Ladies and fellas! It’s time to talk about something you all need to hear—your makeup collection is gross.
Think about it. That bottle of expensive foundation that goes on your face almost every day has seen you through all the ups and downs; from crying over Deepika going up in flames in Om Shanti Om for the gajillionth time to the multiple work calls where only the top half of you was made up.
But have you been good to your brushes and your products?
Read on to find out how you can slay and stay beautiful without giving yourself a skin infection by mistake.
Also read: Ceramides isn’t just a new skincare trend. Here is how they can work wonders
Cleaning is non-negotiable
Reusing your makeup products every day means these brushes, lipsticks, beauty blenders and more are going to come in contact with your skin every 24-48 hours.
Not cleaning them is basically an invitation for bacteria to form a breeding ground on your products, which then invites breakouts, irritation and ick on a whole other level.
It’s not just cleaning your accessories that you have to be mindful of, it’s the makeup too. Have you noticed a little jar symbol with a number and an uppercase M on your products? That’s your countdown clock. That number indicates how many months you’ve got remaining after opening it up. 12M means 12 months and 24M means 2 years until you throw it away—no matter how much is left over.
Then, of course, there’s the hourglass icon. That’s your product telling you “Ghost me for too long and you’ll be left with an expired product”. Any makeup product older than 2.5 years needs to be shown your garbage can because that’s where it belongs.
If your makeup container comes with 3 interlocked arrows then that means the container can be recycled and a lowercase “e” refers to the estimated volume of product within that container.
Pretty cool, right?
Now let’s look at it one product at a time.
Cover the bases: Foundation
A clean base is a clean face.
Your foundation is the Shah Rukh Khan of your makeup routine. Whether you’re going for a ‘no makeup’ makeup look or complete Euphoria-level glam, you need to start with a clean base.
So how do you clean your foundation?
To start with, get a cotton pad and douse it with a little bit of rubbing alcohol (70 per cent). Wipe down the bottle, especially around the nozzle area because that’s where the gunk usually builds up. And remember you’ve got to do this every time you use your foundation, even more so if you’re in the habit of sharing your foundation with friends or siblings.
Also read: Sunscreen you can eat—and avoid allergies this summer
Keep your powders dust-free
Now powders are the least problematic when it comes to keeping your makeup products clean.
But does that mean that they’re immune to bacteria? Not at all.
If you see your powder-based makeup; eyeshadows, face powder, blush, etc. start to look clumpy and crusty—it is time for a good clean.
First, remove the top layer with a clean tissue. Then take some rubbing alcohol in a spray bottle, spritz it over your powders from a safe distance and wait for them to dry up.
Makeup brushes and sponges
Every week, you need to assemble all your brushes and sponges to give them a good rub down. Alcohol doesn’t quite cut it for them.
Here’s what you need to do:
- Get a bowl of water, mix some shampoo or brush cleaner in it.
- Leave your brushes in this for a few minutes, occasionally swirling them around to dislodge any buildup.
- Rinse them and let them dry flat on the side.
Repeat this once a week and your brushes will remain loyal to your skin for a very very long time.
Liners and mascara
This is one product you do not want to play around with in terms of cleanliness. Dirty mascara can often lead to infections in your eye, redness and all sorts of eye-related drama.
And nobody’s got time for that.
Here’s how you can keep your mascara wand clean—dip it in rubbing alcohol and then run it under a tap to remove any other buildup. If you use mascara daily or weekly, clean it every six weeks. But if your usage is more infrequent, clean it after every use.
Liners—lip, eye or brow—can also become breeding grounds for bacteria and there’s only one way to keep them clean; wipe the tip of the lipstick with a clean tissue after every use. Yup, every use.
For lip liners, you’ve got to sharpen them regularly to ensure they stay fresh and free of any germs.
Also read: Protect your child’s sensitive skin. There’s more to it than using mild products
When to kick them out
Expired makeup is nobody’s friend.
I know how hard it is to get rid of makeup products, especially if they’re limited edition pieces. Expired makeup products are a crime to your skin.
Here’s a cheat sheet for you:
- Powder-based makeup (blush, face powder, eyeshadow): max two years
- Cream-based makeup (foundation, concealer): max one year
- Mascara: max three months
- Lipsticks: max one year
If your makeup smells off then it probably is. Another way to check the expiry is by looking at the PAO or Period After Opening symbol that’s printed on the pack.
Always remember a clean kit is the best fit—for you and your skin.
Dr Deepali Bhardwaj is a Consultant Dermatologist, Max Hospital, Saket. She is also an anti-allergy specialist, laser surgeon and internationally trained aesthetician. She tweets @dermatdoc. Views are personal.
(Edited by Theres Sudeep)