Topic —  Health

Beauty Truths and Myths

March 15, 2010
Linda Stephenson

Pocket

Since the time of Cleopatra, women have been trying to unlock the secrets to beauty. Here are a few questions that I get asked a lot, with answers that may surprise you.

Q: Does drinking eight glasses of water improve your skin?
A: No it does not. Although drinking eight glasses of water is definitely good for your digestion/elimination, it does nothing to hydrate your skin directly.

Q: Is eating chocolate bad for your skin?
A: Hallelujah no. In fact, having a piece of dark chocolate every day is actually good for you—as the cocoa contains high amounts of antioxidants. But remember, the more refined sugar you have in your diet in general, the more it can affect your hormones, which could cause breakouts.

Q: Do models really use hemorrhoid creams under their eyes to reduce puffiness? 
A: That is, thankfully, an urban myth. Interestingly enough, those creams do often contain yeast extract which is a good source of Betaglucan, a very good antioxidant that also helps improve skin tone and texture, and is often found in high-end eye creams for that reason. That said, I would stick to the eye creams.

Q: I have a pimple, should I put toothpaste on it to get rid of it?
A: No, please don’t. Toothpaste will dry out the skin and cause irritation around that pimple, which leaves you with two problems instead of one. Acne preparations that have a low pH are good, but for a simple ‘take the redness down trick’, put some Visine/Clear Eyes on a Q-Tip and dab it on the area. The puffiness and redness will go right down and you can easily re-apply during the day. It’s great for sensitive skin, as these products have been tested and approved for use in the eye.