9 Beauty Myths, Busted!
Separate fact from fiction so you can look your best
You think middle-school gossip is bad, consider the things you hear about makeup and hair products: Lip balm is addictive, hair extensions will make you go bald, snake venom works like Botox?! While some of these are true (you really can get hooked on lip products!), a lot is bunk—and those urban legends could be harming your appearance.
To help you keep your skin, nails, hair, and entire body looking gorgeous, Perry Romanowski and Randy Schueller, cosmetic chemists and authors of Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm? (Harlequin, 2012), address nine beauty rumors you’ve likely heard and reveal the not-so-ugly truth. Because gossip about who hooked up last night is much juicier than makeup, right?
Rumor: Hair extensions damage your locks and cause bald spots.
The Truth: Enjoy running your fingers through your lengthy locks now because you may need a wig in the future. “Over the course of about six to eight weeks, heavy extensions can pull on hair and cause the follicle to atrophy and stop producing normal hairs,” Schueller says. If the extensions are removed in time, no problem: The follicles will recover and begin producing hairs again. But if the follicles are permanently damaged, there’s not much that can be done. “While forgoing extensions altogether is the best move, if you must have Giuliana Rancic tresses, have the extensions removed monthly and go a few weeks au naturel to give your hair a rest before putting them back in,” Schueller says. Or spare your mane and use clip-ins.
