As Born offer makeup as a service, we are very aware of how important hygiene is when it comes to the makeup and tools that we use on our clients. This knowledge has also brushed off into our daily lives, as we now take more precautions with the makeup and beauty tools we use on ourselves. This article contains our top tips for makeup hygiene that we have learnt over the past few years:
Wash Your Hands
Firstly, you should always begin with you washing your hands. It is the basic hygiene step that is easy to forget, but absolutely essential. Whether you clean your hands with soap and water, or hand sanitiser, this is an important first step before applying makeup to yourself or another person, as it will prevent you from transferring any bacteria that you may have picked up during the day onto your or your client?s skin
Never Share Your Makeup
Sharing is definitely NOT caring when it comes to your makeup ? whether it be a mate who needs a quick lip gloss touch up or your mum wanting to try your new mascara. Don?t let them! It may sound harsh but sharing your products means you will be sharing bacteria, and who wants to do that? The only way round it is to keep a stock of disposable brushes handy, so that you can use them to get some product out ? but never, never, use one brush or applicator between you.
Clean Your Brushes Often
Ideally your makeup brushes should be cleaned at least once a week, so if you have a brush that you have been using for the past 12 months it?s time to throw it out and get a new one! Use a good quality brush cleaner if you can, or if not shampoo will do ? just don?t use baby shampoo as it tends to leave an oily coating. To be really on top of your hygiene, you could use some rubbing alcohol after every use, as this will remove any bacteria and leave your brushes ready to use again the next morning.
Watch Expiration Dates
Using expired or old makeup is a really big beauty no-no. Most products nowadays will have a little symbol of an opened container with a number on it, which shows you the expiry date i.e. how many months you have from the opening of the product to use it ? but this is intended as a guide only as it relies on you storing your products correctly. Makeup should be stored in a cool, dark place away from direct sunlight ? so not in your bathroom or the glove box of your car! If any of your products start to smell, change colour or texture then throw them away. If your product doesn?t have an expiry date on it, then follow these general guidelines:
- Liquid & Cream Foundation: 12 months
- Powder (Compacts, Bronzers, Blushers & Eye Shadows): 2 years
- Cream & Liquid Eye-Shadows: 12 months
- Mascara & Liquid Liner: 3 to 6 months
- Lipstick: 12 months
- Lip Gloss: 6 months
- Nail Polish: 2 years
Use Testers Wisely
All of us have felt the need to go and try the latest on-trend lipstick or mascara being advertised at the moment, but if you are heading to a makeup counter then remember to be careful about how you test a product. Make sure that the consultant cleans the product before you use it and that they use a disposable wand or brush to put the product on you. It is quite likely that there have been hundreds of people using that tester before you, and you really don?t want to share the bacteria from that many people do you?!
For more information on the Makeup and Beauty Services that Born offer, please contact us on 0161 235 7788 or email us at change@born.uk.com