Have you ever thought about how long that powder, foundation, eyeliner, and especially mascara, have been in your makeup collection, vanity or purse?

You should because cosmetic products could be breeding grounds for germs and bacteria. In turn you put that onto your skin, face and eye area and that can cause breakouts, infections and damage to your skin! Here are a few tips on how to care for your cosmetics.


Never touch or share your cosmetic products with anyone! And, no matter how much your sister or best friend pleads, do not share your cosmetic products with them. Just remember, their bacteria can contaminate you, too.

Estheticians and makeup artists are very careful when applying makeup to clients and the simplest and easiest way to handle your makeup, keep it clean, and not contaminate it is just don’t touch it with your bare hands.

Use tools to aid in the application of your cosmetics to insure that bacteria and infections don’t get into the product and contaminate the product. This will help your makeup last until its due date for expiration and it will help prevent you from transferring icky bacteria onto your face.





To keep your makeup squeaky clean, and bacteria-free, try this:


· Take foundation out of the container before applying.

Remove stick or pressed foundation with a small, clean makeup spatula. With liquid foundations, pour a small amount of on to a little pallet, small plate, or the back of your hand, using caution not to touch the bottle directly with your skin. That way you can avoid contaminating the container with your fingers and hands. Use a simple foundation brush, like MAC’s 190, to apply foundation on your face for an even and flawless result.


· Clean your beauty care applicators.
After you’re finished with your spatula, pallet and brushes, clean them thoroughly with soap and water — every time you use them. I know most people clean theirs once a week. I recommend cleaning your brushes weekly and it is best to use an anti-bacterial soap mixed with olive oil. This combination kills germs and bacteria and the olive oil will insure that the brushes are hydrated and conditioned. If you are prone to breakouts or have recently had a break out I recommend cleaning your brushes after each use, as this bacteria will sit and build up on the bristles and then you will be adding extra junk to your face, causing more breakouts! Also brush cleaner is a great way to get rid of any bacteria on the brush and remove excess makeup as well and is great for spot cleaning, if you need to work on multiple clients at once with the same tools, or on yourself. I also stress the use of a brushes and not a powder puff because brushes are easier to clean for one, and they don't trap unwanted product, cake up with germs or excess oils like puffs tend to do!


Special Care to Prevent Eye Infections
These cosmetic products need special attention.


· Eyeliner.
Gently clean off your eyeliner pencil with alcohol on a fuzz-free cotton pad or Q-Tip, it will dry quickly and stay sterile. Make sure to clean your sharpeners girls they trap germs too! Don’t use the eyeliner on the moist, pink part of your eyelids unless you intend to clean it right away, because this is a nasty combo for germs to accumulate and grow in your product. If you acquire an eyeliner used from like a blog sale or something like that please, please, please make sure you clean it thoroughly with the above mentioned steps. For gel liners, scrap off the top layer of procuts then clean off the top layer with alcohol before you use it!



To avoid conjunctivitis and other eye infections, replace your mascara every three to six months, as stated on the package. Also, don’t shove the brush back and forth in the tube to get more mascara on it. That is a big no-no! When you do that, you’re also pushing air and bacteria inside the product. Instead, dip the brush gently into the tube, spin the brush around, and slowly pull it out and use it. And be careful when using mascara not to touch or scratch your eye, as this is a delicate area of the face – just apply root to tips of your lashes. Otherwise, you risk scratching your cornea and raising your risk of eye infections, or irritation to the eye area, and we don’t want that!






· Lipsticks and Glosses.
To prevent infections and cold sores from appearing on your lips use these easy tricks to clean off your lipsticks. Place rubbing alcohol into a small beaker, shot glass, or any small bowl and unwind the lipstick to expose all sides and dip into the alcohol for about 10 seconds then remove and let dry. This will kill bacteria on the surface of the product and make sure that you don’t transfer harmful infections onto your lips. Lip glosses are harder to clean. I recommend once and a while to take the wand and clean it with soap and warm water, drying it completely and placing it back into the product. If you want your glosses to last longer use the product without touching the wand to your lips, but instead place the product on a lip brush and applying it that way. I also suggest that you throw out lip glosses frequently to avoid the dreaded cold sore! Also, please use this sanitizing method if you buy used!!!





· Cream or powder eye shadow.
These cosmetic products should be treated the same way as foundation and lipsticks: Use a brush or spatula and pallet. Don’t touch eye shadow with your fingers, use a brush. Also you can clean these products on the surface if you remove the thin layer off the top and wipe down with rubbing alcohol and tissue and let dry before use.


Remember to replace all of your beauty care and cosmetic products at least every year, and your mascara every three to six months. Take a minute to go through your makeup and look and smell it, it is very easy to know when something is expired, because, yes, cosmetics do have expiration dates!

Also make sure you don’t touch your makeup with your fingers, and keep all of your makeup applicators clean and sterile and germ-free, it’s the only way to be! ^_^


This kind of tender loving care will keep germs and bacteria at bay and prevent you from coming in contact with them!