Beauty Myths debunked

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Beauty Myths debunked

By Danielle CREATED Mar. 8, 2013

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From Cosmopolitan.com

photo courtesy of beautytidbits.com

Beauty Myths debunked

Drinking water prevents skin dehydration

Huge myth. It's oil that keeps skin moisturized, not water. In fact, too much water on your skin will dry it out. Look for products containing non-acnegenic oils, and your complexion will thank you (so will he…supple skin is so hot).

Try this: Clarins Santal Face Treatment Oil, $50, macys.com

Only dry skin types should use moisturizer

Hydrating already-oily skin seems backwards. But depriving skin of moisture can actually make oily skin oilier (it forces your skin to work overtime, producing extra oil to nourish skin). Try a lightweight, gel-based formula meant for your skin type – it won’t leave you looking greasy.

Try this: Clinique Dramatically Different Moisturizing Gel, $14, clinique.com

Brushing hair 100 times a day makes it glossy

You should never over-brush your hair, it’ll just weaken the follicles and cause breakage. But a few strokes before bed helps distribute natural scalp oils throughout strands, which causes a wildly sexy gleam.

Try this: Denman Natural Bristle Grooming Brush, $16, amazon.com

Crossing your legs gives you varicose veins

Wrong. In fact, it’s more about standing too much. If you have a job or do an activity that requires you to stand all day, your veins work overtime to pump blood from legs to your heart, which results in pooling of blood and puffy, dark blue veins. Pregnancy is also a factor (carrying a baby adds pressure to your circulatory system).

Try this: Dermablend Leg and Body Cover, $28, ulta.com

Expensive products are more effective than inexpensive ones

There are fabulous products – and ones that suck—in every price category! It's about the formulation and how the product reacts with your unique chemistry (kind of like men). We’re obsessed with Kiss My Face products, and they cost less than a Happy Meal.

Try this: Kiss My Face Ultra Moisturizer in Honey Calendula, $5, vitacost.com

You’ll outgrow your acne

Not every acne-addled teen’s zits disappear at 21. And if you’ve had clear skin your whole life, you could wake up at 30 with blemishes! Or you could get period-related zits every month. Its not about age, it’s about hormones and genetics. All you can do is treat the issue with a comprehensive acne-fighting regimen when it crops up.

Try this: Neutrogena Complete Acne Therapy Solution, $26, soap.com

Toothpaste helps you get rid of zits

We’re always looking for a quick and easy way to zap zits, but this ain't it. The menthol in most toothpastes cause a cooling effect that can calm down inflammation, but other ingredients can irritate skin something terrible. Stick with a topical blemish blaster containing proven acne-curing ingredients like salicylic, glycolic or alpha-hydroxy acid.

Try this: Super Spot Remover Acne Treatment Gel, $15, sephora.com

Natural skincare products are better for your skin than synthetic ones

What’s a "natural" product, anyway? It’s very hard to regulate (so many products that claim to be organic, green, or 100% natural are varying levels of bogus). And just because an ingredient isn’t man-made, doesn’t mean it’s more trustworthy. And vice versa. Use what works.

Try this: Pur Minerals Quick Clean Cleanser, $17, ulta.com

Shaving makes your hair grow back coarser, thicker, and darker

Not true. Uncut hair is widest at the base, then narrows to a point. When you shave, you chop the hair off at the widest part. That's what you see when it grows in – so it looks and feels coarse and thick. But shaving doesn’t change the texture of thickness of individual hairs.

Try this: Remington Smooth and Silky Battery Operated Shaver, $16, remingtonproducts.com

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