Blemishing 10 Beauty Myths

With the overload of product commercials and old wives tales out there, how’s a girl to know what not to believe? Well sit back, relax and read on as we debunk the top beauty myths out there today!

Myth #1 – Drinking buckets of water will give you beautiful, glowing skin.
Fact: Drinking water is essential to a healthy body, however drinking more than your eight to 10 glasses a day can actually do more harm than good. Women who consistently drink excessive amounts of water not only suffer from frequent trips to the bathroom, they are also susceptible to severe bloating and bladder pain. More seriously, you can cause water intoxication, which can result in digestive problems, behavioral changes, brain damage, seizures or coma.

Myth #2 – Acne and black heads can be scrubbed away.
Fact: Scrubbing too hard while washing your face will actually increase oil production and aggravate the condition. Acne should be treated with special care. It’s always best to wash with a gentle cleanser then use clean hands and water to rinse.

 Myth #3 – You can repair your split ends.
Fact: We’ve all seen the commercials promising to repair your hair in seven days but the truth is it’s just not possible. While there are many products that coat and seal hair, making split ends less obvious and hair feel softer, the only way to get rid of your split ends is to have them trimmed. It does not take a major cut to see a huge difference. Most stylists recommend their clients have about a half inch taken off at least three times a year.

Myth #4 – Chocolate, caffeine and greasy foods cause acne.
Fact: While it is noted that certain foods can cause breakouts in certain people, there is no one food or drink linked to acne. Your best bet is to keep a food journal for a few months. Record what you eat and drink, as well as the condition of your skin everyday. That’s the easiest way to see if it really is the two diet Mountain Dews a day causing your breakouts or if it’s the low fat cream cheese on your morning bagel.

Myth # 5 – You can shrink large pores.
Fact: Just like the size of your hips, your pore size is genetically pre-determined. There are products out there containing Retin-A and alpha hydroxys that will help minimize the appearance of larger pores, but there is no known product out there that will actually shrink them.

 Myth #6 – Dry skin causes wrinkles.
Fact: It is true that a person who is severely dehydrated can appear more wrinkly, but dry skin is not the cause. The sun causes about 50 percent of the wrinkles that appear as we age. Another 20 percent are caused by natural facial expressions such as frowning and smiling. Genetics also play a huge part in how we age. Bad lifestyle habits such as smoking, drinking and too much sun exposure all accelerate the appearance of wrinkles.

Myth # 7 – Only people with dry skin need to use a moisturizer.
Fact: All skin types need some level of moisture. For some it’s just under their eyes or at the corners of their mouth. For others using a moisturizer for combination skin helps moisturize their dry patches, and keep oil away from their T-zone. Either way, you always want at least a light moisturizer no matter how dry or oily your skin is. It’s a fact that the drier your skin is, the more oil your skin will produce to try to remedy the problem — which in the end, will only lead to breakouts.

Myth #8 – Alcohol free products are best for the skin.
Fact: It depends on the alcohol. Isopropyl alcohol can cause excessive dryness in the skin but most beauty products tend to use cetyl or benzyl alcohol. These types of alcohols actually act as emollients. They help soften the skin without increasing oil production. Products containing this type of alcohol are usually best for oily and combination skin.

Myth #9 – You only need to use conditioner if your hair is dry or damaged.
Fact: Every hair type needs some level of conditioning to help repair daily styling and environmental damage. The trick is to only use the conditioner where you need it most, and stick with a conditioner made for your hair type. Translation: people with very dry hair may need to saturate there entire head in a deep, heavy conditioner while people with oily hair may only need to apply a thin layer of a light conditioner to the very ends of their hair. People with short, oily hair can often get away with only using a light leave-in conditioner. Either way, you should never just shampoo and go. Even if you’re the good girl who never blow-dries, colors or curls your hair still needs a little extra TLC.

 Myth #10 – If you want a good product, it’s going to cost you.
Fact: While there is some truth in the “you get what you pay for” belief, it’s not true in every case. We are no longer limited to Pert Plus and generic moisturizers at the drug store. There is now a plethora of amazing products to choose from. Again, the key here is to seek out products for your hair or skin type. Many drug store products will even have a comparison to a more expensive product listed on their label. If you’re apprehensive, try to stick with lines that have been around for a while, like Oil of Olay, Pantene or Neutrogena — there’s a reason they’ve lasted so long. And remember, every beauty product — cheap or expensive —  is subject to individual trial and error. However, paying a little less may ease the pain of having to toss it if it’s not a good match for you.