TOP 10 Beauty Myths: Fact or Fiction

Ok - We've all heard a million and one different beauty myths ranging from teeth whitening to varicose veins, but how much should we really believe? Here are my top ten beauty myths exposed!

1. Pores Open and Close
FICTION - Pores are openings in our skin that secrete sebum, ( a mix of proteins, fats, and cholesterol, and inorganic salt). Sebum is important because it washes out dead skin , and dirt from our pores and coats our skin with it, thus providing a barrier to protect itself. When our pores become clogged, or get a lot of build up in them, they just appear larger. They don't actually "open or close"

2. Misting Your Face With Water Helps to Moisturize Your Skin Throughout the Day
FICTION - Misting you face with water will actually leave your skin more dried out once the water has evaporated. Use a facial mist with glycerin or aloe instead. It will help to lock in the moisture.

3. Waxing Will Make Your Hair Grow Back Thicker
FICTION - Your hair grows king of like a blade of grass. thicker at the base, and tapers off as it grows longer. When you wax, you are ripping the hair out of the follicle. When the hair does grow back it appears to be thicker than before you waxed it because you are seeing it from the base where it is thickest.

4. Painting Your Nails all the Time will Cause Nail Yellowing
FACT - Nail Polish like all other cosmetics contains pigments. These pigments are often staining - especially in darker colors that contain stronger or higher concentrations of pigments. To help prevent this, always use a base coat. It will act as a barrier to protect your nail.

5. Eating Chocolate Causes Pimples
FICTION- Breakouts and acne are caused mostly by hormones, stress, and dead skin cells blocking your pores, not chocolate :)

6. You Can Repair Damaged Hair and Split Ends
FICTION - As much as I would like this to be true, this is false. Although you can buy products to coat damaged hair and make it feel and appear better, Hair is dead, and cannot be repaired. The only way to get rid of damaged hair it to cut it off.

7. If You Pluck a Grey Hair - 2 More Will grow in it's Place
FICTION - If it's in your genetics to get grey hair, you're going to get grey hair. Grey hair appears when the root of the hair is no longer producing melanin that gives your hair it's color. Grey hair will often appear out of place coarse and wirey because the shaft has usually stopped producing the sebum that coats it as well.

8. You Shouldn't Wash Freshly Colored Hair
FACT - You should wait a minimum of 48 - 72 hours before washing hair that has been color treated. You need to give the dye time to penetrate the hair - washing it prematurely will wash out some of your color. To help maintain that color you should always use shampoo and conditioner formulated for color treated hair

9. Crossing Your Legs will Cause Varicose Veins
FICTION - Crossing your legs while sitting will not cause varicose veins, however STANDING for long periods of time will. Varicose veins are most common in the superficial veins in the legs. These veins are subjected to high pressure while standing since they are working against gravity to pump the blood back the the heart. There are leaflet valves in these veins to prevent back flow of the blood. When these valves stop working, the blood does back flow, and pool resulting in the bulgy veins. Surgery is available to remove these veins.

10. Cucumber Slices will Combat Puffiness Around the Eye
BOTH
Cucumbers are often stored in ice water when you are at a salon, or in the fridge when you are at home. Placing a chilled cucumber slice over your eye for a few minutes will decrease puffiness. BUT it's the cold temperature that is the actual remedy. Placing any cold compress on the area will constrict the blood vessels, and reduce puffiness.