6 Common Beauty Myths You Probably Fell For

There’s a lot of beauty misinformation littering social media these days that’s giving women some wild ideas about their hair and skin. It can be difficult to tell what’s true and what’s false, so we asked professional cosmetologists: What are the most common myths people tend to fall for?

1. Cutting your hair will make it grow faster and thicker

While this one has probably done more good than harm, it just isn’t true. Trimming regularly can help to reduce breakage and flyaways, which will make hair look thicker and shinier. By getting rid of those split ends and hair damage, your hair will look like it’s growing faster. But, the truth is that hair will grow at a regular pace that depends on genetics, hormones and the food you eat.

2. Waxing makes hair grow back thinner

Wouldn’t that be nice? Here’s the deal: When you rip off that strip, the whole hair is coming out, root and all. That means when hair starts to grow back, the follicle needs to make a brand new hair. When the little guy reaches the surface, it will look like a thinner hair because it’s really just the tip of the iceberg. The rest of the hair below will grow out the same width as the original.

3. You should never pluck above the brow

Obvious warning of the day: Never overdo tweezing, or you’ll end up looking really surprised. Experts say most of the shaping should come from underneath to lift the brow up, but cleaning up the top is necessary to get rid of the occasional stray hair. Still, only pluck the really wandering ones or you could end up with some angry looking brows.

4. All your skincare needs to be from the same line

It’s okay to mix things up! As much as every company would love for you to believe their line of products is superior in every way, some brands are good for some products and bad for others. Active ingredients are the only thing you need to worry about when using multiple brands. Because brands are only tested alone, you never know how products with active ingredients will interact with one another. For that reason, only use one of those at a time. Hint: They’re required to tell you if there’s an active ingredient on the back of the bottle.

5. Facial exercises keep skin smooth and taut

This one could not be further from the truth! Skin is elastic, and very different from muscle tissue, which can be strengthened and toned. In fact, excessive muscle activity in the face is what can lead to laugh lines, crow’s feet and forehead wrinkles. But don’t worry, it’s okay to smile. Staying hydrated, moisturizing and using sun protection are the easiest ways to avoid wrinkles.

6. Brows should always match your hair

While bleach-blonde brows and jet-black hair are generally not a recommended together, you do have some wiggle room when it comes to the color of your hair and brows: Just make sure they’re within a few shades of one another. Some experts agree that if your hair is dark, your brows should be two shades lighter and vice versa. Others say that what looks good can vary from person to person. As with all beauty guidelines, use your best judgement. And you can always hit the salon if you’re unsure!