Beauty Myths
skincare,beauty
Pretty blonde model eating a huge piece of chocolate cake
By Beauty Editor Jessica Hopper
Chocolate causes acne? SPF only in the sun? Toothpaste banishes blemishes? With all the urban beauty myths still doing the rounds in today\'s beauty-conscious world, it can be difficult to decipher the truth from the old wives\' tales. Luckily handbag has called upon a few expert friends...
Myth: You only need to use SPF in the sun
skincare,beauty
Woman with dark curly hair in a bikini top in the sunshine
Truth: ‘Fraid not, folks. Truth is that faces need SPF protection whatever the weather - even in the cloudiest of climes. Stewart Long, Boots Skincare Scientific Advisor says, "Total UV decreases in the winter - you would need to stay in the sun for 36 hours to burn in the UK in December. However, the proportion of UVA, which has an impact on skin ageing, increases - you get 1.5 times as many UVA rays for every burning UVB ray. The UVA rays make a major contribution to long term skin ageing changes, such as wrinkles, pigmentation spots and sagging skin, so all year UVA protection is sensible. On really sunny winter days in this country, you can get the protection you need by using a daily moisturiser with broad-spectrum SPF protection."
Myth: Squeaky clean skin = good skin
skincare,beauty
Asian model with a dry face mask on half of her skin
Truth: You may love the feeling of squeaky clean skin after a good cleanse, but the truth is, that squeaky tight feeling is not a symptom of healthy skin. Skin naturally has a barrier made up of oils, fats and water to protect it against external nasties such as bacteria and environmental pollutants. Washing with soap based products strips away that protection, and it can take up to eight hours for this barrier to rebuild - especially not good if you\'ve washed your face this way in the morning then head out into the elements. Always opt for mild, creamy cleansers with built in moisture, and leave that flannel and bar of soap by the tub.
Myth: Your eyeshadow should match your eye colour
skincare,beauty
Close up of brown eye and bright blue eye shadow
Truth: Well there is really nothing wrong with using a colour that\'s an exact match to your eyes, however this is the softest way to wear colour and with the least amount of show-stopping potential. "In order to ‘pop\' the eye or to make the eyes appear brighter, opt for contrasting colours for the highest impact, or harmonious tones to compliment," says Neil Young, senior make-up artist of MAC Cosmetics. "The further away from your natural eye colour, the more dramatic the make-up appears. For example, a black smoky eye would be more dramatic on a blue eye as apposed to a deep brown eye. It\'s also worth remembering that colours can come in different intensities from vibrant to pastel, neon to neutral and they all have different effects around the eye."
As a general rule of thumb, Neil suggests the following:
Blue eyes: harmonious tones, greens, yellows, pinks; contrasting colours, brown, black, purple; opposite colour, orange.
Green eyes: harmonious tones, blues, yellows; contrasting colours, black, purple, copper, bronze; opposite colour, red.
Hazel eyes: harmonious tones, browns, peaches, corals; contrasting colours, black, blues, purple; opposite colour, blue.
Brown eyes: harmonious tones, reds, oranges; contrasting colours, grey, black, green, purple; opposite colour, blue.
Myth: Drinking water prevents dry skin
skincare,beauty
Glass of water with water splashing out over the top
Truth: Surprisingly, not so. "What keeps skin moist is oil, or the natural oils in the upper layers of the skin, not water," says Stewart Long, Boots Skincare scientific advisor. "Drinking water helps vital organs operate properly, and too little water in your body can give you a wan appearance. However, your skin can still look dry even if you drink eight glasses a day if the barrier to water loss is not in optimal condition. The best way to hydrate your skin is by moisturising regularly, which helps maintain this natural barrier." Keep a hydrating, moisturising mist on your desk or in your handbag for refreshing spritz throughout the day.
Myth: Toothpaste helps banish breakouts
skincare,beauty
Close up of womans face with blue eye and clean complexion
Truth: Ever since supermodel Cindy Crawford described this technique for drying out her emergency spots before a shoot, women everywhere has relied on toothpaste to banish blemishes. But it\'s not advisable. Some people do find it helps to dry them out, but it\'s possible the drying effect of toothpaste could irritate your skin. Plus the level of alkaline and fluoride in toothpaste is not great for the complexion. Instead, bag yourself a ingenious spot zapper specially formulated to tackle breakouts, like The Body Shop Tea Tree Oil Stick, (£4, Body Shop stores nationwide) or
Liz Earle Spot-On (£7.50) and leave the toothpaste to your teeth..
Myth: 100% natural products are best
skincare,beauty
Manicured nails and hand squeezing a lemon
Truth: Not necessarily. Just because it is natural doesn\'t mean it will work more effectively. Many natural ingredients do contain extra vitamins and minerals, but synthetic alternatives can be just as good, or even better, giving you all the benefits of natural ingredients. Simply go with works for you and your skin.
Myth: Stick to one product line for the best results
skincare,beauty
Woman doing her skincare regime at home wrapped in a towel
Truth: Nope. If you abide by this beauty rule, you will have made more than a few beauty counter peeps very pleased. Although complete skincare regimes from brands are often released together, they is nothing to suggest that you will get the best results from using the same product line - you may just love how all the products work together, but using products from different lines/brands won\'t hurt either.
Myth: Shaving makes hair grow back darker, quicker and thicker
skincare,beauty
Woman sitting on the side of the bath shaving her legs with a razor
Truth: Wrong! If shaving made hair any of these things, any man worried about losing their hair would be shaving their heads ritualistically! "When you shave, the razor blade slices through the hair at an angle removing the tapered tip of the hair and leaving it with a sharp edge," says Crian Wilson, Boots Toiletries scientific advisor. "In the first few days the growing hair is not long enough to start to lie down which means the re-growth will feel stubbly, but your hair continues to grow at a rate of 1cm per month." However, it is true that waxing does cause the hair to grow back thinner and finer, because waxing damages the hair follicle over time, so if you\'re not a fan of that prickly feeling - and let\'s face it, who is? - try waxing, depilation or hair removal creams instead.
Myth: Applying cocoa butter or olive oil will stop stretch marks.
skincare,beauty
Naked woman sitting down looking at her legs
Truth: Sadly, this isn\'t so. Although moisturising may help, stretch marks either occur when skin expands quickly, like during pregnancy, or they\'re simply luck of the genetic draw. Stretch marks are formed below the top layer of skin, where the collagen and elastin fibres that support it break, and sadly where cocoa butter and olive oil cannot reach. If you do get stretch marks, remember you\'re not alone - in fact, around 80% of women do.
Myth: Junk foods, fried foods, and chocolate cause acne.
skincare,beauty
Red nail polish on manicured fingers crushing a piece of chocolate cake
Truth: "Even though these foods are not good for your health, scientific studies have failed to show any relation to acne," says Dr. Sid Danesh, a Beverly Hills dermatologist whose treats many of Hollywood\'s A-list. If a link does exist, it may lie in the transfer of oils from greasy foods to the hands and then to the face.
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