What's the WORST bit of style and beauty advice you've ever been given?

[LazyCake]

Just that really, as a follow on from the recent thread on best pieces of advice.

Me first: I often hear the advice that women should wear less makeup as they get older, go for more muted colours and effects, etc. To me, this seems to be a tantamount to saying 'fade out, don't draw attention, become invisible.' My Dad's new girlfriend is 70+ and wears loads of makeup, which looks absolutely fab, IMO.

What are your worst pieces of advice?

Oil cleansing method. Totally ruined my skin. I've very recently discovered that I'm very sensitive to castor and olive oil on my face so no wonder I came out in terrible cystic acne which caused problems for 6 months!

"Straighten your hair." Er, no. I have a Jew-fro and I'm proud of it!

Toothpaste on spots. Normally fine to leave on overnight. Except my mum bought cheap toothpaste which left me with burns on my extremely embarrassed 17 yo visage!

I think 'rules' like no long hair over 50, or, no plaits over 12 etc. People need to learn what works for them, not what a teen magazine proclaims as correct.

Not to wear horizontal stripes because I'm curvy.

Bugger that, I bloody love stripes and I don't think anyone will be fooled into thinking I'm a size 10 by avoiding them!

I had a boss who constantly moaned that I wore black. One year she paid for me to "get my colours done". I was Autumn which means orange and yellow. I looked sallow and mildly orangutan-like, but she was thrilled. I was mug enough to buy a few orangey tops to please her.

Another one: Get a fringe if you've got a long face.

Have fallen foul of this a few times myself. A blunt fringe does not work - actually makes my face look even longer!!

This is why long-faced celebs almost never sport fringes - their stylists know it doesn't work. Solution = side bangs that sweep over the forehead and come to rest well below the eyes at the cheekbones (ie. widest part of the face).

Put concealer on my nose to mouth lines hahaha
Wear brown mascara, but my eyelashes are black
To straighten my hair, my hair is naturally wavy - I now embrace it and leave it to dry naturally
To match foundation to the colour of my (much more tanned) hands
Wear darker lipliner than lipstick
To not wear skirts/dresses because my legs are 'too thin'

Use sun in as a teenager!

I had that red bumpy skin on the top of my arms, I hate it so much and haven't worn a short sleeve in years. So, I looked it up on youtube and there was a video by an American lady, advising how to get rid of it.

She started the video by saying "firstly, get a razor, and shave your entire arms"
And then she demonstrated by shaving her upper arms. It takes a lot for my eyes to widen, but I was stunned at how crazy she was!!!! can you imagine doing that? You would have to keep shaving your actual arms for the rest of your life!! I was thinking, imagine a young girl watching that and thinking it was a good idea!!!

Anyway, it turns out that the cure for the bumpy red skin on your arms is Eucerin moisturiser cream, with urea in it. Simple, inexpensive and will actually fix your skin because that is what its for!

Maybe I should make a video, but it would be a bit boring wouldn't it really.

Seconding derek - oil cleansing method. I also got cystic acne, and had to resort to a private dermatologist to sort it out. It's not for everyone!

No horizontal lines as they'll make you look fatter- No, my fat makes me look fat. Horizontal lines look great, thanks.

Advice to straighten my curly hair - better to embrace what you have and enjoy it.

Any bra measurement not done in Bravissimo or Rigby and Peller - hello waist, I didn't know you existed

Oil cleansing method or anything about oily skin liking 'good oils - not mine it doesn't. Well the acne does, bloody loves the oil, spots you could see from the moon with that advice. And you can take your coconut oil too

YoungGirl - I had a manager who was the opposite. She wanted us all to wear black all the time, like her. I'm extremely fair and was older than her so I always refused as it makes me look washed out. I once wore a purple top and she actually said "I don't know how you stay employed here!".

'Navy and black is a fashion crime.' I LOVE navy and black together.

Similarly, pink and red - not sure where I got this from but for years I avoided combining these two. Now I think they look great together.

"You should make a feature of your eyebrows," from a make up counter young thing. I looked like a miserable but surprised Dolmio puppet.

I forgot to say that its called "keratosis" and not just dry skin, that's why doesn't need to be shaved!!
That's
why the urea works on it, and Eucerin really does work, just wanted to say that if anyone else has this bumpy arm skin and wants to clear it up. Rub it with a rough towel after your shower and apply the cream then.

Maybe I should make a video.......

I looked like a miserable but surprised Dolmio puppet.

Oh god yes, Shatners. A few times, I've had to walk back from town with my hand obscuring my eyebrows because I've followed the 'expert's' advice. So embarrassing.

Not advice as such but listening to an advert for "cold wax". Horribly sticky legs which took ages to get off and no hair removed. Complete disaster. Have never let anything other than a razor near my legs for hair removal ever again.

Exfoliation and any good moisturising lotion stops the upper arm spots for me.

Something similar, Glinda: I was drawn in by the advertising for a lip plumping device. For about a week after the first use my entire upper lip was a ghastly shade of blue. Don't know if it looked as though I'd forgotten to shave, or had just been drinking a lot of Ribena. Neither good.

"Footner will make hard feet baby soft"

It didn't work for me

Get a perm, it'll give you more body. It gave me frizz and horrible hair. It was the 80s/90s though...

Hello LazyCake hope you're well

I coloured my mousy hair red for years. A hairdresser said not to go blonde as it would wash me out. I ignored her, went blonde, LOVE my hair, still turn heads. Wish I'd done it 20 years ago. Definitely having more fun!

3luckystars thanks for your posts, DD has that on her arms, someone suggested Aveeno but That hasn't really worked, will try your tip!