How to Keep Your Make-Up Clean (and Your Skin Too)

If you see magnified photos of your make-up brush you’ll be shocked by the amount of bacteria there is. How can you keep your make-up things clean for a long time? 

Clean brushes regularly

Not only your face, but the applicators you use on your face need to be cleaned regularly. That means the sponges, the eyeshadow brushes and foundation brushes, with which you apply colour, shading and glow. Because you really don’t want to know what can nestle its way into the hairs and fibres of these types of products. It takes a bit of effort. But nevertheless, you do not clean your face with a dirty flannel or a used cotton pad do you?

Irritation, spots and accelerated ageing

Brushes and sponges are often put into make-up bags and boxes without a covering. Furthermore, they sometimes lie in damp bathrooms. Remember as well, that after use there are always some traces of make-up, but also sebum, dirt and dead skin cells from your face left in the hairs and fibres. Indeed: that also automatically means lots of bacteria. That is a waste. Because you have such a good beauty regime with the right products, and you then go and throw a spanner in the works by using a dirty brush on your skin. Because did you know that all of that dirt can be responsible for many skin complaints and therefore premature ageing of the skin? Insufficiently cleaned things can furthermore unwittingly cause spots and other impurities to stay around.

Mild Cleanser, dab gently

It is better therefore to give make-up brushes such as our Powder Brush a quick clean each day with a paper tissue. Then wash the brush once a week or once every two weeks. For this you can use a mild shampoo or gentle Cleanser, such as the Cleanser by Dr. Jetske Ultee. Don’t push the brush hairs too much in all different directions during cleaning and drying. Use smoothing and dabbing movements. Lastly leave the brushes to dry flat on a towel or a piece of kitchen roll, so that the hairs stay in the same direction.

Replace make-up in time

Are the brushes and sponges nice and clean? How about your actual make-up? Obviously you use a hygienic liquid make-up from a bottle with a pump, such as our Foundation. But did you know that powder, mascaras and boxes of eyeshadow can also be, or become, a source of bacteria? These products are often kept for too long. Cosmetics also display a best before date; usually in the shape of an open pot symbol. Keep an eye on this! Our Powder, Bronzer and Foundation if used properly can be kept for 12 months after opening. A mascara should be disposed of after 4 months.

Avoid bacterial mixing

You should, at least, only use make-up on your own skin. Don’t share glosses, balms or glitters with friends and also avoid testers in beauty shops. Research into beauty salons in Iran has recently revealed once more that shared make-up can contain a potent concoction of microbial inhabitants such as bacteria and moulds. From candida and E.coli to various staphylococci and even salmonella bacteria, these were all found in products. Every skin has its own unique bacteria composition. By sharing make-up products an unwanted transfer can easily take place which can cause problems for your skin.

Also read:

What to do and not to do with make-up Using make-up with acne, is that ok? Our Fine Foundation