Myths Busted by The Beauty Brains

Remember all those weird beauty questions that pop into your head when you’re reapplying your chapstick for the 100 billionth time today, or when you’re looking at your empty tube of persa gel, the huge zit on your forehead, and wondering what you have laying around the house that might cure that monster?

The May 2011 issue of Allure magazine set out to solve some of these myths along with the folks at the Beauty Brains, and to –FINALLY- set your mind at ease. Hint: Use this post as ammunition in clearing up that long standing debate with the BFF about which is truth and which is urban myth.

Here’s the fact vs. fiction break down:

• Chapstick actually IS addictive: It tricks your body into thinking lips are properly hydrated, which signals to stop new-cell production, leading to dryer lips that make you want to apply more gloss more often. Petroleum and beeswax formulas are the most habit forming, because they’re best at staying on your lips and making them feel faux-moisturized for the longest.
• Human saliva CAN cure zits: Yes, though it is gross, spit contains histatins, little antibacterial proteins, that help clear up the bacterial growth causing your blemish.
• The moon DOES make your hair grow: The changes in melatonin levels that arise with the fluctuations of the light in the night sky can cause flux in hair follicle growth.
• Armpit hair CANNOT grow long enough to braid (unless you have tiny tiny fingers): Hormones in the human body signal to hairs when to stop growing. Most people’s underarm hair reaches a maximum length of 1.5 inches before your body hits the off switch.

Want more? Check out the Beauty Brains’ book Can You Really Get Hooked on Lip Balm? 

 Or, take a look at the blog updated with a new feature about every two days. Bonus: you can ASK THEM QUESTIONS to find out the answer to the myth that’s been naggling at your subconscious for years if you haven’t spotted its answer above. Yesterday’s topic: Does botox turn you into an Emotionless Zombie? Spoiler alert: the answer is YES.