Home beauty techniques sound like good alternatives to bank-busting spa treatments. But will they really work? Test your knowledge by taking Women's Health magazine's True or False quiz.
Pour vinegar on a sunburn to soothe your skin and remove redness?
True. Thanks to its acetic acid, the stuff you mix with oil to make dressing also reduces inflammation, pain, and redness in sunburns. To get the most out of your bottle, WH advisor Francesca Fusco, M.D., recommends cooling the vinegar and then diluting it with equal parts water. You may smell like a salad, but at least you won’t look like a tomato.
Increase the cleansing power of your shampoo with a splash of vodka.
True. Vodka is good for more than making cosmopolitans. The clear alcohol has an acidic pH that helps cleanse hair of the buildup brought on by coloring, chlorine, and other products, says Eva Scrivo, owner of Eva Scrivo Salon in New York. Getting rid of the buildup reveals the healthy hair beneath.
How to use: Buy an extra bottle of your favorite shampoo and add a splash of vodka to it. Use the spiked shampoo only once a week so the alcohol won’t overdry your hair. Stick to the regular formula for daily use.
Perk up the twins with a dab of menthol lip balm.
False. When we heard that female celebs apply menthol lip balm to their nips to ensure a perky chest while rocking the red carpet, we were intrigued. But neither WH advisor Fusco nor her breast-doctor pals could find a reason why this would work. In vain hope, we tried it ourselves. But, alas, it left us wanting.
A swipe of a pencil eraser cleans up mascara mistakes.
False. We’ve all made mascary mistakes. (Admit it, drivers: You’ve tried to do your lashes while at a stoplight.) For those times when you do accidentally crash your mascara wand into your skin, don’t grab a Pink Pearl from your desk drawer. You’ll only end up red and splotchy. Rubbing the smear with your fingers isn’t much more effective.
Grated potatoes can lighten under-eye circles.
True. Potatoes contain an enzyme called catecholase, which is used in cosmetics as a skin lightener, so potatoes can lighten dark under-eye circles. But to get the same effect as an over-the-counter product, you’d need to put in major effort. “You’d have to grate a lot of potatoes and then extract the chemical, sterilize it, and concentrate it,” Fusco says.
If you have more time than money, go ahead and run a spud through your food processor, then stuff it into a piece of cheesecloth. Dab the raw potatoes under your eyes and let their liquid sit on your skin for 20 minutes. It won’t be as effective as an over-the-counter treatment, but it will help.
Squeeze lemon juice onto your hair and sit in the sun to lighten your locks.
True. The acid in lemons is a great natural clarifier when combined with the sun’s UV rays. “If you were born a blonde, lemon juice will help bring out natural highlights,” Scrivo says.
What if you were born a brunette? Don’t squeeze juice on your tresses unless you want them to turn a funky orange or brassy color.
Trim the ends of your eyelashes so they’ll grow longer than their normal length.
False. Step away from the scissors! Trimming your eyelashes will only make them that much shorter. And didn’t your mother warn you not to do things that could poke an eye out?
Spritz beer on your hair to give it better hold.
False. While the alcohol in beer can remove product buildup, it won’t do anything for the hold of your ’do, Scrivo says. Just go with the standard classic — hairspray — and save the beer for drinking.
A whitening toothpaste can lighten up your nails too.
True. Can’t remember the last time your bare nails saw the light of day? Chances are they are yellowed or spotted underneath that perpetual polish. To get them back to their natural whiteness, scrub them with a baking soda whitening toothpaste, Fusco says. The combination of the gritty paste and lightening agent will liven up your nails. Even if you apply more polish afterward, those light, summery shades will look best on stain-free nails.
Condition your hair by coating it with mayonnaise.
True. When it comes to conditioning your hair, it’s all about the fat—in fact, the fatter, the better. Foods that are naturally high in fat—e.g., mayo, avocado, egg yolks, and even sour cream—work great as hair conditioners, Scrivo says. But who wants a head full of sandwich spread? Not very appealing. She recommends brushing avocado oil into your hair with a boar-bristle brush at bedtime and washing it out in the morning. No muss, no fuss, no guacamole head.
A dab of toothpaste can erase a zit overnight.
False. Don’t do it. Toothpaste is slightly alkaline (in other words, way too abrasive for use on skin). While toothpaste will probably dry out your zit, it’s equally likely to leave an even more unsightly scab in its place.