Whether you’re a professional make-up artist or not, keeping your makeup products clean is essential, as they can harbor nasty bugs.
Can you imagine a foundation filled with mold? What would happen to your skin if you applied products past their expiration date? We tell you everything you should know to prevent a makeup fungus infection.
Bacterial and Fungal Diseases Spread Through Makeup
Impetigo
It’s a bacterial disease that causes blisters which rapidly spreads by contact with mucous face areas.
Comedones
Due to poor acne treatment, it is transmitted by not disinfecting makeup sponges or by introducing them directly in cosmetic products.
Conjunctivitis
Transmission happens by sharing and misusing infected mascara and eyeliner pencils.
Herpes
Spread by mucous contact, especially saliva, it’s a lifetime viral illness. To avoid passing viruses like herpes, lip brushes must be sterilized and lipstick should never be applied directly to the mouth if it’s for professional uses.
How to Prevent Fungal Proliferation in Makeup
It’s OK Not to Share
By sharing our makeup products, we risk infecting our work tools with mold, fungi, E. coli and staphylococci, which can cause infections such as bacterial conjunctivitis and impetigo.
Humidity Conditions
Bacteria and fungi bloom in humid conditions, so it’s difficult they grow in compact, eyeshadows or blushes.
On the other hand, eyelash mascara, lipsticks, makeup base and liquid eyeliners are favorable environments for the development of microorganisms and diseases.
Therefore it is essential to keep them closed, store them in dry places and away from sun exposure, especially those water-oil based products.
More than a Kiss
Oil-based products, such as lipsticks, glosses and cream blushes, can host microorganisms. When a cosmetic is contaminated, they will only infect you by skin or mucous contact.
Toss it Away
Although sometimes it seems that product quality hasn’t diminished, it can be very risky to continue using an expired makeup product. So, stop wondering if you should keep using that old sparkly gloss and go purchase a new one!
Discard those products that have changed their smell, or show components separation. That is a clear sign that it’s expired. Also, consider eyelash mascara has a three-month lifespan, six months for compact powder, and one year for lipsticks.
Cleanliness is Godliness
Wash your personal use brushes at least one per week. Place them under the tap, rinse them with cold water and dip them in antibacterial-antifungal soap. Let them dry with the bristles upside down.
Also sterilize eyebrow tweezers, scissors, clippers, and applicators that get direct contact with your skin.
