11 beauty facts..

1. Pimple DOES NOT pop overnight

You go to bed with skin clear as a newborn's and wake up with an angry red zit on your forehead -- but that pimple is no overnight star; it was actually days in the making. Sebum naturally migrates out of the follicle to the surface of the skin, but if there's a buildup of dead skin cells or you're using a product that's comedogenic, the process can be interrupted and the pore can eventually become blocked and infected. Most zits take about seven days to form.  Of course pores can be come more instantaneously blocked with a product that's not meant for the face, such as misdirected hairspray.  Pimples can also appear to pop up overnight pre-period, but this is due to a gradual increase in oil production that's the result of cyclical hormonal fluctuations.

2.It's NOT OK to do at-home extracting

"Extracting" at home, which we all know is a nice way of saying "popping pimples. Extractions are highly technical and best left to professionals using sterile instruments. Since we use our not-so-sanitary nails, DIY picking can leave skin red and scarred while it spreads bacteria. The common home-extraction scenario is squeezing a pimple -- particularly an inflamed, cystic whitehead  -- so that its infected contents are actually pushed deeper into the skin. You may be getting some of it out, but some is going south too which will spread the infection and actually extend the pimple's life. Blackheads are generally low-risk because their contents are dead skin and sebum without much bacteria, and tiny whiteheads are often superficial enough to gently remove without consequences -- but don't make a habit of it.

3. Botox DO prevent wrinkles

Botox is a bit of an overachiever. It both corrects wrinkles and, derms attest, prevents them.  This injectable toxin works by temporarily paralyzing facial muscles that contract and contribute to wrinkle formation. Once the muscle is put out of commission, existing superficial lines smooth out and deep creases soften by 50 percent. So it makes sense that if Botox is injected before a wrinkle occurs, it could prevent one from ever forming.  But there is a caveat when it comes to crow's feet injections: They sometimes cause new fine lines to form beneath the eyes when you smile since the muscles can't contract at the outer corners. (That news is enough to make you frown ... if you could.)

4.Your skin DOES NOT need a toner.

You know how the sales pitch goes: "Toners are essential for removing residual dirt, oil and bacteria," says the makeup salesperson who works on commission. The fact is, if you're cleansing properly, your face is clean, so you don't need toner to finish the job. Toners might feel nice on your face, and if you're a toning junkie, by all means, keep it up. Just be sure you use one that's alcohol-free (like one that uses witch hazel) so you don't strip the good layer of natural oils on your skin.

5.Facial exercises will NOT make you look younger.

If butt and tummy crunches tone those zones, then it stands to reason that facial exercises would tighten up and fill in wrinkles.  But it just doesn't work the same way with the muscles in your face. They don't "tone up". We can't do weight-bearing exercises with the muscles in our face so they don't bulk up like the muscles in our trunk and extremities.  Meanwhile, repetitive motions using your facial muscles -- even laughing and smiling a lot -- can bring lines out in the face. So if you want to prevent those lines, stop smiling, already. (Ha! Just kidding.)

6.Eating French fries or chocolate  WON'T  makes you break out.

The only way either of these foods might cause a breakout is if you smeared it all over your face and let it clog your pores.  You might get bloated from salty fries or get cavities from chocolate, but zits? No. Hormonal fluctuations, bacteria and inflammation cause acne. Period. And there is no scientific evidence linking chocolate or oily foods with any of these acne-causing issues.  Then again, you might scarf more chocolate or greasy French fries during those pre-period "hormonal fluctuations" (a clinical word for "raging PMS") when both estrogen and progesterone surge. But it's still not the food that's causing the pimples to pop up; it's the hormones. So feel free, scarf away.

7. A natural scrub is NOT more effective than a synthetic scrub

It's that "natural" bias. You think natural scrubs are better because they're made from ground plant seeds or fruit pits. But pulverized seeds and pits have uneven, jagged edges that can be too rough on skin, causing microscopic abrasions -- or worse -- if your skin is sensitive. Synthetic scrubs that contain uniform, spherical beads exfoliate without scratching.

8.Pricey designer creams are NOT more effective than drugstore brands

Calling all status seekers: Many drugstore brands use the same active ingredients as pricier products -- and they're often manufactured in the same factories, too. With spend-y brands, you're not only paying for those active ingredients, you're paying for the foo-foo fragrance that makes it smell better than the drugstore brand, luxe packaging, the real estate in the department store and a portion of the salesperson's salary. Certain ingredients can truly be worth the splurge but if you learn to read labels, you can find great drugstore alternatives to designer products.  What's worth the money? High-tech antioxidants like idebenone and superoxide dismutase, which are difficult to purify and manufacture, and retinols, which must be packaged correctly in an aluminum tube (never a jar) since air and light immediately break them down.

9.Cold cucumbers are NOT the best way to beat under-eye puff. 

Ah, the dreaded puffy eyes, often a sign of too much salty food or alcohol-laced fun the night before. The botanical ingredient in cucumber, known as cucumis sativus, can help, but it's not your best bet.  In this case, it's really the coldness that acts as a vasoconstrictor, constricting the blood vessels and pulling excess fluid out of the tissues to reduce puffiness.  Caffeine is also a vasoconstrictor, which is why many eye gels contain it. A puffy-eye double whammy: cold plus caffeine. Use chilled tea bags or keeping a caffeinated eye gel on hand in the fridge for a quick morning-after fix.

10. Hypoallergenic products are NOT all safe for all skin types.

Technically, there is no legal definition or standard for the word "hypoallergenic." Any cosmetic company can get away with slapping the word on the label of a product, no matter what ingredients it contains. In general, the term is used to indicate that the product is less likely to cause an allergic reaction than other products, but even this loose non-definition leaves room for ingredients like perfume (aka fragrance) or other chemicals that can irritate skin.  The same goes for "non-allergenic," another non-regulated word. "This means 'no tendency' to cause allergic reaction, but it's always possible for someone somewhere to have some kind of a reaction." Her recommendation for sensitive types: Avoid common irritants like fragrances, alcohols, high-strength acids, lanolin and phthalates (a byproduct of plastic which can be used as a preservative).

11. Benzoyl peroxide is  NOT the best quick fix for a zit.

And milk does a body good. Teenagers are still fed the idea that benzoyl peroxide is the end-all, be-all for pimples. But if you have sensitive skin, BP can cause contact dermatitis. What's worse, a pimple or an allergic reaction?  Calendula and 2 percent salicylic acid can calm a zit's inflammation but they won't really resolve the infection, which is why derms choose hydrocortisone cream for their own flare-ups.  Dabbing a glob on a zit overnight is recommended to reduce inflammation and redness, and resolve the infection. But only do this for two nights max as a quick fix. Steroids aren't something you want to use on skin consistently or for long periods.