9 Beauty Myths Busted

Beauty myths are everywhere, whether you've spotted them or not. We've all grown up with beauty myths. Passed on from other to daughter, from friend to friend, and family member to family member, we've heard it all — "If you shave it, it will grow back twice as thick", "If I wash my hair less often, it won't get greasy as quickly" and "Eating chocolate causes zits." If you hear the same lie again and again, you may start to believe it, and with so many beauty myths out there, how can you tell which are and aren't true?

We've all heard about brushing our hair with 100 strokes for shine and that those salon brand shampoos at the supermarket are not the same as the products at the salon. But are any of these common beauty myths actually true? We find out.

Beauty myths are incredibly common, and are becoming even more common on the internet now. You've probably believed your fair share of beauty myths yourself. Don't be embarrassed to admit it, you're definitely not alone. We all believe a huge number of them - but here's the question, are they really true? Or are these common beauty myths just fiction? 

Brushing Your Hair With 100 Strokes Before Bed Will Keep It Shiny

This is an old, old, beauty myth that has been around for over 100 years - brushing your hair with 100 strokes before bed to keep it shiny and healthy. But does it really work? The short answer is no.

It could also make your hair greasier, too, by pulling oils from your scalp down the hair shaft.

Verdict: FALSE

Split Ends Can Be Repaired

There are tons of products out there that promise to banish split ends - shampoos, conditioners, oils, serums and much, much more. But can they really banish split ends? Nope... products often claim that their nutrients and moisturizers can seal split ends, improving the texture and look of hair. Unfortunately, this is generally a load of old baloney.

Verdict: FALSE

Dry Skin Gives You Wrinkles

One of the oddest beauty myths that we've heard in a long while is that dry skin gives you wrinkles. It's entirely wrong, though - dry skin just gives you more dry skin. Lack of moisture causes dry skin, as can dehydration and cool, blustery conditions - but it cannot cause your skin to age prematurely.

Still, it doesn't hurt to slap a little bit of moisturizer on!

Verdict: FALSE

Read More: Do You Have A Beauty Routine?

Shaving Your Hair Makes It Grow Back Quicker

A common beauty myth is that shaving your hair - anywhere on your body - such as on your arms, legs, intimate areas, or on your face, is that it will make it grow back quicker and thicker. That's not the case.

Hair that hasn't been cut tapers at the ends and so looks slimmer. But the truth is that shaving hair doesn't affect the hair follicles in any way and so hair cannot grow back thicker. Think about it - men shave their beards everyday and if the saying "shaving makes it grow back quicker and thicker" were true, they would have rather large beards!

Verdict: FALSE

Wearing Heels Can Give You Varicose Veins

Wearing high heels makes your legs look longer, leaner and slimmer - most women love the way wearing heels makes them feel. But one common beauty myth is that wearing high heels can give you varicose veins. True? This one actually is true! The pressure that builds up in your legs and feet when you wear high heels, especially if you stand in them for long periods of time, can cause varicose veins. Ditch the heels and if you can't, take them off once an hour, wiggle your toes, sit down and give your feet a little massage before putting your heels back on.

Verdict: TRUE

Putting Makeup On Zits Make Them Even Worse

A pesky zit pops up on your face - what do you do? 9 times out of 10, you'll cover it up with makeup - only to be told "Putting makeup on your zits just makes them even worse!" This is somewhat true, but it really depends which makeup you use. Heavy duty concealer and foundation will likely irritate your zit, whereas if you use light, hypoallergenic, acne-zapping makeup, you shouldn't have any problems. Keep a stash of light makeup to hand for use when you have a breakout.

Verdict: A LITTLE BIT TRUE

Chocolate and Pizza Cause Spots

You'll have heard this one hundreds of times - chocolate and pizza cause spots. Right? When you eat a chocolate bar or a pizza, the next day, you'll pay for it with a spot? A diet based around junk foods and processed foods means that your body won't be taking in the right nutrients that it needs to fight breakouts. So, if you eat chocolate all day every day - or if you tuck into a pizza for dinner every single night, your skin will likely pay for it. Just one chocolate bar? Your skin probably won't care. Eat plenty of healthy foods and you can still indulge in chocolate and pizza without damaging your skin.

Verdict: FALSE

Wearing Nail Polish Will Turn Your Nails Yellow

Another common beauty myth is that wearing nail polish regularly will turn your nails yellow. Although nail polish can cause discoloration, luckily, the discoloring is not permanent. Wearing dark polishes in particular can stain your nails but you can protect them by wearing a base coat. Luckily, the discoloration is completely harmless and you can go right ahead and paint over the top of it. In future, let your nails breathe between nail color applications and always use a base coat to protect them.

Read More: Beauty Tips: How to Remove Make-Up Properly

Combining 2 SPFs Gives You More Protection

Combining 2 SPFs of lower protections, for example, SPF 10 and SPF 5, does not add up to an SPF of 15. Combining 1% milk and 2% milk does not make 3% milk and the same is true for SPFs. Be safe and don't rely on the SPF in your makeup - instead, use an SPF of at least 30.

Verdict: FALSE