Breaking Beauty Myths: Misconceptions about the Beauty Industry, Products

After realizing that many of my clients and the vast majority of people who buy beauty products are still holding on to the same old myths and misinformation as they did 10 years ago, I thought I would publish the realities and truth of these misconceptions and where they come from. Anyone is free to disagree with me, keeping in mind that I own and operate my own line of professional skin care and cosmetics, and am a licensed Cosmetologist. I have experience in the professional application of skincare, cosmetics, hair care, Onychology (nail study/care) and waxing.

10 most Notorious Myths about hair and hair care.

1. African American's have different hair than other races and therefore should use different products and wash the hair less often, or it will break off.

Truth: All hair is made up of protein,keratin, disulfide and hydrogen bonds. Any person can have thin, or thick hair which relates to the density of or number of hair follicles per square inch of scalp. Any person can have fine, medium, or course hair, relating to the the diameter of the hair follicle itself. Any person can have straight, wavy or curly hair, relating to the shape of the hair shaft as the hair grows from the scalp, this shape determines the shape of the follicle. Any person can have any combination of these features and each person of any race has needs for their type of hair. Breakage is caused by a lack of hydration in the hair, and can be caused by using unprofessional products and from not conditioning on a regular basis (usually every other day). Coarse hair is mistaken often for dry brittle hair. People with thick curly hair who do not shampoo and condition regularly are more susceptible to dry scalp, and dandruff caused by bacterial growth mixed with sebum(oil) and more susceptible to damaged and breakage. This myth is often handed down by family members and by the media which portray products supposedly designed for black or African American hair. These products do not necessarily do anything different or special for the client. Also the use of cheap and bad products with fillers in them lead people to believe their breakage is caused by washing rather than be caused because the products are no good for the hair.

2. Baby shampoos are gentle on the hair.

Truth: Baby shampoos are gentle on the eyes and skin, in most cases they are very appropriate for babies. However babies have hair called Lanugo hair which is not yet become keritinized, and is why it looks and feels softer than keritinized hair. By the age of four the hair should start to keritinize once this happens, the hair needs normal shampoo and conditioner. In fact baby shampoo can destroy keritinized hair. It is very harsh on the hair even though it doesn't sting the eyes. One of the conditions it can cause is extreme matting of the hair, whereas it tangles and attaches to itself and makes it almost impossible to comb. This myth is derived from the fact it is gentle on babies, lanugo hair, and doesn't sting the eyes.

3. Hair gets immune to or used to products.

Truth: Hair is a growing thing, but it isn't alive, and has no memory nor does it mutate and become immune to, or grow defenses against products. This myth is derived from the fact that changes in your hormones, consumption of foods, and medications, changes in water quality and weather can cause products to no longer be capable of caring for your hair as it once did. You may need to change products for the season, and if you have colored, or permed hair it may need special treatment that your product doesn't currently offer. Also if you use a product in summertime to control oil, then in winter it seems to dry out the scalp, switch to something that is more moisturizing. It doesn't mean you are immune to the product.

4. If I pull one grey hair, or if I wax hair, two more will grow in it's place.

Truth: As a general rule there is absolutely no truth to this myth. Your hair is defined by the number of shafts you have on your body. If one grows back it grows back in the same spot it came from. There is one rare exception to this myth and that is twin bulbs. Sometimes some people can have twin bulbs, which usually only appears in vellus hair follicles(body hair) it can occur naturally or after waxing. What happens is that the bulb actually grows two identical hairs from one shaft, and can cause an increase in ingrown hairs, and make hair seem thicker. I have seen this phenomena in a few clients including myself.

5. I have dandruff.

Truth: most people who believe they have dandruff actually have dry scalp. You can tell the difference because dandruff is yellow/orange colored and dry scalp is flaky white colored. The reason for this myth is lack of education on the topic, and because dandruff commercials often show white dry scalp flakes in commercials instead of yellow dandruff flakes. Dandruff is caused by bacteria and oil, dry scalp is not.

6. There is no difference between professional and over the counter shampoos except price.

Truth: This myth is most definitely untrue in almost all cases. Professional shampoos are made with special care for the health of the hair to the best technology available at the time of design. Some professional shampoos which are based on older outdated formulas are kept in salons as a courtesy to the people who have been using them for years and still want them. Some over the counter products such as Aussie which are made in Europe or based on European formulas, are better products simply because in Europe they have stricter guidelines than in America for beauty products. Over the counter products too often than not have fillers added to them that make them either less effective, or cause damage and buildup. These fillers are added to make the products cheaper and easier to mass produce. These fillers including water, wax, and alcohol, cheat the client and usually leave hair dry brittle, or tangly and sticky. It also takes much more of these products to be half as effective, which makes them expensive over time. Professional products are concentrated and allow you to use small amounts at a time, therefore not needing to purchase as often.

7. My colorist turned my highlights orange.

Truth: Hair has an underlying pigment of color which changes as it is highlighted. Think of it like fire, it starts at black hair which has an undertone of blue, brown hair which has an undertone or red and orange, and blonde hair which has an undertone of gold and yellow. If you have artificial color on your hair too, it can magnify the amount of orange tones brought out in the hair when the colonist lightens it with highlighting solution. Highlights are always touch and go and each person will lift differently. The stylist didn't turn your hair orange your hair just refused to turn from it's orange state. The best way to solve this issue is for the colonist to use a toner designed to neutralize or reduce the gold tones. This myth is because of a lack of education to the client by the colonist and due to colorists who fail to tone brassy highlights or warn the client it may not be possible to achieve platinum.

8. Hair is alive.

Truth: No it's not it's made up of dead skin cells that keratinize.

9. Split ends can be healed.

Truth: No they can't, they will travel up the entire hair follicle over time if they are not trimmed properly. This myth may come from the fact that hair strands have 7-12 layers of cuticle which are scale like, and can be open or closed. Products can seal or close down these cuticles which can cause the hair to look dry and lifeless.

10: Men don't need conditioner.

Truth: Men and people with short hair do need conditioner, the reason is that if you are using shampoo you are drying out the hair and scalp. The cuticle on your short hair will be opened and left opened by the shampoo. Conditioner not only moisturizes the scalp and hair but it closes the cuticle, and brings back the color and life to your hair. I can always tell if a man is not using conditioner, because when I spray his hair with water during a cut I have to spray it over and over and over because the hair can't hold moisture, because the cuticle is sitting open.

Other beauty and products myths.

1. I have oily skin so I can't use moisturizer.

Truth: Skin needs moisture, oily skin is caused by an overactive sebum gland(oil) sebum is not moisture. Skin does not produce moisture on it's own it either gets it externally from lotions and moisturizers, or from the inside via drinking water. Sometimes people's skin will overproduce oil when moisture is not available, so it is important to get enough water, and to use an oil free moisturizer on the face each day. This myth is probably derived from misunderstandings of the derma system and the difference between oil and moisture.

2. Unscented means fragrance free.

Truth: Unscented products are not products without fragrances in them, in fact they usually use artificial fragrances to mask the natural oder of the product. It may not have a smell, but it still has fragrance. Alternately fragrance free products are better for you because they contain no added or artificial fragrances, but will probably have a smell, the natural smell of the products. These natural smells are usually a little unpleasant but ultimately are better for you because artificial fragrances are one of the leading causes of allergic reactions, and dryness associated with beauty products. Bad advertising is responsible for this myth.

3. I have an oil-free liquid foundation.

Truth: No one has an oil free liquid foundation to my knowledge, regardless of their advertising. The foundation liquid foundation must be a suspension in order to spread across the face and not dry out, oil is a part of a suspension, and is also why the products needs to be shaken first. If you want oil free select a mineral or powder foundation instead. False advertising is responsible for this myth.

This concludes my first bust on beauty myths. If anyone has any others they want to challenge me with I might make a second myth bust.