What's the Worst Beauty Advice You've Ever Received?

For me, it came from a guy I was friends with in high school. "You know, you'd probably get asked out more if you straightened your hair," he advised one day between classes while I gathered my books at my locker. "Really?" I said, self-consciously running my fingers through my loose curls. His advice was unsolicited, but I nonetheless took it to heart—and thus spent a good part of the next several years straightening and styling my strands into submission. Only now, after a few years of giving up products and heat-styling altogether, has my hair recovered—and honestly, it's never looked or felt better. I'm all about my borderline-unruly waves (and have long since learned that I'd really rather not date someone who sees hair texture as a deal breaker). 

Byrdie senior editor Hallie recalls being told to avoid red lipstick ($75) for the same reason ("Who said I was wearing lipstick to appeal to boys in the first place?"), and for associate editor Lindsey, it was her friends' insistence that she spend more time tanning her pale skin. "Three mole-removals later, I regret ever buying into the whole low-SPF, You've got to get a good base tan first hoopla," she says. Hear, hear!

Needless to say, we've all received our fair share of awful beauty advice, whether from a parent, a passing acquaintance, or even the occasional industry professional. So in the interest of working through those unfortunate experiences and learning from each other, we're opening the floor up to you: