According to recent studies, women spend two years of their lives in front of the mirror and are keen to regularly invest in new beauty products and accessories, but what about the application? How much time should be invested in making sure our makeup tools stay hygienic?
It seems that not enough attention is paid to our little magic makers. Make-up utensils are dirt vacuums and on top of dirt, they also collect germs and make-up residue that ultimately become our skin’s worst enemy. Combat a potential skin outbreak with these easy tips!
Re-Think The Way You Apply Make-up!
Cosmetic bags are a meeting place for as many makeup products and brushes as one can fit, and they often end up looking like something from a Picasso painting, but with much more glitter.
When applying makeup, women typically pay little attention to the process in which they apply it, simply throwing their hands into the cosmetic bag and then placing them directly onto their cosmetic products.
Makeup comes into contact with germs constantly, so it’s only a matter of time before bacteria and mold settle within the bristles of make-up brushes. Such bacteria will inevitably clog skin pores and potentially lead to pimples, acne or even herpes!
The most important stage in the process before doing anything else – wash your hands! When done, begin applying your creams and oils with your fingers. To ensure that you limit the amount of bacteria on your face, you should apply these products with a clean makeup brush – which leads to the next point.
Clean Your Brushes!
Baby shampoo can be enough for cleaning makeup brushes with natural bristles, so there is little need to invest in expensive high street brands. Simply apply a splodge of the mild shampoo to the brush, gently rub clean with your fingers and allow the product to sink in. Rinse the brush under warm water until the product washes away and then simply run the brush over a clean towel to dry it out.
Warning: When drying the brushes make sure water doesn’t get to the bristles. Place them to dry on a towel in a horizontal position. Water can affect the glue holding the bristles together and mold can be formed there over time.
Don’t Forget About Your Sponge!
Clean and sanitize your make-up sponges with a mild washing up liquid and warm water. This combination degreases and disinfects the sponge. Place the sponge inside a glass or cup and leave the sponge to settle in the bubbly mix. After a while, all of the product will wash out. You can run the sponge under the tap to wash out any excess detergent. The sponge feels brand new!
The Lipstick: Red Lips You Should … Wash!
It’s suggested that a woman eats an average of 3.5 kg of lipstick in her life. Prevention is better than cure: disinfect the bullet regularly with a damp cloth – simply wipe the tip and you’re finished!
Still not clean enough? Pour some sanitary alcohol on a saucer and dip the top of your lipstick for a few seconds Then, wipe the top of the lipstick with a tissue. Apply the red lipstick onto your lips for the perfect Hollywood smile, now in a sanitized version!
Clean Your Cosmetic Bag Too
Sometimes a makeup bag can look like a battlefield: lipstick stains, creams and oils smudged on the fabrics. Yuck! Try our easiest tip for cleaning your bag: simply place it in a bowl of hot water with some soda bicarbonate. After leaving the bag in for a short beauty sleep – it’s time to take it for a trip in the washing machine. Wash it at 60°C to make the residues dissolve! Hurray! The make-up bag is ready to house your favourite products!
Even Cosmetic Products Expire!
One doesn’t need to be a make-up artist to keep collecting cosmetic products! “More is always better”. One thing that should never be forgotten when purchasing new make-up products is their expiration date. According to current studies, expired products can lead to gastrointestinal infections, blood poisoning and skin diseases. Before panicking, simply check the products and throw away the ones which you have owned for too long. That way, there’s a good reason to go shopping again!
