The beauty world is full of old wives tales and porkie pies, making us believe the unbelievable. Have you ever wondered if your hair really does clean itself? Or considered banishing the razor, for fear it will only cause your hairs to grow back thicker? Today is the day I'll be uncovering all of those good 'ol wives tails that we have heard over the years. Here are my top eight beauty myths uncovered... Which ones had you fallen for?
Myth 1: Toners close your pores.
NO, NO, NO, NO! Your pores are not doors - they're not muscle and therefore cannot open and close on a whim. If it was that easy, beauty therapists and facialists would be out of a job. Toners can temporarily tighten your pores if they contain alcohol or acids (not necessarily a good thing,) but they cannot close them. Any product that claims to 'reduce pores' is lying - they can only temporarily reduce the appearance of pores.
Myth 2: Shaving makes your hairs grow back thicker.
Shaving simply cannot increase the thickness of your hair. They may feel thicker, but this is actually because shaving will blunt the hairs. Instead of the hair having a pointy end to it and feeling smooth, it will have a blunt end and therefore appear and feel thicker. Shaving is essentially a superficial procedure that has no impact on what's going on beneath the surface of the skin.
Myth 3: If left unwashed, your hair will naturally clean itself.
If this was true, people simple wouldn't have been shampooing and conditioning their hair since the dawn of beauty time. This one is absolutely false (and a little disgusting too!) If left, your hair will hold onto the bacteria it's been collecting and your roots will gradually become a little more oily each day. The result is both unsightly and a little smelly. If you do reduce the washing and styling of your hair, the benefit you may see will be predominately from the lack of electrical appliances and build-up of product that's too heavy for your hair.
Myth 4: If you have oily skin you shouldn't use a moisturiser.
This is increadibly frustrating and not true in the slightest. All skin types should moisturise both day and night, helping to inject the skin with moisture and protect from the elements it comes into contact with. (Many moisturisers contain anti-oxidents and SPF.) If you suffer from oily skin it doesn't mean your skin is super hydrated, it means your oil glands are over active. Oil does not equal hydration - in fact, using a targeted moisturiser may help to reduce the sebum production over time.
Myth 5: Blackheads mean you have dirty skin.
Blackheads are a build up of dirt, grease and excess oil that becomes blocked in your pores and oxidises to turn black. You can suffer with blackheads whether you cleanse your skin once a day or five times a day. Having blackheads is not a reflection of your cleanliness and are nothing to be embarrassed about. If you have a large number of blackheads then make sure you invest in skincare products that can help remove the build-up.
Myth 6: Expensive products must be better than cheaper products.
The truth is there are some great products (and some not so great products) on the market within every price range. Some of my holy grail beauty products have cost me under £10, showing there's not always a massive need to spend a fortune. The price of a product isn't determined just from the ingredients used, but also incorporates marketing, packaging and possibly a celebrity face. It's much more important to find a product that works for you, rather than spend a fortune on one that claims to work miracles.
Myth 7: A tingling sensation means the product is working.
The tingling sensation you may feel when using a product is actually just your skin responding to irritation. Products that cause you to feel a tingling sensation could actually being doing more harm than good. This could result in collagen and elastin break down, an increase in bacteria and damage to the skin's natural healing process. If you have sensitive skin, avoid anything that causes a tingling sensation as it could be causing you more issues than it's solving.
Myth 8: You don't need to wear SPF on a cloudy day.
A common misconception. UVA rays penetrate from any source of light, be it your computer screen, mobile phone or even the TV. UVA rays attack the Vitamin A & D production in your skin, which over time will cause damage and premature ageing. You should wear an SPF under your primer and foundation to help reduce the negative impact and ageing process - don't rely on the SPF in your foundation alone.
Have you fallen foul to any of these beauty myths? Are there any other beauty myths that you know of and want to know if they're true?
Written by Amy Banbrick
@Amys_LovesImage may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.![]()
Image may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.
Clik here to view.
Myth 1: Toners close your pores.
NO, NO, NO, NO! Your pores are not doors - they're not muscle and therefore cannot open and close on a whim. If it was that easy, beauty therapists and facialists would be out of a job. Toners can temporarily tighten your pores if they contain alcohol or acids (not necessarily a good thing,) but they cannot close them. Any product that claims to 'reduce pores' is lying - they can only temporarily reduce the appearance of pores.
Myth 2: Shaving makes your hairs grow back thicker.
Shaving simply cannot increase the thickness of your hair. They may feel thicker, but this is actually because shaving will blunt the hairs. Instead of the hair having a pointy end to it and feeling smooth, it will have a blunt end and therefore appear and feel thicker. Shaving is essentially a superficial procedure that has no impact on what's going on beneath the surface of the skin.
Myth 3: If left unwashed, your hair will naturally clean itself.
If this was true, people simple wouldn't have been shampooing and conditioning their hair since the dawn of beauty time. This one is absolutely false (and a little disgusting too!) If left, your hair will hold onto the bacteria it's been collecting and your roots will gradually become a little more oily each day. The result is both unsightly and a little smelly. If you do reduce the washing and styling of your hair, the benefit you may see will be predominately from the lack of electrical appliances and build-up of product that's too heavy for your hair.
Myth 4: If you have oily skin you shouldn't use a moisturiser.
This is increadibly frustrating and not true in the slightest. All skin types should moisturise both day and night, helping to inject the skin with moisture and protect from the elements it comes into contact with. (Many moisturisers contain anti-oxidents and SPF.) If you suffer from oily skin it doesn't mean your skin is super hydrated, it means your oil glands are over active. Oil does not equal hydration - in fact, using a targeted moisturiser may help to reduce the sebum production over time.
Myth 5: Blackheads mean you have dirty skin.
Blackheads are a build up of dirt, grease and excess oil that becomes blocked in your pores and oxidises to turn black. You can suffer with blackheads whether you cleanse your skin once a day or five times a day. Having blackheads is not a reflection of your cleanliness and are nothing to be embarrassed about. If you have a large number of blackheads then make sure you invest in skincare products that can help remove the build-up.
Myth 6: Expensive products must be better than cheaper products.
The truth is there are some great products (and some not so great products) on the market within every price range. Some of my holy grail beauty products have cost me under £10, showing there's not always a massive need to spend a fortune. The price of a product isn't determined just from the ingredients used, but also incorporates marketing, packaging and possibly a celebrity face. It's much more important to find a product that works for you, rather than spend a fortune on one that claims to work miracles.
Myth 7: A tingling sensation means the product is working.
The tingling sensation you may feel when using a product is actually just your skin responding to irritation. Products that cause you to feel a tingling sensation could actually being doing more harm than good. This could result in collagen and elastin break down, an increase in bacteria and damage to the skin's natural healing process. If you have sensitive skin, avoid anything that causes a tingling sensation as it could be causing you more issues than it's solving.
Myth 8: You don't need to wear SPF on a cloudy day.
A common misconception. UVA rays penetrate from any source of light, be it your computer screen, mobile phone or even the TV. UVA rays attack the Vitamin A & D production in your skin, which over time will cause damage and premature ageing. You should wear an SPF under your primer and foundation to help reduce the negative impact and ageing process - don't rely on the SPF in your foundation alone.
Have you fallen foul to any of these beauty myths? Are there any other beauty myths that you know of and want to know if they're true?
Written by Amy Banbrick
@Amys_LovesImage may be NSFW.
Clik here to view.