Beauty Myths Debunked! www.iliketotalkalot.com

We’ve all hoped and prayed that some cream or some pair of jeans are going to change our lives in some way. That lip gloss that promises to plump lips, your grandma’s suggestion to put toothpaste on pimples, and doing sit ups to make you skinny again. All lies. LIES I TELL YOU! I don’t want to burst anyone’s bubble, but I hate hearing people repeat crazy things that don’t work and waste your money. I bring to you, some of the most interesting:

Cellulite can go away with the correct creams and shape wear.

What do you think about this one? I myself have used creams like fatgirl slim in preparation for the summer just to see what it would do. You know what it did? Not anything that the gym already didn’t do. Cellulite is caused by bands of connective tissue under the skin that cause dimpling and pockets of fat causing the orange peel effect. And did I mention that it’s mostly caused by genetics and not by only the food we eat. Water retention also adds to the sexy look, so stay hydrated at all times so your prone-areas don’t swell up as much during that time of the month. Creams and shape wear that claim to drain the area, break up the fat, and slim you down can at best, keep the skin above looking moisturized and toned. The simple act of massaging in a daily moisturizing cream can assist in lymphatic drainage all on its own, not whats in the cream. I took my time massaging my legs down, and I’ll continue to do that with my choice of body butter. It also helps to get a faux tan. A little color helps diminish the appearance of cellulite or unevenness of the skin. I relied on Rodial tan last summer for this.

Brushing Hair 100 Strokes Day will keep it strong and shiny.

If anyone has ever tried this I think they would know that it can result in: boredom, a bald spot, or a head full of static hair. Brushing this much is completely unnecessary for silky hair. A good conditioner can help with tangles and starting with a wide-tooth comb instead of a brush will also make it easier to get those tangles out while keeping hair shiny. Comb hair when you get out of the shower while it is still wet to get the tangles out. Brush your hair when it is dry and while styling. Don’t overdo it Goldie locks, you want to keep a full head of hair, don’t you?

Shaving makes your hair grow back thicker

Seriously? I bite my lip when I hear people say this. I want to explain that really the hair appears thicker only because its growing out of the skin with a blunt point instead of a needle point like a new hair. When completely new hair grows in, it grows in with a fine point which can make it susceptible to turning into ingrown hairs. Hair that has been shaved, has been cut at the height of the skin surface, it is not growing out “new” hair. Duh. If you want hair to grow back finer you simply need to wax, epilate, or go all out for laser treatments. The hair follicles can eventually die off and less hair grows back with repeated use. Just be sure to exfoliate to prevent ingrown hairs.

Split Ends Can be Repaired

Hair that you see, is dead. The only living part of a hair is inside (which include the hair follicle, hair root, the root sheath) are underneath the skin. When the ends of hair split consider this a reminder to visit your hair stylist. You need a trim. Cutting the dead ends off is the only way to get rid of split ends. So is there anything you can do to prevent them? Hmm. Try to stay away from heat styling tools, or at the very least use a heat styling spray to protect your locks. It also wouldn’t hurt to use a deep conditioning mask on a weekly basis to moisturize hair that you put through styling hell on a daily basis. You know, the hair spray? The rubber band you pulled out of your hair along with an alarmingly big chunk of strands in the process ( or is that only me?)

Using one entire line of products from one brand will give me the best results.

Umm, yea right. As much as I would love being able to use an entire line of a brand and have them all neatly lined up on my vanity, that doesn’t meant that happens most of the time. Think of it this way, companies create lines of products to create loyalty. Don’t get me wrong, they still care about us, and it isn’t sneaky or anything, but that doesn’t mean everything in that line is going to

work for you. its OK to cheat on your brand and explore ( don’t worry, it will be our little secret). You never know, you could find something that works way better or fits your budget better.

Oily Skin Doesn’t Need Moisturizer

Oy Vey, please spread the word. Tell your friends–everyone–and I mean, everyone can benefit from using a moisturizer. moisturizer is not only for dry skin, and is needed in order to maintain a proper balance. A “sweaky clean” is not properly balanced, in fact, that leaves your overly dry and prone to excess oil production which can lead to ….dun.dun,duuuuuun…you guessed it. pimples! There are moisturizers out there for each skin type and should be used after cleansing to restore your skins moisturization levels. A serum will also work as long as you use something. I myself have combo skin and have learned after about 6 months of a fairly strict facial regime that moisturizer is very important and helps stave off fine lines and wrinkle formation. Moisturized skin also looks healthy and has a glow. I prefer that, don’t you?

Toothpaste Can Dry Out A Pimple Pronto

True and false. Don’t waste your time ladies. While the ingredients in toothpaste can be drying, it isn’t going to make a pimple entirely disappear. In fact, fluoride can burn the skin and cause irritation and you know what a pimple is anyways? It’s a inflammation of the skin due to infection, so added irritation to something already inflamed. Does that sound like the right solution to you? If you insist on using something other that benzoyl peroxide to dry a pimple, you can test out this home remedy: some cornstarch mixed with some water to form a paste. It will dry the area without added chemical to burn the skin.

Wearing two different SPF’s will give me even more protection

Not really, your just wasting product and your money. SPF’s do not add together when wearing them, they only have the protection level of the highest SPF applied. Whats interesting is that there are even claims that mixing two different spf’s together can have a negative effect, sheesh. I don’t know if this is true, but if it is, its only another reason not to mix them together. Find a product that you can use that has multi-uses such as a moisturizing face tint that give you color, some added moisturizers, and some protection. I use Sara McNamara’s Miracle Skin Transformer right now and am on my second bottle.

So did I ruin your night? I’m sorry. Grab yourself that glass of wine, and know that its going to be ok. I have a ton more if you really want to know, so stay tuned for Beauty Myths Debunked part 2.