Article by BR Tabatha
Old wive's tales. Urban legends. Believe it or not. Every girl learns beauty myths as she grows up and even ones we know seem implausible are stashed away in the back of our minds, ready to pop up and make us question our products, technique or routine.
Enter Beauty Review. We're on a mission to bust some myths.
1. Shaving your legs makes the hair grow back thicker/darker
A hair that has not been cut will naturally grow to a point. When you shave a hair you chop the point off, leaving the end wider. This then grows out first giving the impression of a thicker hair.
Myth Busted: Shaving does not alter the shape, width or composition of the hair.
2. Eighty percent sun damage occurs before age 18
For some reason this has become a much touted statistic, used by people claiming it's too late to start a good sun protection routine.
The official line from Stanford University School of Medicine is this: "A recent study revealed that we actually get only 23 percent of our total UV exposure by age 18. At 40 it reaches about 46 percent; by 59, 74 percent"
Myth Busted: It is never too late to be proactive about preventing UV exposure. Start wearing sunscreen every day, today.
3. Your hair gets used to your shampoo
Your hair is effectively dead from the root down - it doesn't feel and it certainly doesn't know if you're using the same brand day after day, month after month. If you've found a product that works for you, don't feel the need to change it up every month. The products will perform in the same manner every time you use it.
If your hair is oil-prone or you use a lot of waxy or sticky styling products, be sure to use a clarifying shampoo once a fortnight to remove residue and product build up - these things might impact how your regular products work!
Myth Busted: Your hair doesn't know the difference between brands.
4. Waxing makes fewer hairs grow back
When you remove the hair from the follicle, be it by waxing, threading or epilating, you're not doing anything to change the follicle.
Although over time, repeated waxing and similar treatments can cause trauma to the follicles, but it's over a period of decades, not individual sessions. If you want permanent hair removal you're best to look in to other treatments.
Myth Busted: Waxing doesn't affect hair growth. Repeated trauma to the hair follicle takes years to cause lasting damage.
5. Chocolate causes spots and acne
How many times were you told this as a kid? This old wive's tale seems to be a way to trick their young ones into making healthier food choices by using what teenagers fear the most - a breakout.
There is evidence to suggest that rapid fluctuations in our blood sugar levels may increase the activity of the sebacous glands, but there's no direct link between chocolate and spots. Many skin specialists recommend avoiding foods high in refined sugar, to prevent the sugar highs and spikes in blood sugar levels. Interestingly there is evidence that sushi and shellfish may cause acne due to the high iodine content.
Myth Busted: Chocolate doesn't cause spots, but it's still better to opt for a healthy lifestyle if you're suffering from acne!
6. Rubbing olive oil or cocoa butter on your pregnant tummy will prevent stretch marks
Stretch marks form when skin is stretched quickly. They form in the dermis, the second layer of skin and neither olive oil nor cocoa butter can be absorbed to that depth.
Myth Busted: The most olive oil or cocoa butter are going to achieve is moisturised skin and a quick fix itch cure.
7. Steaming your face opens your pores
Pores are surprisingly misunderstood. Just as you can never really shrink them (products can stop them widening or make them appear smaller), neither can you open them up with steam.
So when you steam your face with the intention of opening your pores to either make squeezing blackheads easier; or maybe to allow your lotions and potions to penetrate deeper, know this - your pore size does not change.
Myth Busted: The steam loosens dirt and grime, that is all.
8. Your skin should be squeaky clean
Your skin is a surface, yes. But it is not stainless steel, it is not marble, it is not plastic. Your skin is a living organ and if it squeaks when you've cleaned it, you're over doing and probably damaging it!
Myth Busted: Tight, rigid skin is a sign you need a more gentle cleanser.
9. Natural skincare products are better for your skin
Nope. We love a natural product as much as anybody, but just because something is natural doesn't mean it's going to be better for you. Some natural ingredients like essential oils can be extremely irritating and have unwanted side effects.
Let's clear something up - all products contain chemicals. Some are naturally occuring and others have been man made. Man made has become the evil scapegoat in the beauty industry, but not everything man made is bad!
Also, there's varying regulations about what makes a 'natural' product, and many products are misleadingly labeled as 'natural' despite containing very few true natural ingredients.
Myth Busted: Use what works best for you!
10. Brushing your hair 100 times a night will make it shiny and healthy
Brushing your hair 100 times morning and night will not leave your hair any more shiny than usual. It might cause some unwanted breakage and frizz though. It's best to brush your hair when you need to - so only when you're styling it.
Avoid brushing wet hair, as when hair is wet, it's at it's most fragile. Opt for a wide tooth comb or a gentle tangle brush to de-tangle wet hair, and reserve the brush strictly for styling.
Myth Busted: We don't know what these old wives were on about with this one!
The cocoa butter one! Dammit! Bought the cocoa butter and should not have. But it smells yummy