There are so many natural beauty remedies which have stood the test of time, being used by generation after generation because of the genuine benefits. There are also a whole load of ‘old wives’ tales’; products which people claim to work for something but which actually have minimal, if any, benefit, or can even sometimes make things worse. Here we take a look at some of the things which definitely DON’T work and offer some highly effective alternatives.
Lemon Juice
For centuries, people claimed that dousing the skin in lemon juice would actually lighten skin tone, and we now know that to be completely untrue. Whilst we don’t recommend using ANY kind of skin bleach, there are some great products such as Decleor Expert Dark Spot Corrector which target areas of hyper-pigmentation and drastically reduce the appearance of dark spots on the skin.
Toothpaste
It’s still hugely common to hear people recommending toothpaste as an on-the-spot treatment for spots, however it’s not really a great idea. Although menthol can have a soothing effect on the skin, all toothpaste will do is dry out the skin and potentially cause further outbreaks. If you need to get a handle on unsightly blemishes, we recommend Dermalogica Emergency Spot Fix, which will kill breakout-causing bacteria deep within pores to clear breakouts fast.
Petroleum Jelly
Petroleum Jelly, or Vaseline as it’s more commonly known, is great for a lot of things, such as masking your hairline when dying your hair, but there are other things for which it’s not so great. Old wives’ tales claim that is can help eyelashes grow, which is absolutely untrue, but it’s also not that great as a lip balm either as it actually dries the lips out more. To tackle dry, cracked lips, try Dermalogica Renewal Lip Complex, as it will not only add moisture to the lip area but also actively attack the signs of aging.
Cold Water
It was long said that splashing your face with cold water would help to close pores and minimise their appearance, but it’s now accepted that this is untrue and that pores basically are just the size they are. Keeping your pores super clean will avoid them becoming clogged, so using Dermalogica Precleanse is a good way to stay on top of things.
Hair Brushing
Do you remember watching an older relative faithfully brushing their hair with a hundred strokes every night before bed, claiming is strengthened their hair or made it glossy? Yeah, that’s complete hogwash. In fact, brushing your hair excessively will mainly cause breakage and can also over-stimulate the glands which produce oil, which is not what you want…unless greasy hair is the look you’re going for?! For actually glossy hair, we recommend washing with Dermalogica Shine Therapy Shampoo followed by Dermalogica Silk Finish Conditioner.