12 beauty myths busted

OILY-skinned types should definitely steer clear of oil-based moisturisers, right? And keep guzzling delicious fruity juices to clear your complexion?

Nope, wrong on both counts, it turns out.

These are the kinds of beauty beliefs that go unchecked for years, spread by word of mouth and that notorious perpetuator of erroneous information, the internet.

Well, no longer. Behold, a dozen beauty myths — busted.

1. Nails need to 'breathe' in order to grow

"Nail polish can actually help protect the nail from everyday damaging elements, such as drying soaps and general breakage. Ensuring you are hydrated from the inside, by drinking lots of water and using a quality cuticle oil, will help nourish nails and encourage healthy growth," says Charlotte Knight, creative director and founder, Ciate London.

:: Ciate Beautiful Cuticles, £12 (ciatelondon.com)

2. A tan is healthy

"A tan is a visible indication of sun damage, therefore there is no such thing as a healthy tan. Healthy sun exposure should be limited to less than the time it takes to tan or burn. Burning even just once accelerates the risk of developing skin cancers, and can also accelerate the ageing process," says Nature's Best nutritionist Keri Filtness.

3. Always apply a moisturiser before your self-tan

"Applying a moisturiser immediately before you apply your self-tanning lotion will create a barrier between your skin and the self-tan, resulting in streaky, uneven tan. Instead, try applying a moisturiser immediately after washing your tan formula off, to hydrate the skin and prolong the life of your tan," say Bondi Sands founders, Shaun Wilson and Blair James.

:: Bondi Sands Gradual Tanning Milk SPF 15, £10.99 (available late Feb; superdrug.com)

4. You only need to wear SPF in the summer

"Even winter sun can damage skin, so don't forget to protect. It is important to wear a cream containing SPF all year round," says dermatologist Dr Justine Hextall.

:: Witch Mattifying Moisturiser SPF 15, £4.99 (boots.com)

5. Rinsing your hair with cold water will close the cuticles

"Hair is not a living cell, and so it doesn't react to cold water any differently to hot. The best thing for glossy soft and shiny hair is a blow-dry oil, to create a gorgeous shine and speed up drying time, to help against over-drying," says Rosie Binns, stylist at Ethos Hairdressing.

:: Oil Wonders Flash Blow Dry Oil, £12.95 (available in in salons or oilwonders.matrix.com)

6. The more you brush your hair, the healthier it will be

"Wrong! Brushing the hair too regularly can encourage breakage on fine or brittle hair, and can further cause damage to the hair's cuticle. Brushing too regularly can also encourage oil production from the scalp, causing your hair condition to become unbalanced," says Jean Welsh, director stylist, Dickson Reid Salon.

7. Oils are not suitable for oily skin

"Oils actually work in harmony with your skin, as they mimic the skin's natural process of oil production and help to balance the skin. If the skin feels greasy after using an oil, it's usually that too much has been applied. One drop of oil goes a long way," says Kirsty Mawhinney, skincare expert at Bio-Oil.

:: Bio-Oil, £8.99 (www.boots.com)

8. Post-facial breakouts are just toxins coming out of pores

"There's no scientific reasoning to support this. If you suffer from breakouts post-facial, it is more likely to be an inflammation as a result of extractions, or due to pores getting clogged from products that are too thick for your skin type," says Liz Warom, founder, Temple Spa.

9. Juices are great for your skin

"Some juices — with lots of sweet fruits or those with added sugar — are actually bad for your skin. Sugary juices can cause 'glycation', which damages skin cells and accelerates skin ageing. If you're looking to improve your skin health, try swapping sugary fruits in your smoothie for vegetables, such as cucumber, carrots or spinach, and favour fruit such as bananas, grapes and pears. These are high in fibre, antioxidants and vitamin C," says Liz Warom, founder, Temple Spa.

10. Pumping your mascara will get rid of clumps

"Pumping your mascara will trap air into the tube, which can force in bacteria and cause the mascara to dry out. Instead, try twisting it out of the tube, which helps keep the formula air-tight and avoids clumping," says Francesca Neill, Collection make-up artist.

11. You need to have big eyes to pull off liquid liner

"This isn't true, people with all different eye shapes can wear liquid eyeliner. I regular apply a black liquid liner, such as the Collection Fast Stroke Liner, to clients with smaller eyes, to make them look larger," says Francesca Neill, Collection make-up artist.

:: Collection Fast Stroke Eye Liner, £2.99 (www.superdrug.com)

12. Concealer should be lighter than your foundation

"Unless you are using a concealer to highlight or contour, your concealer shade should match your foundation. If you're using a lighter concealer to cover spots, this will just draw attention to them. Try to match both your foundation and concealer to your natural skin tone as much as possible," says Francesca Neill, Collection make-up artist.

:: Collection Lasting Perfection Concealer in 3 Warm Medium, £4.19 (www.superdrug.com)