Are those old wives’ tales that haunt our beauty regimes based on fact or merely fiction handed down from mother to daughter?

THOSE old wives sure were busy dreaming up myths to make us worry about our beauty routines: if we aren't being entreated to give our hair 100 strokes of the brush (don't, it'll only make it greasier quicker), then we're advised to use Preparation H for under-eye bags (avoid, it's way too greasy for such delicate skin). Shaving won't make hair grow back thicker (the ends are blunt, which can just make it appear that way) and cutting your eyelashes is absolutely no good if you want to make them grow longer. Pruning only works on rose bushes, so put the nail scissors down.

Another popular one is that old plucking-out-the-grey-hairs chestnut. "Don't!" screeches the nearest aul wan, "three will grow back in its place!" Nope -- they won't. It's physically impossible for the action of plucking one hair from a follicle to encourage hair growth in triplicate, worry not.

So, what else have you been told over the years that's down-right ridiculous, and are any of those oft-parroted beauty myths actually true?

Myth #1: DOES SKINCARE JUST STOP WORKING?

A lot of people claim that their skincare suddenly doesn't work for them any more. The know-it-all boffins at thebeautybrains.com say that unless the product has been reformulated with new ingredients, then this is likely to be due to a mix of different factors.

"There is no direct mechanism that we're aware of for your skin to become 'immune' to the effects of cosmetic skincare products," they say, but they do point out that environmental factors such as the weather, your stress levels and the ageing process can all fool us into thinking our face cream isn't doing the business any more, when in fact it's our skin that's changed.

FACT OR FICTION? Fiction. What we need in winter may be different to what our skin requires in summer, and in particular, 30 is a biological marker for women. Our skin needs different things once we've passed the dreaded three-zero, and we should adapt our routines to suit.

Myth #2: DON'T PLUCK ABOVE THE BROW

A beauty entreaty as earnestly adhered to as the Ghostbusters' aversion to crossing the streams, we're often left wondering why this is such a bad idea. It's not, according to threading guru Shavata, but she does add a qualifier: "It is true that the majority of the hair you remove when shaping your brows should be from underneath the eyebrow." Most people don't need to have too much taken away on top, and you can often get away with doing the minimum here.

FACT OR FICTION? Fiction. Brows need tidying both up and downstairs. "Use a very accurate pair of pointed tweezers so you remove only the hairs that you want to," advises Shavata.

Myth #3: COFFEE CAN CURE CELLULITE

Supermodel of the 90s Cindy Crawford is said to be a fan of rubbing coffee grounds on her posterior to keep bum and thighs toned and cellulite-free, and in fact, a lot of anti-cellulite products such as Shiseido's Body Creator Aromatic Sculpting Concentrate include caffeine. But, um, why? Scientists have proven that it can speed up cell metabolism, and that means it can help with the elimination of toxins which are thought to cause the problem in the first place.

FACT OR FICTION? This one is half and half. While we know caffeine can help with the battle of the bulge, there is no topical cream -- or coffee-pot leftover -- that can cure orange-peel skin all on its own. Instead, a combination of body brushing and regular massage using a cream containing active ingredients such as caffeine is likely to have the best results.

Myth #4: CHOCOLATE CAUSES ACNE

Teenagers the land over have the hands slapped off them as they reach for a bar of chocolate, but does eating chocolate really lead to acne? "No," says Marissa Carter of Dún Laoghaire's Carter Beauty and Acne Clinic. "Acne is caused by a sensitivity to hormones, but chocolate can cause an imbalance in sugar levels, leading to highs and lows. That can trigger a disruption in hormones, which could cause a pimple. But it's not the same thing as triggering acne," she reveals.

FACT OR FICTION: Fiction, but if you're prone to breakouts then Carter recommends that you lay off any food that causes blood sugar to spike and fall. "Stick to a hormone-friendly diet such as Low GI or one that's high in omega oils," she advises.

Myth #5: CAN YOU USE LANACANE AS FACIAL PRIMER?

This is a newbie that's doing the internet rounds: Lanacane Anti-Chafing Gel is being touted as the next big thing in facial primers. Sounds utterly gross, until you take a look at the ingredient listing. High up there is dimethicone, a silky, refined silicone that's also found in Smashbox's cult Photo Finish Primer.

The ingredient is used to provide 'slip' in the Lanacane product to minimise painful skin friction. In Photo Finish, it provides a smooth, silky canvas for foundation application. This is a very well tolerated ingredient and you'll often find it, or a variant of it, in facial moisturisers, too.

FACT OR FICTION: Fact. There's no harm in giving this a try, especially if you're on a budget. But be wary of using something like this every day as it's a good idea to give skin a break from heavy layers of product.

Myth #6: OILY SKIN DOESN'T NEED MOISTURISER

"This is such a lie!" exclaims Marissa Carter, who explains that there are two types of dry skin: lipid dry, which is typically dry skin, and dehydrated, which is water dry. Oily skin is usually dehydrated despite the excess sebum, she says, and what often happens is that people use alcohol-based cleansers which exacerbate the problem. That makes skin even more water-starved, so you need to use a product to put that all-important hydration back.

FACT OR FICTION: Fiction. Just because your skin is oily, it can still crave moisture. The trick, says Carter, is to look for a good water-based moisturiser. She recommends Moisture Balancer from salon-brand Danne as a great buy for the sebum-prone. Or, head to Clerys for H2O+'s Face Oasis Hydrating Treatment.

Myth #7: ADDING SPFS TOGETHER GIVES MORE PROTECTION

Maths works a little differently when it comes to sunscreen, and while you might think it makes sense, you can't add up the SPF in your products.

"The reality is that a factor 30 is only about 2pc more effective than a factor 15," reveals Eavanna Breen of Temple Bar's Akina Laser and Beauty clinic. "It's all to do with the amount of the ingredient in a product, so if you have a factor 15 in your skincare and a factor 20 in your make-up, you're getting factor 20 protection, not factor 35," she adds.

FACT OR FICTION: Fiction. You're only protected to the level of the highest factor you applied.

Myth #8: TEST FOUNDATION ON YOUR HAND

Unless you use your face to do the dishes and you subject it to the same indignities as your hands, it's unlikely the skin here will be a good match for your complexion. Your mammy might have told you this is the ideal place to test a new foundation, but Leonard Daly, of Queen Beauty Emporium, has a much better recommendation. "The best place to test is on the chin," he says. "Try three different shades and the one that disappears is the right match for you."

FACT OR FICTION: Fiction. Sure, you can test on your hand but don't expect the result to match your facial skin. Daly advises shopping for foundation bare faced: "After all, you wouldn't buy a pair of shoes without trying them on, would you?" he laughs.

- Kirstie McDermott