What’s great about the internet is also what’s not so great about the internet. Anyone anywhere can share and have access to ideas from all over the world. While there’s lots of genuine (and professional) advice going around social media on everything from money management to pet care, there are even more tips, tricks and hacks; advice coming from people who have found something to be useful, usually by accident. The problem with the latter is that there’s no regulation to this kind of advice, and quite often their information is unreliable, unproven and just plain wrong; especially when it comes to beauty hacks. So how do you know which trends are worth a shot and which to steer clear of? We’ve done the leg work for you with these 3 current beauty trends.

Frozen cucumber

 

The story behind this one is that the coolness of the frozen cucumber paired with the high nutrient content of the cucumber itself is supposed to be a fantastic tool for reducing inflammation and even clearing up skin problems like redness, irritation and acne. The cucumber is kept in the freezer, then taken out once a day to be run over the face; kind of like a lip balm for your whole face. But does it work? Surprisingly, yes! Packed with a heap of vitamins and anti-inflammatory properties, dermatologists have confirmed this hack works to help lymph drainage and reduce puffiness as well. There are some caveats, however. It’s not recommended to do it while the cucumber is too frozen, as it can be painful that way. A refrigerated cucumber will do just as well. You should also ensure that you are discarding the part of the cucumber that comes into contact with your skin, and washing your face immediately afterwards to avoid the spread of bacteria.

Forehead taping

 

Another beauty rumour circling these days is the benefits of taping your forehead overnight to reduce the appearance of wrinkles. Some users swear by it, reporting that their forehead lines reduced significantly in as little as a week. Sounds amazing right? Like, maybe a little too good to be true? Unfortunately, it is. While both dermatologists and plastic surgeons admit that wearing tape anywhere on your face will reduce the appearance of lines, this effect is only temporary and has no long-term benefits. Basically, the moment you take the tape off; things go back to where they normally go.

 

Dandruff shampoo for acne

 

Yeah, you read that right, people are rubbing shampoo on their faces… on purpose. Namely, Head and Shoulders Dandruff Shampoo. But why? The theory is that the anti-fungal properties found in the shampoo work just as well on acne as on dandruff. Sounds good in theory, but does it actually work? Yes and no. The active ingredients in dandruff shampoo -  pyrithione zinc and selenium sulfide - do in fact have anti-fungal properties, and for that reason alone will work on fungal acne (but not on bacterial acne). Furthermore, while it may clear up your skin; the harshness of the product may lead to other problems like skin irritation and dryness. If you do want to give this one a whirl, make sure to only use it 2 to 3 times a week, using a small amount on your skin for about 30 seconds before thoroughly rinsing and moisturising.