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“Most Blondes Aren’t Real Blondes”: 55 Myths Women Believed Until They Grew Up
The global beauty and personal care industry is estimated to be worth around $700 billion. But is every product and service really a “must-have?” Not according to one Reddit thread.
People on the platform began sharing the “facts” about their bodies and appearance that they eventually realized were more marketing gimmicks than reality.
And with the cost of living continuing to rise, many admitted they’ve been happy to overcome the insecurities they spent money on for years. Confidence, first and foremost, comes from within!
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
The biggest beauty lie is that we have to try and be beautiful, especially for others. My husband says he prefers me without make-up, thinks my graying hair is fine, and encourages me to just be my natural self. Of course once in a while to get dressed up and put on some make-up can be fun and I’m sure it changes my appearance in a pleasant way, but this obsession with being beautiful every single day and having to do all these things to work hard at it is damaging to people in my opinion. The idea that you need products and to put a ton of time into to be beautiful is the lie.
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#2
Getting Botox doesn’t make you look younger. It makes you look like someone your age with Botox.
Ai 1 day ago
Also, it not only makes people not show emotions, but (not a well-known fact, but proven with research without a doubt!) impairs the ability to feel emotions. So it just creates smooth-faced women made to look, not to think or feel. (botox is amazing as a medicine for some health issues, so it's of course not black and white)
#3
You can be beautiful and still never take a good picture.
Conversely, some people look amazing in photographs/on video and very odd in person.
#4
I used to think I was the only woman with facial hair. My whole face is covered in peach fuzz. Now that beauty influencers talk about shaving their faces, I realize all women have facial hair to some extent. Also, shaving won’t make hair grow back thicker.
Important_Part_3455:
A couple of years ago I had a long stay in a psychiatric hospital to help me get stabilized and properly medicated. We weren't allowed to have much as far as "beauty" products due to the fact that some of them can be used for self harm or to harm another. So many of the women who had been there longer than I had had so much facial hair! Some even full beards and mustaches of dark hair. It was so nice to see, honestly.
I was amazed and spent not one second worrying about my lack of razors and tweezers etc. It was comforting. I later found out that " well behaved" patients could notify a nurse that they needed to shave and they would allow it under the utmost care and supervision but we were watched and security officers were always available to come if needed. I never bothered and it was nice to not focus on my appearance at all other than basic hygiene.
Ronja Oksanen 1 day ago
If I don't pluck my mustache/beard every week I would have dark and thick hair in my face, and I have very blonde and fine Scandinavian hair everywhere else 😪😐 So much hassle 😤
#5
That many, many people wear hair extensions/clip ins/tracks. I used to think that every celebrity and other women just have naturally extremely voluminous and very long hair. Which of course some do but not to the extent shown online.
anonymous:
I have tons of hair naturally and I used to wonder how the hell I didn’t have enough hair for some styles I saw on celebrities. Turns out because their hair isn’t real!
Woof Yo 1 day ago
My hair started falling out in 2020. I'm perimenopausal and it was a natural thing to start happening (I guess). I started taking extra ($$) vitamins and using hair serum - but nothing helped. My sister had hair extension so I gave them a whirl. I have found that, though they ridiculously expensive, they have improved my mood greatly - I am happier to have them, even when they itch.
#6
That Bridget Jones in both movies was not fat.
capricornonthecobb:
A lot of those movies back then would poke fun of the "fat" girl who wasn't fat at all. Not that you should ever make fun of someone but those movies were wild to portray someone who wasn't a twig was deemed fat
DeviousOtter 1 day ago
Yes!! She was also single at 30 and lived alone in central London (very very expensive) - quite the win I say!
#7
Omg! Thank you for this question!
For me it was that you have to be skinny to dress well and wear beautiful outfits.
Growing up in the early 2000s, all the stylish girls I saw in the media were super thin. I wasted waay too much of my early teen years dressing in loose t-shirts because I felt that I wasn't thin enough to dress well.
Finding a style that suited my body and genuinely looked good on me was such a game changer.
sturmwesen 1 day ago
what s***s is, if you found your style and then your body decides to change, so now you have to figure it out AGAIN
#8
That you can work against genetics lol. No matter how many miracle products you buy you're not gonna get thick hair if you have thin hair, you're not gonna have invisible pores if you naturally have large craters, you're not gonna have smooth skin if you're naturally very textured and acne prone, you can't change your hairline shape, etc. Some people just have better genetics looks wise, I learned to accept that lol.
#9
To achieve no makeup-makeup, you have to wear A lot of makeup 😭😭😭 and most of not all beauty brands, influencers, content creators edit their pictures but claim the “miracle” product they are selling is responsible.
False-Street7628:
Yes !! More people need to realise this ! Influencers, brands etc. are ususally just lying and we don't need 39834 skin care/make up products at home 😂.
And pills for beautiful hair/skin also don't work and it's a lie 😃. Please save your money
PrettyJoyBird 1 day ago
I rmbr as a young lady figuring out all the mascarra ads in magazines and on commercials were false eyelashes. Was shocked.
#10
Aging isn’t just something that happens to other people.
Senjo Krane 1 day ago
lol, true! I am constantly in a low level state of shock at how I've become one of those old people.
#11
I didn’t think women started getting gray hairs until at least their 40s or 50s. But now that I’m in my 30s, I’m noticing a few coming in here and there, and my friends are saying the same thing. But since most women color their hair to cover grays, I really didn’t know it’s normal for it to happen this early!
Edit: to be fair, I’ve been highlighting my hair since I was 14. Only when I went closer to my natural color did I start to notice the grays popping in, so I’m guessing it actually started happening earlier and I didn’t notice!
Empty_Till:
I started finding gray hair when I was 23 😂 I told my mom and she said “yup that’s about when I started getting them”
uselessfarm:
My sister started to get gray hairs when she was like 17. She’s been coloring them since high school. I’m 34 and started to get gray hairs around 30, now I have a few very noticeable streaks of gray. I have very dark hair and have decided not to color them, if I start I’ll have to be covering my roots every 4 weeks forever. I’m old enough that I’m fine with it, though, I’m sure I’d color them if I started getting them in my teens or early 20s.
StrangeOne 1 day ago
I started seeing them in my 20s. Its not really a big deal. I got a Rogue effect going naturally.
#12
Veneers. Now it’s gotten to the point where they’re so big and white they look like Ross from that Friends episode.
#13
All these white girls are not beautifully naturally bronzed! I thought there was something wrong with my pasty tush until I discovered all of them are just self tanning! Constantly! Even their faces!!! In WINTER!!!
I tried it once, for like a month (at home with lotion do not fret ya girl would never do a tanning bed) and literally you guys this is so much work omg how do y'all do this year round for literally years?!?
#14
Lifting weights as a woman makes you “bulky.” I’ve been strength training for 7-8 years now (I’m 35) and I don’t even know how to bulk up if I wanted to. Most women will not be able to and if you see someone who looks bulky, they’re either on steroids or something or an insane diet and weight lifting regimen that you will never accidentally stumble upon.
All that lifting weight does is “tone” you, which is what most of us are trying to accomplish (and which can’t be done via cardio).
Also, you can’t spot-reduce fat. Both of these changed my approach to exercise + my body forever in the best way.
Woof Yo 1 day ago
I started resistance work outs about 6 years ago. I'm 51 now and I wish I had started resistance in my 20s! Building muscles helps protect your back and your joints. It helps keep your bones strong and can reduce your risk for injury (which is harder to recover from, the older you get!). Lift weights y'all - regardless of your gender! Take care of your bones, you'll be glad for it.
#15
That beauty and being attractive aren’t a yes or no question. It’s more like you find the right match for you.
#16
The beauty market is out there to make you insecure in your skin that’s why it’s so big.
Partypants 1 day ago
For me it started with magazines like Seventeen and cosmo. Yes, I'm old..I wondered why I didn't look like them. Like there was something wrong with me because I have..pores! I can't imagine being younger now with social media I think its a million times worse.
#17
That I would go downhill when I turned 30. I am sooo much better looking in every way and I feel amazing too.
brokenstrings8:
Right?! 30 is where I found the freedom to discover myself and express myself. I’m eating mindfully, my job is wonderful and I worked hard to be where I am and find something that I would enjoy going to everyday. I got to raise a puppy and have a serious relationship!
Also, finding out the difference between young love and real love. It’s steady and it’s hard work but so rewarding to have that togetherness.
I’m not scared to say what I truly feel, I can stand up for myself without fear. I won’t be walked on or a people pleaser but can also say no in a respectful way. 30 really is going so much better than I thought!
#18
Acne is not just for teenagers….
not-cilantro:
Tell that to the insurance companies
When I was 25 my insurance refused to cover my acne medication because I aged out
#19
I always thought I was bad at doing my hair because it would never stay in any style and looked stupidly sparse in braids. I'd see other girls with thick, beautiful braids and curls and wonder what I was doing wrong. Turns out, it's just my hair texture. I have *very* fine and straight hair that just simply won't do anything other than hang there.
#20
The amount of foundation some women wear to look fabulous in photos does not reflect the same in real life.
#21
People aren’t ugly. They’re just poor.
#22
The amount of people doing Botox/fillers/ any cosmetic surgery is crazy.
1curiouswanderer:
I was shocked when I learned how many people on my floor at work in a boring corporate job in the middle of the US get filler and Botox on a frequent basis. To each their own!
PopularExercise3:
Yes I’ve found out I’m one of the few that doesn’t get injectables. I’m shocked
#23
How basically every single female celebrity has had a nose job. I’ve always had a bigger than average nose. I have big lips and my nose suits my features, but I’ve always thought my nose was enormous. Until I started seeing before and after pictures of every celebrity nose job. Now I realize my nose is fine, we just have super unrealistic nose standards.
frenchsilkywilky:
Same with blepharoplasty (the eye crease one). I was screaming and crying my entire middle and high school career trying to figure out why my liner never worked, just to find out everyone else surgically removes their hooded creases. And yet, they’ll still make a tutorial and say “I don’t have hooded eyes but this will work for them!” L I A R S.
#24
That it was unavoidable to start sprouting thick dark hairs on my lip and chin in my 30s and have to attempt various methods of removal (regularly). seriously how do they grow 2 inches overnight 😩.
Optimal-Persimmon255:
Omg having a random chin hair was traumatizing
#25
I have thick but poofy and wavy hair and used to be jealous of ppl online with both thick and straight/smooth hair until i realized most of them do have curly hair and never show it on camera.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
My hair is thick, curly, and frizzy. When I was a kid, the other kids at school would tease me and call me "Chia Pet" and chant the Chia Pet jingle ("Ch-ch-ch-Chia!") My sister has straight hair and she used to curl/perm her hair to try to get it curly like mine, while I was over here wishing I had straight hair XD I love my hair now, but it's impossible to really "style" and manipulate it in the way that people can with straight hair - it's unruly and won't follow directions (so to speak!) I also have to comb out tangles ONLY when it's wet - never dry - and use a toothed comb and never a brush. I'll attach a photo of what happens to my hair if I try to comb/brush it out when it's dry XD
#26
Most celebrities and models don’t actually look like that. These people are trained to pose and all of the photos they post online are airbrushed if not completely photoshopped. There are plenty of pictures of REAL candids of celebrities, and they look just like me on a bad day too.
#27
That Spanx/shapewear are unbelievably uncomfortable. The shop assistant was unsurprised when I exclaimed and she said mine is a common response. I am not willing to go through that just to look better.
Moon Puppy 1 day ago
I don't care what fancy new "catchphrase" or name they call it, they're still GIRDLES people!
#28
Just thought of another one! Makeup will not get rid of any texture on the skin. That person is just using a beauty filter 😭 as a former Sephora employee I’ve had to do alot of convincing on this one.
#29
The burn doesn’t mean it’s working.
Traditional_Ad_1547:
Seriously, it brainwashed a generation. Not to mention Acne =dirty.
StrangeOne 1 day ago
The Oxy burn was burned into our minds as being a normal reaction to clearing our skin.
#30
How many celebrities have had plastic surgery (thank you Lorry Hill!). Like many people I used to think it was just the ones that had the obvious nose jobs or looked somewhat "done" I didn't realize many of them just have excellent surgeons and only *look* totally natural i.e. Scarlett Johansson, Angelina Jolie. Though they're naturally very beautiful, even celebrities don't look like celebrities!
It's helped me a lot with accepting my own features and seeing through the beauty standard.
#31
That most blondes aren’t real blondes. Sandy/dirty blonde at best and they dye it lighter.
grilldchzntomatosoup:
Same with red hair. Ginger is a spectrum. I have a true ginger type of hair color, as in the actual color of a ginger root. It's kind of golden blonde with red undertones. But half the people I met say it's red, and the others argue it's not because I'm not Weasley or prince Harry orange red.
Ravioli_meatball19:
I actually recently found out from a hairstylist that if you're doing dye or highlights, they can tell who used to be blonde (but hair is darker now) and who a "true" brunette is and use different colors/types of dye accordingly.
#32
That you can train oily hair to become less oily...
StructureSudden8217:
Another beauty lie I learned after making friends from Japan, it wasn’t actually bad to wash your hair everyday (if it’s straight, probably not applicable to curly cuties). You just need to use good products. Most Japanese people wash their hair at least once daily, and a lot of people there have absolutely luscious hair because of the quality of the products.
I’ve been washing my hair daily for 4 years now, and I have yet to regret this choice. My hair looks way better now that the roots aren’t constantly greasy and it’s also more voluminous. And the daily scalp stimulation has made my hair longer. Daily conditioning was also a huge game changer for my split ends and knotty, frizzy hair.
#33
I agree with lots already posted. But another that stands out to me is that you can, in fact, wear mixed metals. I have a gold necklace I wear all the time, but I will wear silver earrings most of the time. I don't wear rings anymore, but when I did would absolutely wear both at the same time.
#34
Most women care, like REALLY CARE, about how they appear to others and what others think of them. No matter how much they say « oh whatever I don’t care ».
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
I must be a freak of nature - I actually, genuinely do not care what other people, even other women, think of me XD I did for a bit when I was in my early 20s, but hol-eeee cripes, the amount of energy and effort it took to care, and the stress it caused - no thanks!
#35
The cheap shampoo and conditioner (looking at you, Pantene) work way way better. I've dropped thousands on the salon recommended ones, and they all suck, sorry.
#36
That I was a ‘naturally’ skinny person/must have a fast metabolism. No no no, nononononono. Age certainly fixed that. I’ve never eaten more mindfully and healthily, and I am certainly no longer what anyone would consider ‘skinny’.
#37
This is more of a body/fitness thing that shocked me, but since body image is so tied to beauty I suppose it counts. CW for probably a disordered perspective of bodies.
I was raised to believe most thin people were naturally thin. I assumed there was a small minority of people who were very active and athletic, but that was their hobby, like the really passionate marathon runners and gym rats who posted mirror selfies after every workout. My mom always made a point to tell me I didn't have to be a "jock" if I didn't want to while I was growing up. I only recently discovered within the last five years (and I'm 33!) that a LOT more people than I previously thought regularly go to the gym to keep themselves at a certain size and level of strength/flexibility. They just don't talk about it. It's part of their routine, like brushing their teeth or taking a shower.
Y'all... please teach your children to stay active. Omg. I wish I had started a gym routine 15 years ago.
Ace 1 day ago
For the most part skinny people are skinnier because they eat less. Yes, there may be genetic markers for it (my 4 siblings, and most of their children, are all on the skinny side) but it's mostly about appetite. I've noticed over the years that my satiation level is often lower than people I'm eating with, i.e. I start to feel full, like I've now had enough to eat, much sooner. Once you reach that point it's difficult to go on eating, but there was a time when I would try, due to social pressures ("eat up, there's starving kids in Africa").
#38
That issues like thinning hair don’t just happen to “middle age” women because of hormones. Mine started at 26.
#39
I work at a high end beauty retailer in the US. So many skincare serums and creams advertise that they have collagen and or help rebuild collagen.
Sorry to say but “collagen” cannot be absorbed into the skin. It can only be made by your body. The only beauty treatment that actually helps stimulate collagen production is the platelet-rich-plasma facial or known as the “vampire facial.”.
#40
I used this product to have this skin :)
Then I saw some are born great, some achieve greatness, & some have greatness thrust upon them. You would think some people have a 10 step beauty routine but they just have good genes and don’t have to do anything at all so sometimes comparing yourself with such people might stress you out. some of us have work at it to maintain good skin and not all hyped products work the same for everyone.
#41
I never learned to do most makeup (just things like lipstick and blush), but recently have gotten interested and started consuming tutorials and other makeup content. I had no idea how much makeup people were wearing all the time that I didn’t notice. It actually made me be less hard on myself and more self accepting.
YakFactory 1 day ago
I rarely wear makeup, and then only moisturiser and a touch of lipstick. I think clean, clear, fresh skin is attractive, and I don't want to stucco my face with chemical goo.
#42
One of the biggest cons / lies of beauty is the work over decades to convince red haired girls they need to dye their hair blonde. To banish “the ginger”
Hailing from Scotland, I see a LOT of red heads day to day. One of the biggest sins (IMO) is people thinking red/ginger = ugly. Frustrates me!
In my experience, people going from red to blonde ALWAYS look better embracing their natural red.
Glad this is changing and people are getting proud of their redness.
#43
Acne is primarily down to hormones and genetics. You can use each and every product under the sun but if you're predisposed to it or have something disrupting your hormones, whether it's a contraceptive or just a plain old period, you're stuck with it unless you seek medical intervention.
I thought I was doing things wrong for YEARS until a kind dermatologist let me know I just won a terrible lottery with getting adult acne. A round of Accutane later and I only ever get pimples when Aunt Flo is here to visit, and my skincare routine is far less rigorous than it used to be.
LakotaWolf (she/her) 1 day ago
My mom put me on Accutane when I was teen (she wanted me to become an actress, and I had really bad acne.) It was absolutely miraculous in terms of getting rid of the acne, but it dried my skin and lips out to an actually painful degree. I am one of the lucky people who ended up with permanent side effects from it - it damaged my sebaceous glands, which have never entirely recovered, and I have lingering joint pain. I've still got pretty dry skin/lips even all these years later. It's an amazing medication, but be careful.
#44
The most recent discovery on a lifelong problem is the nature of dermal oil production. Fascinating: blackheads have purpose. Then I figured out the right acids to use and a skin care routine that might be akin to a full chemistry set, but my skin is the best it has ever been. I’m 57 and now only gravity and the lack of caffeine (oil production, right.) are my enemies.
Great question! Have an upvote.
#45
Embarrassingly enough, that people recommending products is just a brand deal and they most likely don’t even use the product. I fell for the Bloom powder greens advertisement because I actually thought the girls using it were getting good results. Turns out they just get paid to show it on their videos.
featherytoad 22 hours ago
You can't convince me that all those women celebrities back in the 80s hair coloring commercials used the boxed dyes.
#46
That people fill in their eyebrows (oops) - I had no idea until I was like 17-18 when I started watching makeup tutorials on youtube. I've been lucky to have thick/dark Indian brows and most people around me growing up had the same so I never thought about it.
Inés Olabarria Smith 1 day ago
For me was hair, all the women in my family have incredible luxurious hair, me included, so I thought everyone was the same.
#47
I was always jealous of other women’s lashes. I didn’t know what I was doing wrong.
Turns out a lot of women get lash extensions or lifts.
#48
Need separate more expensive eye cream for under eyes.
#50
The Pink Tax is real.
Not talking only formal events or weddings. This is just basic upkeep to look presentable in any type of work or social situation. And it’s expensive and time-consuming even if you’re competent ENOUGH try to do most or all of it yourself. And I say this as a mostly DIY girl day-to-day without any of the “hot girl extras” like extensions, custom nail designs, or Botox/fillers and such.
Salons? Ya a few times per year for special occasions! Regular salon hair, nail, facial, lashes, spray tan, makeup consultations, laser hair removal, body scrubs, etc. first of all take SO long. Bless you if you can get to a salon for most of those quarterly. Second, OMFG it’s THOUSANDS per year.
And all that’s presuming you don’t have some sort of issue- I had an allergic reaction to some facial oil and had to work with a dermatologist and cosmetologist to find a skin routine to minimize my skin flaking off at work all day. My eye once got infected by old mascara and I had to replace ALL my eye cream and makeup. A bad colorist screwed my hair a while back and I had to go into the salon monthly for a year to get it reversed. You almost need a slush fund for beauty emergencies, no joke!
#51
That in the US most skincare has random ingredients that are not scientifically proven to do anything. Here is some peach extract face wash with banana apple balm that will tighten and hydrate at the same time! Not. It wasn't until Korean skincare was popularized in the US that companies started using clinical ingredients.
Ace 1 day ago
Nothin special about Korean products, nor about "clinical" ingredients. Just because someone uses that term does not mean it's proven to have any effect. Notice that products making such claims always have a rider, like "76% of a sample of 49 women reported an improvement", which any clinical trials scientist or statistician (that's me) will tell you are completely, utterly, without any sort of credibility as a 'proof'.
#52
The older I get the more beautiful I feel. I just turned 26 on Tuesday and was told I’m “getting up there” by an 18 year old. Little do they know I feel hotter, fitter, and prettier overall than I did in my early 20’s ☕️
Edit: and I was DREADING turning 26 as it’s considered late 20’s but 48 hours later and I’m completely at peace.
#53
I used to always hate my super thin white people lips LOL, finally got some filler (no regrets i feel so confident) and they inject you with a 6th sense, ever since i got it i can tell who has it and who doesn’t.. a LOT more people have it than you would think. dont hate your natural features, social media is just oversaturated with unrealistic standards.
Lauren Caswell 1 day ago
Got teased for my lips being too big as a kid. Fashion comes fashion goes, learning to find comfort as much as you can in what you have naturally is a gift.
#54
That white girls have blonde eyelashes which can barely be seen so they use mascara every single day.
I always thought that their eyelashes are black in colour (like Indians) until I saw my white friend without mascara one day!
#55
Skin types (combined / dry, etc) is mostly bs invented and promoted by Estee Lauder.
Explore more of these tags
What do you think ?
Daisydaisy 1 day ago
I feel so sorry sad for young women (and I know it's affecting young men too) with all the internet nonsense about appearance, selfies etc. The vast majority of young people look lovely. Throw away your mirror, and stop taking photos! Write a novel! Plant a tree! Be a scientist or a nurse or a volunteer or a philosopher! What is "beauty" about anyway? Looking appealing to men? Do you really want to end up with a bloke who only wants you because you're skinny, tanned, blonde and lacking in body hair?
Sea Squirrel 1 day ago (edited)
The world would be a better place if all the money spend on unnecessary fake beauty was used for healthcare, education, peace and the environment. What do you choose: a full manicure or donate shoes?
David Paterson 1 day ago (edited)
Personal opinion as a man. Comparing web photos of women "with makeup and without any makeup" has made me come to the conclusion that makeup makes women look better 50% of the time and worse 50% of the time. Don't believe you look better just because you have makeup on.
Ace 1 day ago
Similar for any sort of medical procedure. In fact I'd go further, and extrapolating on a point made at the top of this list, women who've had cosmetic surgery do not generally look better, they just look like they've had cosmetic surgery.
Load More Replies... Daisydaisy 1 day ago
I feel so sorry sad for young women (and I know it's affecting young men too) with all the internet nonsense about appearance, selfies etc. The vast majority of young people look lovely. Throw away your mirror, and stop taking photos! Write a novel! Plant a tree! Be a scientist or a nurse or a volunteer or a philosopher! What is "beauty" about anyway? Looking appealing to men? Do you really want to end up with a bloke who only wants you because you're skinny, tanned, blonde and lacking in body hair?
Sea Squirrel 1 day ago (edited)
The world would be a better place if all the money spend on unnecessary fake beauty was used for healthcare, education, peace and the environment. What do you choose: a full manicure or donate shoes?
David Paterson 1 day ago (edited)
Personal opinion as a man. Comparing web photos of women "with makeup and without any makeup" has made me come to the conclusion that makeup makes women look better 50% of the time and worse 50% of the time. Don't believe you look better just because you have makeup on.
Ace 1 day ago
Similar for any sort of medical procedure. In fact I'd go further, and extrapolating on a point made at the top of this list, women who've had cosmetic surgery do not generally look better, they just look like they've had cosmetic surgery.
Load More Replies...
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