21 beauty myths every woman should know
9 minuteRead
The pressure to be beautiful is a never-ending battle. We live in an era of body positivity but still, there is always some sort of invisible pressure on women in society to be elegant and balanced. Though the predominance of “plus-size” models in the fashion and cosmetic industry is advancing, the concept of ideal beauty is changing and women of colour are being cherished yet we still see women falling for nothing more than beauty myths that impair mental health.
Every day, social media, pop culture, and tv shows reveal to us regarding our favourite beauty habits being disastrous for us. Since beauty myths are plentiful, it is difficult for people to know what is true and what is false. It's more important than ever to learn the beauty myths which hurt us and how we can put things right.
Without any further ado, let's dive into the 21 Beauty Myths:
#1 Beauty Myth - Shaving Makes Your Hair Grow Back Darker
If you shave, the hair will grow back darker. It's a myth, it won't. Just carve out this sentence in your heart or just write it down somewhere. Shaving hair doesn't alter its thickness and colour. It doesn't even change the growth rate. Shaving only makes the growing hair tips blunt which appears to be thicker and darker to our naked eyes.
#2 Beauty Myth - Eating Carbs Makes You Fat
This is one of the most popular myths that everyone believes to be true. Carbs do not make you fat – if anything, they can make you fit, youthful and alert. It doesn't leave any impact on weight. If you have gained weight over some time, then it's not because of the carbs but the result of eating too much. Weight gain occurs when there is an increase in the number of calories consumed.
#3 Beauty Myth - Skipping breakfast will not make you gain weight
Will I gain weight if I skip breakfast? Does skipping breakfast increase belly fat? Well, we all have asked these questions to ourselves, time and again. Though it's quite natural to be anxious about your weight, however, few myths can shove us into unwanted stress. Let me assure you, there is no evidence of an increase in weight just because you skipped breakfast. Few agree that skipping breakfast can only reduce overall calorie intake but not vice versa.
#4 Beauty Myth - Washing your hair frequently, leads to an increase in hair fall
The above statement is false. Do you know why we wash our hair? It's mainly because our scalp produces sebum which makes our hair too greasy. If excess sebum is produced on our scalp, then, we may suffer from numerous scalp problems. You need to wash your hair frequently to evade hair problems. Thus, coming back to the statement - NO! It doesn't increase hair fall. It's all-natural to lose 50 to 100 strands of hair per day. These hair strands will fall out even if you don't wash your hair for 7 days straight. Seek medical advice if your hair shreds too much and too often.
#5 Beauty Myth - Stress causes grey hair.
Try Warning people by attaching anything (say Stress) to beauty and magically people start considering your warning. I don't know how that seems to work but the truth is stress never causes grey hair. As you age, your hair ceases melanin (which gives you hair’s colour), and from there onwards, any new hair that pops out turns out to be grey. The reason behind grey hair at a very young age is mainly due to genetics but not stress. So, Does stress cause grey hair? NO!
#6 'Beauty Myth - Oily skin doesn't need moisturizer'
Even if you are born with oily skin, sensitive skin or dry skin; your skin needs moisturizer. We tend to think that, our oily skin, however, produces too much sebum and there is no necessity to use moisturizers. However, one must remember that moisturizers are used to shield us from elements (breakouts) and help ward off wrinkles. Every skin type needs moisturizer. The question such as—when to apply, how much to apply, what sort of moisturizer does my skin requires— entirely depends upon your skin type.
#7 Beauty Myth - Dry skin that needs extra moisture for the face
Similar to the previous myth, moisturizer is important for all skin types. If you have a dry, sensitive or mature skin type, people tend to think that your face needs extra moisture —but that's not the truth. It doesn’t need any extra moisturizer as it will just cause more oil production and clog pores. Apply frequently (depends on the intensity of dryness) if you have dry skin but do not apply too much in one go.
#8 Beauty Myth -You'll eventually outgrow acne
Acne is not a condition you'll grow out of once you reach a certain age, but it's a condition that needs to be managed well. It doesn't "run its course" and eventually comes to halt; NO! People with severe cases may require oral medication or doctor visits to cure—but for mild cases, the best thing you can do is take care of the problem with better hygiene and maintenance.
#9 Beauty Myth - Makeup causes acne.
We often contemplate twice before we apply any makeup. This tends to happen more often — when we suffer from acne. We fear that makeup may worsen the current acne situation but that's not the case. Whenever you put something on your face (if you have acne), the skin considers it as an irritant and causes some redness in your skin. However, if you cleanse your face properly, take good care of your skin and use a good quality moisturizer to help rehydrate the area, then you can walk around wearing makeup for hours and not have any problems.
#10 Beauty Myth - Higher the SPF, the better
While it’s generally accepted that sunscreen is important, there are several misconceptions about it. Just because your sun cream is SPF 100, that doesn't mean you can stay out all-time without getting sunburn. No! Sunscreens don't work that way. People tend to assume that SPF 100 means it’s working 100 per cent of the time. But in reality, it works similar to SPF 30 or SPF 50. Studies have shown that SPF 30 blocks 97% of UVB, SPF 50 blocks 98%, and whereas SPF 100 filters out 99%. Thus, the effectiveness of SPF between all the three is insignificant. In reality, re-applying sunscreen from time to time is the only magic trick but not SPF number.
#11 Beauty Myth - You should use baby powder to prevent chafe
This popular beauty myth from the colonial era tells you that using talcum powder on your inner thighs & near your vagina will prevent chafing. It’s simply not true! Not only will it not work, but using talcum powder or powder will only cause dryness in the area.
#12 Beauty myth -You can use a body scrub to exfoliate your face
To get rid of cellulite and to exfoliate dead skin, body scrubs work great. However, using it for the face is a big NO! Why? Because one, using a body scrub that has a rough composition will strip the skin of its natural oils and natural nourishment from the face. Secondly, using body scrubs on the affected areas will cause irritation, affect the pores and clog. Now, if someone told you about the idea of using a body scrub on your face, go back and tell them about the truth.
#13 Beauty Myth - Cutting your hair frequently makes it grow faster.
No, cutting your hair frequently does not make it grow faster. Hair growth occurs at the roots but not at the ends. Cutting your hair at the ends, only makes it shorter. Hair growth, just like other biological processes, occurs in cycles, and cutting your hair regularly doesn't help. It is important to understand that hair growth is entirely regulated by the scalp and not the hair. Though it is impossible to deny that chopping off all your hair when it is getting a bit too much, too many hair splits can be a convenient quick fix to quick hair growth, there is no concrete scientific evidence that shows cutting your hair frequently can make it grow faster.
#14 Beauty Myth - You can wash your hair every day to stimulate hair growth.
Similar to the previous myth, Washing your hair daily doesn't lead to an increase in hair fall, but it shouldn't be misunderstood - that washing your hair every day stimulates hair growth. Washing your hair every day strips away its natural oils and causes further damage. Regular shampooing can strip your hair of the natural oils that keep your scalp moisturised. Every alternate day or every 3rd day is ideal to wash your hair.
#15 Beauty Myth - Applying face masks daily hydrates your skin
When you hear - 'hydrate your face', you immediately think of a face pack. Yes, face masks are essential to exfoliate dirt and may have few hydrating properties. However, applying face masks daily will drain skin’s natural oils and block it from receiving the moisture it needs. Use mask weekly once to avoid damages to your skin.
#16 Beauty Myth - Talking on the phone for hours gives you a headache
Talking over the phone for hours alone won't give you a headache but other factors such as prolonged exposure to the phone's blue light, and strained neck contributes to your headaches. Talking over the phone with stooped posture for long hours not only puts pressure on your neck and back, talking too much on your phone makes your brain afire. Though, there is no proper research that suggests that talking over the phone for long hours leads to headaches but it's just better to get off that phone. You must take a break once in a while.
#17 Beauty Myth - You have to exfoliate your skin every day
Exfoliation is necessary to have the skin look smooth and radiant. However, it should not be repeated every day. Exfoliation kills the enzymes and the skin cells that help you achieve smooth and flawless skin and this may result in skin damage. Remember that exfoliation doesn't get rid of the clogged pores. It's better to exfoliate your skin every 3rd day or once a week.
#18 Beauty Myth - Darker Skin is Better
Darker skin is not more powerful. Dark skin has a propensity for wrinkles and ageing - which can make the skin appear thicker and saggy. While dark skin comes with some advantages, like richer complexions able to absorb more pigment but it also tends to show the dirt and toxins easily that we've carried in from our environment - which can make the skin look dull, dry, and lifeless. No skin type is better or powerful. Instead, all skin tones are beautiful.
#19 Beauty Myth - The more often you cleanse your face, the more clearer it gets
Like a lie repeated endlessly, this beauty myth has been following us all for a very long time. Though, cleansing stimulates the skin cells to reduce inflammation but, the above statement is untrue.
Excessive cleansing is likely to lead to dryness, irritation and flakiness that can result in premature skin ageing.
#20 Beauty Myth - Pores always appear when you are stressed.
There is a misconception that pores appear when we are stressed or tired. Our pores open because we shed skin cells. When your pores become clogged, they do not close up but remain open and cause blackheads. We are often stressed because of our pores but not vice versa.
#21 Beauty Myth - Steaming your face every day is good for your skin.
The air of the steam suffocates your skin, giving it a flat, dehydrated look. Not only does steam make it feel dry, but it also removes the moisturising oil that your skin produces. The steam has long been touted to be good for the skin but it does more harm than good. The combination of heat and steam can strip the natural oils that form the outer layer of the skin leaving it dry and parched and turning into bumps.
Conclusion
First things first, don’t believe everything you’ve heard. A lot of these beauty myths are just false and hurtful, and some of the negative ones make you look at yourself with shame. Now that you know skincare myths vs facts, It’s time to banish these beauty myths once and for all. Take pride in being the most authentic version of yourself.
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