45 internet hacks that just don’t work

This one is a double whammy, with both lemons and baking soda. This time, the hack says that rubbing a paste of lemon juice and baking soda in your pits is a great cheap and natural deodorant. However, the citric acid in lemons can really sting (especially if you apply it after shaving), and while the baking soda might help mask an odour it won’t reduce sweating, Dr Garshick says. (Not knowing the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant is one of the most commom deodorant mistakes people make.) “It is important to remember that ‘natural’ products can contain compounds that can be irritating on the skin, which can lead to redness and irritation,” she says.

Find out which body odours should never be ignored.

Giving up a small, daily luxury – like a coffee or a bagel – is one of the most commonly shared financial ‘hacks.’ The idea is the little savings add up to big bucks over time. However, this isn’t enough for most people, says financial advisor, Leibel Sternbach. “This hack is so harmful, words can’t even begin to describe the amount of damage this does to people. No matter how much you manage to save by cutting your expenses, the fact is that for most people, adding an extra $500 or $1000 to your savings a year isn’t going to make you be able to magically retire,” he says. “Before you start cutting expenses, figure out how to invest in your earning potential. Increasing your salary will exponentially increase the amount you can save far more than cutting out your daily Starbucks.”

The mind is a powerful tool, but it can’t always heal itself. Meditation and positive thinking are oft-recommended ‘brain hacks’ for curing depression, but while they can be good tools in managing stress, they’re not a cure-all, says psychiatrist, Dr Ashwini Nadkarni.  “Depression is a major medical illness, and just as you can’t resolve cancer with positive thinking, you can’t resolve your depression just through meditation,” she explains. These aren’t bad things to try, but don’t beat yourself up if they don’t work for you, and don’t hesitate to seek medical care for your mental health, she adds.

Find out which herbs can help ease stress.

The Internet is filled with hacks to sleep better, and some are actually helpful. And then there’s this one, which says you’ll fall asleep faster if you cross your eyes and stare into space. There’s no scientific backing for this, and in fact, keeping your eyes crossed can cause headaches. So, what can you do to get some shut-eye? Try drinking a glass of milk before bedtime, sleeping with a weighted blanket, or taking a hot bath, suggests Dr Nadkarni.

These weird tricks really do help you go to sleep.

Dry air is a problem for many people, especially during the winter, and installing a whole-house humidifier is expensive. So the Internet is rife with hacks for easy ways to increase the humidity in your home, including the suggestion to hang your wet laundry inside rather than putting it in the dryer. “I’ve seen this cited all over the Internet, and this is simply not an effective way to tackle dry air,” says air-quality specialist, John Hughes. “This will only add time to your laundry cycle and will not help with any of the winter discomforts of dry air, such as cracked skin, dry nasal passages or itchy eyes.” But when it comes to your laundry, air-drying your clothes may actually be better than machine-drying them.

Getting your resume seen by a human is the most important first step in finding a job. To help yours get to the top of the electronic pile, this hack advises taking key words from the job listing, typing them across the bottom of your resume, and then formatting them into a white font. They will be invisible to human eyes, but they will supposedly get your resume through a computerised screener. Unfortunately, this isn’t as foolproof as it sounds, according to career counsellor, Damian Birkel. “There simply is no magic list of keywords,” he says. “Instead of wasting time on silly hacks, concentrate on applying for jobs where your abilities match the requirement of the position and highlight that on your resume.”

Facial water sprays, either DIY or purchased, are cited as a quick way to get dewy, glowing skin on beauty blogs. The reality? They just give you wet skin, and wet skin isn’t necessarily healthy skin, says aesthetician and beauty expert Elizabeth Donat. “Nothing will dehydrate your skin faster than spraying water on it,” she says. “Think about when you take a bath and your fingers get all pruney (that’s called transepidermal water loss). Products that are just 100 per cent water will do that to your face.”

‘Exercising’ your facial muscles may feel good, but it won’t produce the results you’re looking for. There’s just no such thing as a quick fix when it comes to anti-ageing skin-care routines, Donat says. “There are products, like retinoids, that are proven to fight wrinkles, but know that it can take six to nine months, in most cases, to see the full effects of a new skin-care routine,” she explains. “You have to be diligent and consistent for a long period of time to see major changes.”

Discover which are the best foods for younger skin.

Thieves can’t steal your name if it’s legally protected, right? Despite the Internet telling people they can and should trademark or copyright everything under the sun, that’s not actually how the law works, says lawyer Devin Miller. “Surnames cannot be trademarked, as there are a lot of people with the same name and you cannot stop other people from using their name,” he explains. Plus, do you think someone intent on stealing your identity is really going to be deterred by a little ‘TM’ next to your name? Exactly.

Breastfeeding mothers are already under a lot of pressure, so when they worry they’re not making enough milk, it’s easy to turn to the Internet for hacks. However, this is one hack that just doesn’t make sense, no matter how sleep deprived you are, says lactation consultant Leigh Anne O’Connor. “I don’t even know how this started, but it’s become an incredibly popular myth,” she says. “But there is nothing in blue Gatorade that would help with milk production.” Plus, the high sugar and artificial colours and flavours don’t make it the healthiest choice for mum or baby.