Top Beauty Myths Quashed!

Happy Monday Ya'll!!

Do you have at home remedies and passed down secrets from your mama and grandma?  Or maybe things your friends swear by? Most of us do. We also were told things as children that might not have been 100% true, too.  Like, "Your face will freeze like that" :) Today I thought I would shed some light on some old wives tales, momisms and beauty myths!

1. Chocolate causes pimples
Not washing your face, getting your period and other stressing factors will cause breakouts but there is no scientific evidence to support that eating a Hershey bar will give you a mountain on your face!  In fact, dark chocolate is actually full of anti oxidants which are good for you!  So go ahead and eat the candy bar :)

2. Brushing your hair 100 times before bed will make it grow (i.e. Marsha Brady)
I actually remember my Nany and I talking about this one night.  Back in the day it was thought that by brushing your hair and pulling the oils down from your scalp to the ends it would help it to grow.  Nowadays, if you have oily hair it is best not to brush it that often because of breakage and all that bad stuff.  Genetics and extensions are the only things guaranteed to make your hair longer :)

3. Sliced cool cucumbers treat puffy eyes
This glorious little gem of a secret is 100% true!  You can also use tea bags (cooled down, of course) to reduce puffiness.  It may not work after watching The Notebook though :)

4. Toothpaste gets rid of zits
I don't know why we as young girls were ever told about this.  Sure, most toothpaste has menthol in it which is a drying agent and can help dry out zits in a pinch.  But toothpaste is for teeth and not for skin so you can end up irritating your skin and causing the zit to stay around much longer than leaving it alone or using tea tree oil (see below).

5. Tea tree oil gets rid of zits
Okay, this is more of a modern idea than an old wives tale but this method of clearing zits is actually true, just make sure your product contains at least 10% of tea tree oil to actually be effective or use tea tree oil itself but diluted with either aloe vera gel or water.  It is potent stuff!

6. Vaseline makes your eyelashes grow
Hmmmmm, vaseline makes your eyelashes grow.  Doesn't that just sound weird to you? The moisturizer may help dry, brittle lashes get stronger but there is no proof that this is actually a true method of making them grow longer.  This can however give you whiteheads on your eyelids from blockage and cause puffiness of the eyes, so use at your own risk.

7. Hot water opens pores and cold water closes them
This one hurt for me to realize was a myth.  I liked the idea of thinking I was steaming my pores open, cleaning them out and then slamming them shut with a cold splash to the face.  But pores are not muscles that can open and close.  Steaming them can help loosen the gunk in them (now you know what sebum is) and cold water can help tighten your face but that's about it.  So no, ice cubes don't shrink your pores either :( It is an overall good idea to wash your face with lukewarm water.

8. You can use baby powder as dry shampoo
This is true! It absorbs the oil on your scalp which is essentially what dry shampoo is doing but I recommend cornstarch instead.  It can be messy though and I suggest adding a touch of cocoa powder if you have dark hair.  Make sure to brush out thoroughly.

9. Mayo makes your hair shinier
This is true.  I actually used to do this one all the time.  And I don't even eat mayo, bleck....I would glob it all on my hair and wrap it in saran and put a towel over my head.  But nowadays there are so many products out there that will help you achieve shine much easier :)

10. Pump your mascara to get all the product out
No, no, no.  This gets air in the tube and can breed bacteria.  Gently twist and pull the wand out. You can use some saline solution or aloe added to the wand to get down to the last drop :)
 
11. Using the same shampoo all the time is less effective on your hair
Negativo (I think that's a word).  It will always have the same effect, all the time.  Don't let the hair care industry get in your head :) If your shampoo seems less effective, it could be that product overload or buildup on your hair is to blame.

12. Spray perfume in the hair and then walk into it
This one is great.  I mean, maybe we did this because we thought it would not be as strong? Well, if you are using expensive perfume, this is a big no no.  If it is only landing on your clothes, then it is evaporating before that guy you have a crush on can even smell it.  Perfume should always be applied on your pulse points to last the longest :)

I hope these were helpful to you :)

What are your favorite beauty myths?

Let me know in the comments below!!

Have a great day!