Popular beauty myths uncovered

HOUSTON -- It's hard to keep track of all the beauty beliefs around. We asked the expert to see if any of the popular myths actually work.

First up, should we pour beer in our hair to add volume?

"Rinsing your hair with beer will make it thicker," said makeup artist Heather Hughes.

Hughes says the hops, a plant used in brewing beer, surround the hair shaft and help add volume.

"Aussie makes a shampoo that has hops in it. It smells good and then you definitely won't smell like a frat house," Hughes said.

Many women believe slathering your face with Vaseline will prevent aging.

"There's a rumor that Marilyn Monroe did this to make her look younger," Hughes said.

But she says there is some truth to it.

"Petroleum jelly is the strongest moisturizer there is out there because it forces the oils into your skin and it doesn't let them evaporate. It will create the illusion of your wrinkles smoothing," Hughes said.

Those fighting acne often reach for their toothpaste. But not so fast.

"Toothpaste has menthol in it and that will help dry out the acne or the imperfection. However, there are other ingredients in toothpaste that can be irritating," Hughes said.

Dabbing Pepto Bismol or a crushed aspirin on a blemish is a more skin-friendly way of treating the infected area.

For years hemorrhoid cream was a staple in makeup artists' kits because it deflated puffiness in the under-eye area. But that was then, and this is now.

"In 1994, they took out the yeast derivative that helps with that so if you use Preparation H now, you might get some dryness and inflammation over the puffiness," Hughes said. "A quick fix I'd recommend is freeze metal spoons and you can place them underneath your eyes so that will reduce puffiness, plus, it won't take off your makeup."