The Biggest Beauty Myths Uncovered

If you pluck a grey hair from your head, will five more appear? Does Vaseline really make your lashes grow? There are endless old wives tales out there and some of them have been ingrained in us since before we can even remember! But the big question is, how many of them are true and which ones are just made up and have been carried down from generation to generation…. It’s time to separate the facts from fiction to ensure we’re passing on beauty tips that actually work and we don’t waste anymore time on the ones that don’t!

Will Vaseline make your lashes grow?

A. No. Vaseline is a multi-purpose product that helps just about everything, but encouraging lash growth is definitely not one of them. The formula does not include any ingredients that will aid or spark the growth of your lashes.

VERDICT: MYTH

Should I eat oily fish to help my dry or eczema-prone skin?

A. The omega-3 oils in oily fish will certainly help nourish skin cells and help hydrate skin from the inside out. Try to eat; mackerel, herring, salmon, fresh tuna and trout.

VERDICT: FACT

If I pluck a grey hair will more grow back?

A. It’s impossible to increase the number of hair follicles on your head by simply plucking out a hair strand. This is one of the biggest hair myths out there. “The myth probably originated because when hair starts greying, each follicle containing the hair gradually ceases to form colour granules so when one grey hair is plucked, the follicle next to it is already beginning to produce a grey hair,” explains Trichologist to the stars Philip Kingsley

VERDICT: MYTH

Will toothpaste will help to clear spots and blemishes?

A. Toothpaste does not have the power to clear up spots and banish blemishes, but it will help to reduce inflammation. Toothpaste will dry out the skin so its best not to use it regularly, stick to products designed for spots and ensure you stick to a good skincare regime.

VERDICT: MYTH

Will caffeine in skincare products help reduce puffy eyes?

A. Much like your morning coffee, caffeine in skincare products will give your skin a boost, but just remember it will wear off! So in short, yes caffeine added to skincare will reduce puffiness around your eyes making it a short-term fix not a permanent solution.

VERDICT: FACT

Will cutting your hair make it grow faster?

A. This might be a hard one to read, as so many of us rely on a good old hair cut to help our precious hair grow faster! Sorry to break it to you but cutting the ends of your hair does not affect the follicles in your scalp, so therefore does not encourage your hair to grow faster!

On average hair grows a quarter-inch every month whether you cut your hair or not. Having said that, regular hair cuts will make your hair appear thicker and healthier and will help banish those unattractive split ends so having your hair cut every 6-8 weeks is definitely a good idea.

VERDICT: MYTH

Does cold water shrink your pores?

A. Unfortunately there’s not much you can do about the size of your pores and applying cold water will only make your skin feel tighter, but won’t actually make your pores shrink in size. However, there are some great products on the market that will minimise their appearance on the surface. We love the Porefessional face primer by Benefit, it works like a dream!

Remember pores will always look bigger when they are clogged with dead skin and oil, so use a good exfoliator to keep pores clean.

VERDICT: MYTH