Could Your Cosmetic Accessories Be Causing Your Acne?

Your makeup bag can be a hive of bacteria if you’re not taking good care of not only your cosmetics but your brushes and other tools. It’s very easy to simply keep using your brushes, applicators, tweezers and eyelash curlers and to forget about washing them regularly! Bacteria can hide in all kinds of nooks and crannies and the bristles of your brushes are a very comfortable environment for all kinds of nasties.

A dirty makeup brush can be the cause of eye infections, acne and even in extreme cases, MRSA which is a pretty awful infection that can cause serious illness so to be certain that your skin isn’t suffering due to your lax attention to detail, start learning how to take care of your makeup equipment today! Ideally you should see that your equipment is washed once a week…if this seems excessive, just think about how you use those things…brushing them into pots and jars and then onto your face on a daily basis is going to ensure that they pick up quite a lot of bacteria so don’t be shy, get into the habit and keep to your routine!

How to clean your makeup brushes and sponges

To begin, shake off any visible dust, dirt and makeup which is adhering to the brushes or sponges. Tap and shake the brushes over your sink; you will see quite a lot of visible dirt clinging to the hairs once you pay attention.

Next hold the brushes or sponges one by one under running warm water and gently rub the fibres of the brush or squeeze the sponges to remove even more makeup; again you will see a surprising amount of mess coming off! Don’t be too vigorous, especially if your brushes are good quality natural hair! Treat the brushes gently so that you do not damage them.

If your equipment seems to be very dirty then it can be a good idea to use a gentle shampoo to get the last traces of makeup and dirt out of them. You can also purchase special brush cleansing solutions in most good department stores and again, if you have invested a lot in your brushes this is worth a try as the solutions are specially formulated to clean gently but thoroughly.

Once you have shampooed your brushes and sponges you should once again hold them under running water to rinse them. If the water runs clear then you’ve done a good job…if not then you should repeat the gentle shampoo and then rinse once more.

Drying your makeup brushes and sponges

Shake excess water from the Using a paper towel or cotton cloth, gently press the brushes or sponges into the absorbent material but do not be tempted to “scrub” them dry. Reshape your brushes with your fingers and leave them to dry somewhere airy…in front of an open window or close to a fan for example. Do not be tempted to use a hairdryer or heater to hurry the task along as the heat can damage the delicate fibres.

Other makeup equipment

Ensure that your makeup bag or case is washed well once a week. Even the tidiest person is guilty of some mess when it comes to makeup management and a grubby storage container will only serve to ruin your equipment and encourage bacteria.

Tweezers and eyelash tongs should be cleaned once a week in boiling water and then dried completely before being put away. Keep a container within your makeup case especially for your metal tools, this will ensure that the sharp parts do not damage your makeup or your brushes.

A clean makeup container and well maintained equipment is the key to ensuring your things last longer and also the key to helping your skin stay healthy!