Quiz Results: Beauty Tip or BS?

Correct answers:

1. Which one do you think is the real beauty tip?

The real beauty tip:
Nail files need sanitizing

Whether it’s metal or cardboard, nail files can carry potentially deadly bacteria, fungus and yeast, says dermatologist Ava Shamban. Sanitize metal or glass files with rubbing alcohol after each use, and replace a cardboard file at least every three months.

The BS tip: Putting on two different SPFs adds up to higher sun protection

If you mix 1 percent and 2 percent milk, you don’t get 3 percent. The same logic applies to sun protection factors (SPFs) — they don’t add up, says dermatologist Dr. Francesca J. Fusco. Choose a sunscreen with a 30 or higher SPF for the best protection.

2. Toothpaste is a safe way to get rid of a pimple: FALSE

While toothpaste is helpful in drying out a zit, the fluoride in it can actually burn your skin, Fusco says. For a much safer homemade paste, try mixing a little cornstarch and water and dabbing it on overnight.

3. Which one do you think is the real beauty tip?

The real beauty tip: Wearing nail polish can turn your nails yellow

The formaldehyde in many nail polishes can react with the keratin protein in your nails and make them brittle and yellow. Wearing a protective base coat can prevent this from happening.*

The BS tip: Curling shampoos really work

Shampoos that claim to have curl enhancers (like a polymer) would provide some styling benefits if they weren‘t rinsed out. But they don’t actually have anything in them to make your hair curly, nor do they do anything to prepare your hair for styling, other than getting it clean.*

4. It’s best to shave in the opposite direction of hair’s growth: TRUE

If you want the closest shave, this is true. However, this can lead to razor burn or ingrown hairs if you’re not careful. Be sure to use a moisturizing shaving cream or gel, hold your skin taut and rinse your razor after each swipe.

5. Which one do you think is the real beauty tip?

The real beauty tip: You can get hooked on lip balm

Applying lip balm creates a barrier that prevents the evaporation of moisture from the inner layers of skin on your lips. Once you stop using lip balm, those layers dry out again and force you to add more lip balm. Your lips begin to rely on lip balm to help protect their moist skin cells, and that’s why you feel addicted to putting it on.*

The BS tip: Blackheads are a buildup of dirt in the pores

Washing your face regularly would prevent blackheads if this were true. Blackheads are actually caused by oil and sloughed-off skin cells getting trapped in the follicle on the way to the skin’s surface, says dermatologist Dr. Kenneth Beer. This combo forms a plug that visibly fills the pore and appears dark in color. If you’re prone to getting blackheads, use a salicylic acid cleanser.

6. Spraying perfume on your hair is safe: TRUE

While some might say that spritzing perfume on your hair is drying because of the concentration of alcohol, think about your hairspray. Hairspray delivers several grams of alcohol to your hair each time you style your hair. Perfume, on the other hand, will deliver less than a gram with a few spritzes. So don’t worry; perfume does not contain enough alcohol to saturate hair fibers and damage them.*

7. Which one do you think is the real beauty tip?

The real beauty tip: Extensions can make your hair fall out

It’s called “traction alopecia.” It’s a type of hair loss that is caused by pulling on hair that comes from the weight of extensions. Over a long period of time, this stress can cause follicles to stop producing hair, and if they are permanently damaged, there’s not much that can be done to get your hair back to normal.*

The BS tip: Deodorant can clog your pores

You’re only applying the deodorant on a small portion of your body’s sweat glands (which are all over your body), so you’re not clogging your pores or interfering with your natural cooling mechanism. Antiperspirants also have mild antibacterial properties, so even if you do sweat through it, not much bacteria will grow or clog your pores.*

8. You can use a body lotion for your face, and a face moisturizer for your body: FALSE

While they may share some of the same basic ingredients, the functions they need to perform are significantly different, since the skin on your hands and face is different. Your face is much more delicate than the skin on your body. Body lotions have a heavier barrier against harsh conditions, while face moisturizers are more lightweight and specifically made for problems like acne or blackheads.*

9. Which one do you think is the real beauty tip?

The real beauty tip: Pore strips really work at removing blackheads

Pore strips work by adhering to your skin, and pulling out the oily gunk in your pores. The proof that it works? Look at your used strip. Just don’t use them too often (no more than three times per week), or you’ll risk damaging your skin.

The BS tip: You can use lipliner as eyeliner, and vice versa

You should never use lipliner on your eyes, because your eyes are super delicate, and there are only a few colorants that are approved for use around the eyes. Also, while some bacteria in your lip gloss won’t kill you, the same bacteria in your eye can cause infection or blindness. On the other hand, lipliners are made with ingredients that are made for incidental ingestion (it’s okay to swallow it in small amounts), but eyeliners are not, so you should not use them on your lips either.*

10. Organic products are better than non-organic products: FALSE

Unlike the food industry, the term “organic” isn’t regulated for cosmetics. So companies can pretty much claim anything is natural or organic. These “organic” products don’t provide any added benefit for consumers, and sometimes you end up with finished products that are functionally inferior to more mainstream products.*

11. Which one do you think is the real beauty tip?

The real beauty tip: Lip plumpers really do work

It’s not just your imagination — the tingly feeling in your lips is them reacting to a menthol-type chemical that most plumpers use to temporarily irritate your lips and cause them to swell. Just look for plumpers with menthoxypropanediol listed as an ingredient.*

The BS tip: Hair dye can give you cancer

Before the early 1970’s, hair dyes contained tons of toxic chemicals that were potential carginogens. Since then, dye manufacturers have removed most of those chemicals. Many researchers have done studies on this topic, and they have found no proven link or increased risk to getting cancer from dyeing your hair.

12. Wrinkle cream helps get rid of wrinkles: FALSE

There is only so much wrinkle cream can do to remove your wrinkles, which is why so many people to turn to surgery or Botox. You can help prevent wrinkles by avoiding sun exposure and using moisturizers with collagen to plump your skin.*

*Tips taken from the book “Can You Get Hooked on Lip Balm?” by the creators of TheBeautyBrains.com