As most women know, for every beauty truth out there, there’s a whole list of beauty myths; long held beliefs, passed down from generation to generation which have no more base in reality than witchcraft or water divining. We thought we’d take this opportunity to have a look at some of the most common beauty myths and work out which ones are age-old wisdom and which are nothing more than old wives tales.
You Need to Change Products for Them to Remain Effective
Some people say that if you use a particular product over a long period of time, your skin ‘gets used’ to it and they are no longer effective. This one is 100% myth; products definitely don’t lose potency or effectiveness over time and if you’ve found a perfect combination or system, don’t fear. As long as you’re applying targeted products which work for you and keep your skin healthy, there’s no need to switch things up unless you really want to.
Cutting Hair Makes it Thicker
Who remembers being told by their mother or grandmother that having their hair cut would make it grow back thicker? Or even that shaving your legs would make the hair darker or denser? Well, you can go back to Granny and tell her that it’s hokum! Over time, hair splits and breaks off at the ends, making the ends of your hair appear thinner than the section above. Cutting off the ends simply trims the broken hair, it doesn’t cause the hair to be any thicker. Same goes for shaving or waxing. It won’t affect how the hair grows – that’s purely genetic.
Wearing Make-Up Will Give You Spots
Despite the fact that no-one has managed to come up with a sure-fire cure for acne yet, certain people still hold beliefs about what causes it, with make-up or diet being held up as the most common culprits. As it stands, there’s no link between make-up OR diet and having acne. Some products may cause inflammation to particularly sensitive skin and cause break-outs, but this isn’t the same as chronic acne, and there’s absolutely no proof that it’s caused by chocolate, either (thank goodness!).
You Can’t Always Smell Your Own Perfume
This one is actually true! It doesn’t matter how liberally you apply your perfume, by the middle of the day, you’ll struggle to smell it on yourself. The brain somehow zones-out on the smell, leaving you feel as though your perfume is lacking the magic it had when you originally bought it. Don’t worry though, everyone else can smell it. And don’t be tempted to wear twice as much because you think it’s not potent enough – all you’ll do is overpower the noses of everyone around you.
Yellow Teeth Are Caused By Food Stains
This one is part fact and part myth. Foods such as red wine, coffee, tea and Coke can stain teeth over time, as can smoking. However, over-brushing teeth can also leave you with a yellow appearance as the outer protective layer of enamel is scrubbed away, leaving the yellow-tinted dentine which forms the inside of every tooth. Try to use a gentle toothpaste and medium brush to keep teeth clean without removing the enamel.
Last updated on 30/06/2015.