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11 Beauty Myths You Probably Believed In High School
by Luisa Colón

I clearly remember the magazine-approved beauty tips I held dear to my heart in high school. It wasn’t until later in life that these tips and tricks were doing more damage than beautification. That’s the thing about beauty myths. They start out as beauty tricks, and it feels good to experiment with what just might be an insider’s secret. There was the one about pumping the mascara wand to load the brush up with product, making lashes extra full. Whipping that wand in and out of the tube before I applied my mascara made me feel like a real pro. Then there was the tip about toothpaste as a topical acne remedy. I perfectly recall trying that one — a minty scent, followed by a stinging sensation that became more and more acute as the seconds ticked by.

Beauty myths span rom your complexion to the hair on your head to the follicles on your legs. And while it can feel good to take charge of your beauty routine by employing expert advice, the better option would be to assess what’s true and what’s just some kind of weird cosmetic urban legend. To get you started on an actual beauty path, here are 11 common beauty myths that you probably believe in high school, and may still think hold some truth.

Myth 1: Pumping Your Mascara Brush Give You Fuller Lashes

Let's start with the myth that I was so enamored with back in high school. Women's Health pointed out that pumping your mascara wand lets air into the tube and dries your mascara out. Great way for peope to spend more money on product. To get more product, try swirling the wand instead.

Myth 2.: Pores Open and Close

If your pores are a problem, it's easy to imagine them opening and shutting like tiny, demanding monsters that want water or astringent or blackhead strips or what have you. But Elena Arboleda, head aesthetician at Mario Badescu, told Refinery29 definitively that pores do not open and close, no matter how fabulous your facial makes you feel.

Myth 3: Skin Gets Thirsty

Drinking water is important for tons of reasons, but thirsty skin isn't one of them, Dendy Engelman, a dermatologist and cosmetic surgeon in New York City, told Refinery29 that drinking water doesn't hydrate your dry complexion. In order to do that, you need a moisturizer. But you should keep drinking your H2O, because there are plenty of other benefits.

Myth 4: Junk Food Gives You Zits

The myth that junk food causes acne may have been invented by parents who hoped to curb their teenager's appetite for Skittles, Snickers, and other classics. It's just a myth, though. Dermatologist David Bank told Real Simple that there is no connection between junk food and breakouts or acne.

Myth 5: ToothpasteCures Acne

Long believed to be a zit remedy, toothpaste isn't a useful tool for battling blemishes. In fact, Cosmopolitan warns that while the menthol may have a cooling effect, the other ingredients in toothpaste can be really aggravating to your skin.

Myth 6: Trimming Your Hair Makes it Grow Faster

Matt Fugate, a hairstylist at Sally Hershberger Downtown in New York City, tells Oprah.com that regular trims are good for your hair because they get rid of split ends and reduce breakage, resulting in healthier hair. But trims don't actually make your hair grow faster.

Myth 7: Bushing You Hair Makes It Shine

Sorry, Marcia Brady. According to Cosmopolitan, a few brushing before bedtime helps distribute natural oils which can temporarily make hair appear shiny.

Myth 8: You Need to Switch Up Your Shampoo

There's a rumor that using the same shampoo prevents it from being affective. But celebrity hair expert Philip Kingsley told Marie Claire that there is no scientific evidence or reason to change shampoos if what you are using is working.

Myth 9: Waxing Slows Down Hair Growth

If you're looking for very long-term benefits, this one isn't a myth. "Wax rips the hair out at the follicles," Heather Woolery-Lloyd, a dermatologist in Miami explained to Real Simple. "And any repeated injury to the follicles over time―we're talking 20 years―could damage some follicles to the point that they don't grow back." So yes, in 20 years, you'll see less hair growth. If that doesn't do it for you, you can feel free to stick to shaving.

Myth 10: Shaving Speeds Up Hair Growth

On the same subject, shaving your body hair doesn't make it grow back thicker. If it seems to, it's only because "hair just appears shorter and a bit more stubbly, making it seem thicker than it really is in between shaves," according to Women's Health.

Myth 11: Nail Polish Turns Nails Yellow

Stained yellow nails — yuck. Fortunately, Bustle reports that a base coat keeps nails healthy.

Images: covergirl, maybelline, maybelline, smartwater, crest, redken5thave, herbalessences, herbalessences, gillettevenus, gillettevenus, revlon/Instagram; Mauren Veras/Flickr