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If you never think about how long that powder, foundation, eyeliner, and especially mascara, have been in your medicine cabinet or purse, perhaps you should. Those cosmetic products could be bacterial breeding grounds.
You’ve probably heard some of the rules about makeup and keeping it clean. One of the most common is to never share your makeup with other people, even your best girlfriend or your mother. However, you may be surprised to know that even if you keep your makeup collection to yourself, you could still be putting yourself at risk for infection and germs. Want to make sure your makeup arsenal is safe? All you’ll have to do is follow these simple tips and you’ll be good to go.
One of the first things you’ll have to accept is that as long as you use your makeup, you are potentially exposing yourself to germs and possible infections. Get around this gross dilemma by being diligent with cleaning your makeup items and tools - and that means more than once a month or a couple times a year. The more you use your makeup, the more frequently you should be cleaning the items in your kit. Sponges, powder puffs and brushes are the main breeding grounds for bacteria. To combat this, make sure you use fresh makeup sponges each time (if you have the type that can be reused, wash and rinse in hot water thoroughly after each use or follow the cleaning instructions on the package) and replace your powder puff with a new one after about one month of use.
For makeup brushes, use your favorite shampoo or purchase brush cleanser and wash in lukewarm water. Set it out to dry and your brushes will be good as new. This should be done every two weeks.
Did you know that bacteria love to gather in places where there is moisture, heat and humidity? Each time you leave your makeup kit in your backseat, trunk or out where there is direct sunlight, you are increasing your chances of developing bacteria inside your makeup. Icky, huh? The only way to prevent this from happening is to store your makeup products in a cool area at room temperature. If you have to take your makeup with you, make sure to put it in your purse and not inside your car or other areas where it can get hot easily. On a related note, when stashing makeup in your purse, push it to the bottom where it is darker and cooler. Leaving it near the top with your purse wide open and exposed to direct sunlight while driving in your car still makes it prone to attracting germs. It is also important to make sure you close up your makeup items tight after each use - that includes screwing on the caps tightly, making sure you hear that “click” when you snap close your compact, etc. Germs sneak into even the tiniest of openings so don’t give them that chance.
Another crucial factor to keeping yourself free from infection is to honor the shelf life of your makeup. As much as you love your items and don’t want to spend money, keeping age old makeup past its prime will not only put you at risk for bacteria and other types of germs, it will also negatively affect the way it looks on your skin. Keep it fresh and know when to replenish your supplies.
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