Beauty myths and their exposure

2024 Author: James Gerald | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 14:00

Every generation of women lives in a world of their own illusions, blindly believing in their own legends"

Why are women so gullible and believe that following these rules will make us look our best? Why do we buy into the same myths? Because of beautiful and intrusive ads? Or maybe we women really love fairy tales, where the prince will definitely find the workaholic Cinderella. That is, if you follow the recommendations, then healthy skin (luxurious hair, gorgeous nails) is provided for an obedient girl. Meanwhile, a horde of advertising geniuses and PR sharks are wreaking havoc in the minds of hardworking perfectionists, spreading myths like:

- "to prolong the youthfulness of the skin, you should drink at least a liter of water a day." A very common myth supported by most famous fashion models. "I drink at least 5 glasses of water a day," Cindy Crawford says with a smile. And millions of women are beginning to count the amount of water they drink. But if you think that it will really improve the complexion, then you are wrong. Water helps unclog the kidneys and acts as an appetite suppressant. If you drink a lot of water at night, your face will be slightly swollen in the morning, and fine wrinkles will be smoothed out accordingly. Perhaps this rejuvenating effect is implied by podium professionals?

- "dry skin is prone to the early appearance of wrinkles." The sun is to blame for the appearance of 80% of the wrinkles that you once see in the mirror. And only 20% are the so-called mimic wrinkles. In smokers, the process of wrinkle formation is accelerated by five to six years. However, dehydrated skin can appear flabby and wrinkled, and a moisturizer will help to combat this.

- "It's too late for me to use sunscreen." It's never too late to start this highly rewarding process. In general, the sun's rays are damaging to the skin. And you are able to partially protect yourself. Moreover, as a result of clinical studies, it was revealed that protected skin has the ability to regenerate. Recovery will not happen on its own; this gradual process will take at least a couple of years. By the way, 80% of harmful light radiation passes even through thick clouds.

And yet, adherents of cream powder are lucky - most of the foundations contain SPF.

- "cut hair ends can be restored." The harsh truth is that the only cardinal solution is a haircut. Some balms and conditioners may temporarily "glue" the ends together until the next wash. By the way, the ends of the hair split as a result of frequent shampooing, perms and, oddly enough, frequent brushing.

- "head massage can prevent baldness." From a scientific point of view, this statement has not yet been proven by anyone. Massage proponents assure that in this way more nutrients are supplied to the hair follicles. So what? Experts believe that head massage has more anti-stress and placebo effects, which leads to positive results for some (but not all) of its fans.

- "to narrow the enlarged pores? Easily!" Actually, the size of the pores of the skin is determined by heredity. Cosmetic companies are making hundreds of millions claiming that enlarged pores can be shrunk. Theoretically, it is possible, but the fact is that they can seem enlarged if clogged with keratin, sebum and bacteria. Anti-aging products with Retin-A can help shed excess and restore pore size to normal.

- "Every girl needs a moisturizer." But how! After all, a good moisturizer replenishes the water loss of the skin, prevents aging, etc. Another myth worth millions of dollars that cosmetic companies are introducing into the gullible female mind. In reality, a moisturizer is necessary if you have any of the following painful symptoms: skin redness, roughness or itching. We encounter such phenomena in the cold season. In such cases, it is best to use a moisturizer with nutritional supplements.

- "having done a facelift operation (lifting) once, you will have to resort to the services of plastic surgeons on a regular basis." Cher claims to have spent the equivalent of a couple of mansions on her makeup. Critics with a grin asked: what does she mean? Your numerous plastic surgeries? This is how legends are born. After the lift surgery, the patient, of course, looks younger than his peers. But lifting will not stop time and the aging process. Medicine has not yet invented a cardinal remedy for old age. At least for now. Therefore, regular access to the services of plastic surgeons depends on the desire to look young as long as possible, and not on the negative effects of the operation.

- "soap dries the skin." Recently I found such an example proving "soapy harm": "wash one hand with soap, the other with shower gel. And how? Did you feel the difference?" Indeed, traditional soaps are a mix of animal and vegetable fats, contain a high pH and actually dry out the skin, especially in adulthood. But today, the soap formula is composed of synthetic surfactants that cleanse the skin much more gently. Moisturizers are added to the soap, but is this bad for the skin? If you prefer to wash "before squeak", then it is better to use soap. There is nothing harmful in it.

Finally, completely absurd theories that deserve stars in some alley of shame:

- "the use of antiperspirants leads to the development of a malignant tumor." This theory is actively promoted in the global network, maybe you even received such spam. However, no clear link has been found between antiperspirant use and breast cancer.

- "if you shave your legs, then the hair on them will grow thicker." You have as much hair as is in your DNA, and shaving has practically no effect on it.

- "natural cosmetics do not cause allergies." If you are prone to allergies, then when using any cosmetics (whether with natural or chemical ingredients), be sure to do a test and monitor the reaction!

- "it is best to use cosmetics of the same line." Have the cosmetics companies tried again, instilling so-called brand loyalty in consumers?

All these beautiful myths are nothing more than delusions in which many continue to believe in spite of logic and common sense. But why? The sociologist N. Wolfe has an interesting theory on this score: the myth of beauty is to blame for everything.

"The myth of beauty prevails over a woman, because to be successful means to follow this myth, to inscribe oneself in the standard of beauty, and the myth of beauty in one's own life. The myth of beauty poisons freedom, it is a source of self-hatred, a mechanism of the tyranny of harmony, the fight against aging, obsessive thoughts about appearance."

"To get rid of the myth means to become free," the scientist believes. Sociology has kindly given us all the authority to decide how to free ourselves from the idee fixe directly to us women. Well, we are glad to try.