|
|
| |
 |
|
................................................................ |
 |
The Truth Behind Some Beauty Myths
When we were struggling through those awkward teenage years, when our
hormones were wreaking havoc on our bodies and our skin, we were most
likely inundated by advice from our mothers and grandmothers, and even
our girlfriends, on what we should do to keep ourselves beautiful
despite the storm of changes upon us and upon our bodies. Some of them
sound sensible, while some sound totally absurd.
But even if these pieces of advice sound really silly, there are some of
them that we could not easily shake off. They seem to work for us, and
why let go of a good thing if it is working somewhat?
|
Nonetheless, for curiosity s sake, sometimes there is a need to ask. Do
the beauty practices handed down to us by our mothers, grandmothers and
girlfriends that we have religiously observed through the years hold a
grain of scientific truth in them, or are they merely beauty myths spun
by old wives? Let s find out.
Beauty Myth #1: Plucking white hairs yields more white hairs.
This is definitely just a beauty myth. Our hair whitens as part of the
natural process of aging, and some of us see our hair start turning
white earlier than usual compared to others. It only seems to us that we
are having more and more gray hair after we see our first strand of
white because our mind is now trained to look for the grays in our mane,
and so we are now more likely to notice.
Beauty Myth #2: Shaving the hair makes it grow back thicker.
This is definitely another beauty myth as well. Shaved hair seems to
grow back thicker only because when we shave, the razor cuts the hair
off only on the skin s surface. They were not plucked off directly from
the follicle. Therefore, when the hair grows back, the wide part of the
strand grows out, making the hair appear thicker.
Beauty Myth #3: Mayonnaise makes for a great conditioner.
No, this one is not a myth. Mayonnaise, as long as it is real, does make
for a great hair conditioner. The oil and eggs that can be found in real
mayonnaise is rich in fatty acids and protein that nourishes the hair.
Beauty Myth #4: Applying ice to the skin makes the pores
smaller.
Nothing can make the pores smaller. The size of our pores is the result
of genetics, not of temperature applied on the skin, so some people just
have smaller pores than others.
Beauty Myth #5: Toothpaste can cure pimples
Well, yes. Toothpaste has menthol and other active ingredients that can
dry up a pimple and make it heal much quickly than if left alone.
However, the same active ingredients in toothpaste that can heal a
pimple can also dry up and irritate the skin of your face, so it is
better to use a pimple cream rather than toothpaste for your pimple.
Beauty Myth #6: Applying beer on the skin before going for a sun
tan results in a golden glow.
No, not true. In fact, you should avoid sun tanning altogether, unless
you are going to use a self-tanner. Applying beer before going for a tan
does not do anything for the skin. Some people are just prone to getting
a golden tan, while others naturally turn red as a lobster under the
sun. It is, again, a matter of genetics.
Beauty Myth #7: Crossing the legs leads to varicose veins.
Not really. The true causes of varicose veins are yet unknown, but
again, some people are more prone to having them because of factors like
heredity, age and weight. Crossing the legs will not cause you to have
varicose veins, but if you already have them, it can make the condition
worse.
Beauty Myth #8: Washing the feet when tired will make the veins
swell.
The veins in the feet really swell when the feet are tired. It is the
body s own automatic attempt to soothe the tiredness of the feet. In
fact, it is indeed best to soak the feet in warm water to further
increase the blood circulation to your lower extremities, so as to take
the tiredness away.
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
