Ladies, it’s time to get down on those of us whose
make up bags are just as crowded as passengers waiting to board a train at
Agbado Terminal Railway station........
It’s not news that ladies world over use one make-up
item or the other, have you ever pondered on the fact that that make-up bag of
yours, if not properly taken care of could just be a den of germs?
During the course of my research, here are some of the
tips I stumbled on..........
Not
convinced? Here are just some of the nasties known to love nothing more than a
warm, damp make up bag or an unloved lippie.
Pseudomonas aeruginosa is a bacterium
commonly found in soil, water and warm, damp environments such as hot tubs and
swimming pools. But if you think that steering clear of your local sports
centre will help, think again: this bacterium is also found in old mascaras
and can lead to painful eye infections.
Escherichia coli, or E. coli is normally
associated with food, but it's also commonly found lurking in old make up -
especially lipstick. When ingested, E. coli can cause diarrhoea and abdominal
cramps and, if left untreated, can eventually lead to organ damage such as
kidney failure.
If you need
convincing that sharing make up sponges or brushes is a bad idea, look no
further than our next offender,
staphylococcus epidermis, a naturally-occurring bacteria found on the skin
of humans. This bacterium is especially easy to transmit through the shared use
of lipsticks, eye liners and eye shadows and can lead to infections such as
conjunctivitis and folliculitis - an infection of the hair follicles.
Staphylococcus aureus - otherwise
known as MRSA - isn't just found on dirty hospital wards. This particular bacterium
loves nothing more than an old, damp make up sponge - you're most at risk when
using an infected brush or sponge on broken skin irritated skin.
Use it or
lose it
Holding onto
products long after their use-by date doesn't just increase the risk of
infection, but means that you're also using products which won't be performing
as well as they should.
Mascaras, for example should be thrown out
after four to six months, the average woman keeps hers for a year.Pics:leilaandvanya.blogspot.com
Eye shadows, blushers, lipsticks and glosses
shouldn't be kept for longer than 24 months, but on average, these products
will be left to linger at the bottom of our makeup bags for a shocking ten
years....
Pics:makeupbag.net
It's often the products we use the least which we end up hanging onto.
Go through
the contents of your make up bag at least once a month, and be ruthless - if
you haven't used a product for more than a few weeks ask yourself if it's
really worth holding onto.
While knowing the shelf life of products is important, remember that this varies according to the brand. "Liquid foundations in particular have a shelf life that varies between 12 and 24 months depending on the brand," researchers say.
Note, be
especially ruthless with any make up that's used on the eye area.
In a recent
survey published in Optometry journal, researchers gave forty women different
brands of mascara. The women were instructed to use the mascaras once a day.
After three months, the mascaras were returned to the researchers and tested.
Microbes were found in 33 percent of the mascaras, while staphylococcus or streptococcus
was found in the majority.
Don't be fooled by talk of anti-bacterial agents either - while an increasing number of products do contain these, they only have a life span of around six months.
Tool time
It's not just the products we use on our skin that can transmit bacteria — it's the tools we apply them with, and the average germ loves nothing more than a warm damp brush.
It's not just the products we use on our skin that can transmit bacteria — it's the tools we apply them with, and the average germ loves nothing more than a warm damp brush.
"Make up brushes should be cleaned every three to five months," says Bobbi Brown.
"To
clean makeup brushes, use a mild
household liquid soap.
Use your
hand as a cup for the warm, soapy water and swirl brushes in your palm until they are clean.
Rinse
well, and then squeeze excess water from the brush. Air dry by laying the brush
over the edge of a counter or table so that the
bristles are open to air at all times.
Sponges can be
washed in the sink, but ensure they're completely dry before going back in your
make up bag. Consider investing in a multi pack of makeup sponges and wash or
replace your sponges at least once a month.
Pics:mychemist.lk
It's just as
important to keep hair accessories clean. A recent study conducted in the UK
found that there are more bacteria on the average hair brush than there is in a dog's bowl.
Pics:cachebeauty.com
Don't allow
hair to build up on the brush. To remove, use a comb, or a brush cleaning tool.
Soak the brush in an antibacterial liquid, and wash with hot water. It sounds
horrible, but once the brush is clean of visible hair, put it in your
dishwasher on a high temperature. This will eradicate any remaining
bacteria."
Chase's top tips
·
Once you have
used your lip-liner or eye-liner pencil
(especially if you have shared), sharpen it.
This removes the previous layer and reduces bacteria.
Once a week take an alcoholic wipe and smooth over the tip.
·
Regularly give your make up bag a thorough wash to ensure that any spilled make up and
harmful bacteria is washed away or destroyed.
·
For cotton/material bags wash in hot water using The
Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Wash and for Plastic/Nylon types wipe thoroughly use
cleansing wipes or an Alcohol/Anti Bacterial liquid solution.
·
Replacing and securing lids will ensure that there is
never any make up spillage allowed to accumulate in the bag.
·
If your make up bag starts to smell, you could have
mould or bacteria growing in the small, warm, dark corners. Clean it thoroughly
and if the smell persists, invest in a new bag.
·
If you use a plastic or vinyl make-up bag, always
remember to keep it out of the sun and away from warm/hot surfaces as bacteria
will thrive in this type of warm and moist environment.
Culled:Yahoolifestlyes
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