Are you looking to sanitize your makeup but aren’t sure how?
Perhaps you have just found out that makeup needs to be sanitized and want to know how to do this?
Or maybe you are curious and want to know more?
Whatever your reason might be, we have the answer for you!
When it comes to makeup, bacteria can breed like crazy!
The wet liquid products, air pockets in mascara, or brush bristles are the perfect place for bacteria to grow and spread.
And as you continue to use these products, the bacteria spreads to your eyes and face, causing spots, irritation, and even infections! Yuck!
To prevent this, we need to sanitize your makeup properly. But this can be tricky to do.
And with so many people online offering advice, it can be challenging to know where to turn or who to trust before your skin erupts into a mountain of spots.
Well, no more! Today, we are here with the answers you need.
Keep reading to find out how to correctly sanitize your makeup and applicators.
Sanitizing Makeup Sponges, Brushes, And Tools
Let’s get straight into it! Sanitizing your sponges, brushes, and other tools isn’t as challenging as you first thought.
You will want to do this regularly, at least once a week if you use them daily.
You will also want to sanitize them before and after another person uses them.
You don’t want to risk any cross-contamination that could cause bacteria to spread to your face.
Let’s look now at how you should sanitize your sponges, brushes, and tools.
To start, take all of your makeup sponges, brushes, and tools, and place them in a clean container with warm water and detergent or cleaning solution.
Soak them in the solution or detergent for around five minutes, making sure that the water isn’t too hot.
If it is too hot, the glue holding your brush’s bristles in place can melt, ruining the brush!
Next, remove the brushes and sponges. Take your brushes and wash them using a silicon pad until they are completely clean.
To finish, put them under running water for a few seconds to rinse them through, then squeeze them out onto a paper towel or place them on a drying rack.
Do this with your sponges and other tools too. Try and angle the brushes so that the bristles are facing down. This will help the water to run down and not disrupt the glue.
Be sure that your brushes are completely dry before using them again.
For eyelash curlers and similar tools, you will first want to remove any residue makeup with a cotton pad and some alcohol solution or disinfectant.
You could also use micellar water to remove the makeup before applying a disinfectant.
Let the eyelash curler dry for at least 24 hours before using it.
Lipstick
Your lipstick is also a breeding ground for bacteria!
To sanitize lipstick, you should spray the lipstick with its lid removed with a disinfectant or alcohol solution, then wipe it until it’s clean.
Make sure that you hold any solution at a good distance so that the lipstick doesn’t get too wet, as it can disturb the consistency.
If you are sharing the lipstick with someone else, apply it with a lip brush to reduce the risk of cross-contamination.
Foundation Bottles, Lip Liners, And Eyeliners
Although bottles and pencil products might seem different, we can similarly sanitize them!
To clean your bottles, spray them with a disinfectant and clean any congealed product from the pump or lid.
For your lip liners and eyeliners, spray them with disinfectant or alcohol solution and wipe them dry.
Just like with your lipsticks, try not to soak them as this will impact the consistency of your pencil products.
Mascara
Instead of cleaning mascaras, you should regularly replace them because getting germs in your eye can be very unpleasant.
If you think your mascara is dirty or expired, replace it with a new one.
A good rule of thumb is every three to six months. We also recommend only using one mascara at a time.
This saves you from needing to discard multiple mascaras every few months! Instead, use one until it runs out or expires before starting a new mascara.
Powders, Creams, Liquids, Tubs, And Pots
To sanitize powders, creams, liquids, tubs, and any pots you own, start by removing the top layer of the product.
Next, spray it gently with alcohol solution or disinfectant, then allow it to air dry before you use it again.
Take care not to put your fingers into makeup products to prevent germs from spreading from your hands.
There are lots of tutorials you can follow online to walk you through this process if you are unsure.
Other Makeup Hygiene Tips
Many people can’t imagine life without makeup. It’s become an essential part of so many people’s daily routines.
Using the same products over again introduces some hygiene risks. Makeup can grow germs, breakouts, and spread infection.
Store your makeup properly. Before you go today, check out our tips below to help reduce the growth of bacteria in your makeup!
Wash your face each morning before putting on makeup. Avoid sharing makeup with friends, because it might get trapped in your pores.
Don’t share nail polish or lipstick. Use a disposable brush to apply makeup, and use a tissue to remove it.
Get rid of cosmetics if you pick up something nasty. Close up after your close-ups. Make sure to tightly close any container and bottle you’ve used.
Store your makeup at an appropriate cool temperature. Keep it dry. Bacteria grow in warm temperatures.
Moist conditions can cause bacteria to grow, so be sure to clean them frequently. Use isopropanol to clean tools like tweezers or lash curlers.
Don’t forget to wash your brush and applicator. Soap and water should be sufficient to clean them.
Wash your hands before you touch anything. Make sure your hands are clean before you dip them into a tub of lip-balm or moisturizer.
Keep your fingernails short and straight. And finally, before going to bed, wash your face and remove any makeup.
You’ll sleep better if you do! Three months is usually a good time to change your makeup.
Solid makeup lasts longer than liquids, and mascaras are the most important products to replace regularly.
If you’ve had an eye infection recently, we suggest you discard your eye makeup because it could still carry the bacteria.
Makeup Application Tips
To help you get the most out of your makeup, check out our application tips below!
Cleanse Your Skin Before Applying Your Cosmetics
This will make removing your makeup easier. Dry your skin thoroughly and pat it gently to remove dead cells and oil.
Apply cleanser to wet skin and massage it all over until foam forms. Rinse well and pat dry.
Follow this step every day to keep the skin healthy and free from acne.
Use a gentle cleanser that won’t irritate your skin. Look for one without chemicals such as sodium lauryl sulfate, which may damage your skin.
Wipe Off Excess Powder With A Dampened Q-Tip
To do this, it’s best to wait until the product has dried. This method works best with mascara.
Allow it to dry before carefully dabbing it with the Q-tip. The mascara should lift off and your face will be free from the smudge!
Put Gel Liners On Last, Followed By Regular Lipliners
This prevents the liner from becoming clumpy and transferring onto other areas of the face.
Take Care When Applying Blush
Before applying to your skin, test the color on your neck. This helps you check it’s the right color without making you seem paler than you are.
Apply blusher in small amounts, and smooth out the color using a blending brush.
Blend upward toward the apples of the cheeks. Blend over any redness left on the upper cheekbones.
Conclusion
Keeping your makeup products clean is fundamental to protecting your health, your skin, and your product.
Regularly sanitizing your makeup products is a good hygiene practice that doesn’t take long at all and will help increase the longevity of your makeup products, keep your skin in good condition and prevent you from getting sick due to the spreading of germs (especially eye and lip makeup).
Make sure to practice good hygiene with your makeup products and wash your hands thoroughly before applying makeup.