Read THIS and You’ll Never Share Makeup Again.
I know a woman who keeps a pristine home and never has so much as a wrinkle in any outfit she wears (which often includes a major item that is bleach-on-bleach white). She will tell you proudly that she washes her sheets every few days and always make sure to wipe down the kitchen counters before she leaves the area. But as clean and tidy as her home and blouse, she’s got a deep, dirty secret. She has never washed her makeup brushes and she’s been known to pop into Sephora for a touch up without giving the products a proper cleaning (and if you are wondering, simply sharpening a lip liner or using a swab for lipstick doesn’t count).
If you’re starting to squirm, you’re not alone. A whopping 61% of women only clean their makeup brushes once a month or not at all, and only 10% of the women we polled said they cleaned the makeup with an alcohol solution before trying it on at the counter pre-pandemic. If you can relate, stay tuned. We are about to break down some of the worst ways to get down and dirty (and the risks that come along with your bad behavior). Find a quiet and secluded spot, and read along as we spill your naughty secrets and share how to redeem all of your sins.
It’s written all over your face.
From your lashes to your lips, one thing is certain: you’ve got it goin’ on. The question is: is what you’re using to put it on clean enough to touch your face? Let’s first discuss those makeup brushes you rarely wash. You know, the ones that collect dead skin, dust, and anything that sprays or spews near them? While you’re swiping caution to the wind, you’re also smearing bacteria all over your face. This behavior makes you prone to acne, skin irritation, allergic reactions, and that terrible muddy mix of color that makes you look older than you are. Ready to do an about-face? Check out Vogue’s tips for cleaning your brushes.
You’re big on sharing.
When my friends come to my house for a socially-distanced catch-up, it’s mi casa es su casa–but you had better bring your own makeup bag. From pinkeye, staph infections and flat warts, to oral herpes (yes, herpes), eye pencils, mascara wands, moist lip glosses and even shadows are prime real estate for bacteria and viruses, including Coronavirus which can live on makeup up to three days.
“Be as selfish with your makeup as you would your toothbrush.”
Right now, you’re likely thinking of your own pre-pandemic rushed visits to local beauty counters where you swiped unwashed lip liners and lipsticks to your mouth thus practically kissing the millions of others who used them (the ones who licked their lips 100 times that day). Accept your sordid past and calm down. Take a deep breath and the secret to your grave, but from now on, be as selfish with your makeup as you would your toothbrush. Share tips, not tools.
You have a mouth like a sailor… who never flossed.
I don’t know about you but I love a good and solid Bette Davis-style, “I’ll be damned” now and again (martini glass throwing against the wall for effect is optional). That said, even the bold Ms. Davis would be appalled at your filthy mouth.
When was the last time you flossed? Even if your response was “yesterday,” you’re nasty. Think of all of those food particles just sitting in-between your teeth, rotting, from then until now. You just swiped your mint toothpaste over the front and back of them as they sat there, causing bad breath and risking your overall health (poor oral hygiene has been linked to increased risk of cancer, erectile dysfunction and low birth weight in newborn babies). If that wasn’t scary enough, listen to this: only 4 in 10 Americans floss daily and 20% never do. We are not alone in our bad habits; only 31% of Brits clean in-between their teeth.
You linger in your bath towel.
Is there anything more glamorous than indulging in a steamy shower and then wrapping yourself in a big, gorgeous, Turkish towel? It depends. How many times have you participated in this ritual since washing it? If the answer is more than three, well, congrats; you’re gross. And if you’re sharing towels, even with your sexy-so-and-so man, well, you know why you can’t sit with us. Stop wrapping yourself in bacteria and wiping your face where someone else wiped their you-know-what and get your load together.
You workout in new yoga pants before washing them.
We’re going to assume that strip or no strip you would never bring an unwashed bathing suit or piece of lingerie close to your body, but did you know that your Athleisure picks can also carry human secretions? According to research performed by Dr. Philip Tierno, director of microbiology and immunology at New York University, a silk blouse tested positive for vaginal organisms and faecal matter–both of which can survive on a garment for weeks. That’s longer than most Tinder relationships! Now, since you can’t wash before you buy (or buy before you try), it’s a no-brainer solution to wear a thin layer of clothing under new items. Be sure to cover your armpits as that area is known to produce a high level of secretions (how icky is that word? Yuck).
Ready to clean up your act? Check out how to clean your makeup brushes here.
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