10:29 AM How Germy Is Your Make-up? |
A British study by Escentual found that some women kept their make-up for up to six years after their expiry date, and 70% of women never cleaned their makeup brushes. Yep, gross. While we all have at one point refused to throw out that beautiful cream eyeshadow (which has never been touched, but it's too pretty to throw away), are you aware of exactly how germy your make-up is? We give you the low-down on when it's time to say buh-bye to your beauty favourites. FOUNDATION/CONCEALER Verdict: Quite germy! When to toss: For liquid foundations and concealers, it's best to throw them out after a year. Mathew Nigara, renowned celebrity makeup artist, explains that they should be replaced when the oils rise to the top and the consistency thickens, which means that your foundation will create an uneven, streaky and inconsistent finish. Powder foundations can be kept for up to two years. Bacteria won’t grow where there’s no water. However the older they are the more they’ll crumble and become harder to blend.  BLUSH/BRONZER/FACE POWDER Verdict: Not that germy! When to toss: Two years. Powder products don’t typically contain water, so there won’t be any bacteria growing there. Cosmetic chemist Ni’Kita Wilson advises to look out for the ones with botanical extracts such as aloe, green tea extract, chamomile and the long Latin words that we won’t attempt to pronounce for you…Wilson explains that oils will cling to the bristles of your brush and transfer to your product when applying powder over liquid or cream face products. This causes a dull grey film on the product, which you can avoid by applying your powder a few minutes after your face makeup or by blotting away excess oil first. MASCARA Verdict: Extremely germy! When to toss: Three months with everyday use and six months with occasional use. The dark, wet tube is the perfect home for bacteria to grow. Research from two Brazilian university studies found that 79% of mascara samples owned by women are contaminated with staph bacteria. Take our advice and chuck out the bacteria-riddled tube, even if it’s half full. Sorry girls. EYELINERS Verdict: Quite germy! When to toss: Four months if you’d rather eye-enhancing over eye-irritating. Liquid eyeliners have the same bacteria-prone formula and packaging as mascaras, and pencil eyeliners are always placed near your eye which can pick up bacteria along the way. When a white film that can’t be sharpened off develops on your eyeliner, replace it with a brand new one. Hey, at least you have an excuse to go shopping! LIPSTICK/LIPGLOSS Verdict: Not that germy! When to toss: Lipstick doesn't hold much bacteria, so it can last for up to two years. The best time to throw it out is when it starts to dry up and the pigment doesn’t spread easily on your lips. For lipgloss, it will become streaky and gloopy when applied. Try to avoid sharing your lipstick with others and use a lip brush to apply if you want to preserve it. MAKE-UP BRUSHES Verdict: Very germy! When to toss: Brushes can last a long time if well looked after. When the bristles start falling out, that’s when you know it’s time to replace it. Brushes should be washed at least once every two weeks, and try to spot-clean your eye brushes after each use to avoid infections. Bacteria grows from the build-up of make-up, oil and dirt. That won’t do any favours for your skin! To avoid break-outs and irritation, try our favourite DIY brush cleanser. All you need is warm water, mild soap and a dash of olive oil; give your brush a swirl (the olive oil breaks down the oil in make-up) and rinse thoroughly. You should also see: |
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