Beauty myths are everywhere: plastered on the internet, whispered between girlfriends and passed down by your mother who heard the same advice from hers. There are countless beauty myths floating around, but I am here today to lay some of the more common ones to rest.
Myth 1: You need to cut your hair every six weeks.
Getting frequent haircuts does not make your hair grow faster. If you’re growing your hair out, you only need a haircut if there is breakage at the bottom. If your hair is healthy and doesn’t have split ends, cutting it won’t do you any good or speed up the growing process, contrary to popular belief.
Myth 2: Match your foundation to your wrist.
This is what I was taught when I started wearing makeup – and I still have yet to meet one person whose skin color on their face matches their wrist. You need to match your makeup to your face and neck, considering that’s where you’ll be putting it. Oftentimes, your face is much tanner than the rest of your body, and too light foundation will just make it look like your wearing a mask. If you go to a higher-end makeup store, the professionals there can match your makeup for you at no cost!
Myth 3: If you have oily skin, you shouldn’t moisturize.
Everyone should moisturize, no matter what skin type. Moisturizing oily skin won’t make it oilier or cause a break out. It all comes down to what type of moisturizer you use. If you have oily skin, try using a gel moisturizer rather than a more traditional cream-based one.
Myth 4: Toothpaste clears up acne.
Some people may find that this trick works, but for the most part the menthol in toothpaste will just irritate your skin and make the problem a lot more noticeable. If you have a breakout, your best bet is to wash your face, keep from touching your blemishes and use a spot treatment to help fade them.
Myth 5: Baking Soda is a great exfoliant.
As a general rule, if an item isn’t marketed as skin care, don’t use it as skin care. A tip I have seen floating around Pinterest is that baking soda can be used as an ‘at home microdermabrasion.’ But baking soda has a Ph of 9 (your skin’s is only 4.5!) and is way too alkaline to put on your face – it damages the skin and even if you don’t see the negative result immediately, it is still terrible for your skin. You’re better off buying an exfoliator meant for your face instead, or splurging on a manual exfoliator like the Clarisonic!
Have you heard of any of these common beauty myths? Tell us your thoughts in the comments below!