help resolve a whitehead, try the home remedy of mixing a little cornstarch and water and dabbing it on overnight.

MYTH: Preparation H deflates under-eye puffiness.
This was a secret of makeup artists when I was in New York. Alas, the cream was reformulated in 1994, and the product's active ingredient (a yeast derivative that is said to reduce puffiness) is no longer found in the version that's available in the States. So, unless you got your “roid” cream in Canada, it won’t de-puff your peepers. It should also be noted that using Preparation H around the eyes can cause dry and inflamed skin, so use this only where it's meant to be used, south of the, um, border.

HAIR

MYTH: Never pluck a gray hair, because 10 more will grow in its place.
Seriously!!! How can you get 10 new hair follicles from plucking one? If anything, ripping a hair out by its root leads to regrowth that refuses to lie flat. Your best bet for conquering gray? See a colorist.

MYTH: Brushing your hair 100 strokes a day will make it shine.
This probably came out of the days when hair washing was more of a monthly event than a daily routine. Back then, the oils from the scalp could have, theoretically, lubricated the lower lengths. We modern gals, however, get our lube from a bottle and, quite frankly, don’t have the time, (like Marcia Brady evidently did) to rake our cascading manes for 100 strokes. No loss though, because hair will break if you tug on it too much. Opt for gentle brushing―a few strokes here and there―which will make hair shine by distributing the natural oils and flattening the cuticles to make them reflect more light. Light brushing also removes impurities and stimulates blood flow to the scalp, which nourishes hair follicles and keeps them healthy.

LEGS

MYTH: Shaving will make your hair grow back darker and thicker.
Hair that hasn't been cut tapers to a point--widest at the base and narrowest at the tip. When you shave a hair, the razor cuts the hair at skin level or at the base. The widest part then grows out, and the hair may appears thicker, and may feel coarser to the touch. But shaving doesn't change the width, density, or color of hair.

MYTH: If you use wax to remove hair, fewer hairs will grow back.
Wax rips the hair out at the follicles; any repeated injury to the follicles over time―we're talking several years―could damage some follicles to the point that they don't grow back." So employ waxing for its ability to keep your legs smoother longer than shaving can, but not for diminishing hair growth.

MISC

MYTH: Wearing nail polish all the time will make your nails turn yellow.
This is true, well, sort of. Nails are porous, and they absorb the pigment in polishes. While you might not seen stains from pale colors, darker colors (especially reds because they have more pigment) will often stain your nails. But you can wear enamel all you like and still avoid discoloration. The solution: Before applying polish, paint on a clear base coat to prevent nails from absorbing pigment.

MYTH: Sleeping on your back or with a satin pillow will help your face stay wrinkle-free.
That's a big exaggeration with a little truth behind it. As you age, the collagen and elastin fibers in your skin break down, so when you burrow your face into a pillow, putting pressure on these fibers for several hours at a time, the skin is increasingly less likely to snap back. If you have a pattern of sleeping on one side, that side of your face will typically show more wrinkling than the other. After time, these lines can turn into deep-set wrinkles, so flip over and get your shut-eye on your back.

MYTH: Natural ingredients are also hypo-allergic
Whether it's a natural or chemical ingredient, if your allergic to it, you'll see a reaction.