Four beauty myths debunked

These beauty fables that have circulated for years have led many to avoid practices, foods and products for fear that they’ll cause bad skin, bad hair or more. Thankfully, few are grounded in reality. Below are four beauty myths that I can’t wait to demystify, letting you live in that big, bad world of beauty without worry.

Myth: Shaving rather than waxing makes hair grow back thicker and darker.

We’ve all gone through this irritating beauty predicament: You shave and/or wax, and a few days later, your hair seems to be growing back with the color and thickness of an overweight Italian’s chest hair. But no need to start tossing pizza dough yet; the truth is that hair grows all the same, no matter how you try to remove it. After you shave or wax, hair will grow out at full width, which is wider than the tip (enter inappropriate joke here). This may make your hair look thicker and darker in its first stages of returning, but it won’t grow back heavier than it was.

Myth: Misting your face with water will hydrate it after a long flight.

It’s a shame that this particular beauty myth is false, as I always thought that touting around mini bottles of Evian facial water was oh-so trés chic (and the only beauty practice all the stars rave about that I could afford). Unfortunately, though, this refreshing practice does more harm than good, as the water dries out skin after it evaporates. Look for a spritzer that contains glycerin or aloe vera, which will help lock in moisture, like MAC’s Fix+ Spray ($10, maccosmetics.com).

Myth: Wearing nail polish constantly will turn nails yellow.

Unfortunately, this particular myth is true. But before you start searching for your bottle of nail polish remover, rest assured that a simple clear base coat under your favorite shade can help avoid discoloration. Nails are porous, so they absorb the pigment in polishes, especially from darker colors that contain more pigment than others. Applying Essie’s All in One Base Coat ($9.50, essie.com) before polishing will help you pack away yellow nails along with that witch hat and toy broom lying around from last Wednesday night.

Myth: Eating chocolate causes acne.

The fact that this is false may is the best news I’ve heard all week. While chocolate has been targeted for years as a source of many skin woes, it is shown to have no direct effect on skin conditions. Hormones, overactive oil glands and heredity are the key catalysts for acne, but a poor diet and dairy have been shown to flare and exacerbate this pesky skin woe. Recent studies have found that diets rich in omega-3 fats and raw vegetables, and avoid of dairy and processed carbs, have yielded better skin results than diets without any restrictions.