Common beauty myths

Shahnaz Husain *

In an age of misinformation, even beauty isn’t left out of the equation. No matter which stage of your life you are in, there's always someone dishing out advice to you when it comes to your beauty regimen, and then there's the internet dispensing tons of information at the click of a button.

In fact, the internet is quite misleading too if you don’t know the credibility of the source you’re following.

It's easy to believe some common beauty "tips" or "advice" when you've heard everyone from your mom, your friends, and even acquaintances swear by them

A lot of these beauty myths aren't 100 per cent true, and genetics is often a big factor. when it comes to self-care and taking care of your skin, half-baked knowledge is dangerous.

Here are some of them and some help in separating fact from fiction.

** Myth - Washing the face with soap and water is a good cleansing method.
No. Actually, soap does not remove makeup, dirt and pollutants so efficiently. Moreover, most soaps are alkaline. They not only disrupt the normal acid-alkaline balance but also make the skin dry.

** Myth-Washing the face with soap and water several times is good for greasy and problem skin.
No, this is not true. The skin should not be washed with soap and water more than twice a day. Soaps make the skin too alkaline and this actually predisposes it to bacterial attack, leading to problems like acne.

** Myth-Facials are good for all skin types.
Another myth. Oily skin should not be massaged with creams, which is an integral part of a normal facial, as this stimulates the oil glands further.

**Myth-Cream should be applied on the skin and left on all night.
This does not help at all. The skin can only absorb that much and no more. In fact, the pores should be free of cream, so that the skin can “breathe”. If the skin is very dry, a light liquid moisturiser can be applied, to relieve the taut feeling.

** Myth-Applying cream around the eyes at night and leaving it on helps to prevent wrinkles.
Actually, the area around the eyes is very delicate and thinner than most other areas. The cream should never be left on all night around the eyes. A special under-eye cream should be applied and removed after ten minutes.

** Myth–A normal skin does not need routine care.
A common misconception. All skins need daily care, to remove the pollutants and dirt that settle on the skin, as well as to protect and maintain its health and beauty.

** Myth–Blackheads are collections of dirt in the pores.
Not at all. Blackheads are caused by the collection of hardened sebum (the skin’s natural oil), which gets oxidized hence the black colour.

** Myth–Adolescents do not need to worry about acne as they will soon grow out of it.
Absolutely wrong advice. Actually, adolescents need protective and corrective care for acne, because it can cause scarring. Acne can be prevented and controlled with appropriate daily care.

** Myth-Frequent washing of the hair is harmful.
This is one of the most common myths. Washing does not harm the hair. It can even be washed every day provided one uses a mild shampoo and very little of it.

** Myth-The more shampoo you use, the cleaner the hair.
This myth needs to be exploded too. It is not the amount of shampoo, but how well you rinse the hair afterwards with water which helps to remove all residues.

** Myth–Brushing the hair 100 times a day makes the hair healthy and shiny.
Actually, this does the hair no good and can even damage the hair. If the hair is oily, it can make it more so, by stimulating the oil glands.

** Myth–Hair loss can be controlled with a head massage.
On the contrary, if there is hair loss, the roots may be weak and massage can cause the hair to fall out.

** Myth–“Kaali Mehndi” or black henna is a natural product.
Actually, henna is green and leaves a reddish-brown colour. “Kaali Mehndi” is not a natural ingredient.

** Myth–Toenails should be shaped into ovals, like the fingernails.
This is an absolute No No. This can lead to ingrown toenails. They should be cut straight across.

** Myth–Stretch marks only form after pregnancy.
Not true. Stretch marks can form even before pregnancy, as they are caused due to loss of skin elasticity. This occurs when their weight loss follows weight gain.