Does anyone else find it impossible to go a day without saying ‘google it’? Whether we wanna know what J-Lo wore to an event or how often we should moisturize, Google has the answer. Which is why it’s kinda funny how many crazy beauty myths we still believe – even when they sound ridiculous – you know, because your mum or your best friend told you.
Well, we’re here to set you straight on some of the most common beauty myths, so you’ll finally know whether they’re Google certified facts or just complete fiction.
1) Pulling Out A Grey Hair Will Lead To 6 More Growing In Its Place
Verdict: NOT true.
This is a beauty myth that’s been passed down through generations! But, there’s actually no truth to it – it’s quite literally an old wive’s tale. The reason our hair turns grey as we age is because our bodies produce less melanin, which is the pigment found in our hair follicles that’s responsible for its color. That means less melanin and sadly, more grey hairs. The idea of six more grey hairs springing up isn’t even possible – yaaay! When you do get a grey hair and if you want to remove it, very carefully cut it, otherwise, you could damage the follicle and the strand of hair.
2) If Your Skin Is Oily You Don’t Need To Moisturize
Verdict: NOT true.
This is one of the worst skincare myths around, as it can actually make your skin more oily and can even trigger a breakout. The truth is: if your skin is oily, it can still be dehydrated and if you don’t moisturize, you will cause your skin to produce more oil, in an attempt to compensate for the lack of moisture.
All you need to do is ensure you use the right moisturizer that’ll replenish and hydrate without sitting heavily on your skin. A lightweight, gel or water-based formula that’s non-comedogenic is ideal, as it won’t clog your pores or make your skin feel greasy. For more oil controlling tips, read this.
3) Shaving Your Hair Causes Your Hair To Grow Back Thicker, Darker, And Faster
Verdict: NOT true.
We could hardly believe this one wasn’t true. Having done both shaving and waxing, we thought it was 100% fact. But shaving your body or facial hair doesn’t make it grow back any thicker or faster, which is why we LOVE shaving our faces.
The difference is that after waxing the hair regrows with a pointed, finer tip that feels thinner, whereas shaving cuts the hair bluntly, which makes it feel thicker and look coarser. No matter how you cut hair, it can’t change the growth as this is determined at the follicle. To smooth rough stubble, exfoliate before you shave, then use a sharp, clean razor and moisturize 15 minutes after.
4) You Should Never Tweeze Above The Brow
Verdict: ALMOST true.
We’re forever thankful that the 90’s trend of overly plucked brows is well and truly dead! Although, there’s been this rumor running around that you should never pluck above the brow or you will ruing your natural arch and shape of the brow. Obviously, to achieve a fuller look you want to tweeze as little as possible, but if you have some stray hairs above your brow that are messing up your look, it’s fine to tweeze them.
5) Use Toothpaste To Get Rid Of Pimples
Verdict: It WAS true.
The bottom line is applying toothpaste to your pimple will not heal it overnight. At one point, there was some truth to this statement as toothpaste contained triclosan: an antibacterial and anti-fungal agent. But, most toothpaste no longer contains triclosan. Today the only thing toothpaste will do to your pimple is dry it out and irritate your skin. Use a topical spot cream as it’ll be more effective and won’t risk aggravating your skin. Check out our fav overnight pimple zapper here.