10 important makeup hygiene mantras

Now that you’ve made some ‘cosmetic’ changes to your beauty routine, go all the way ‘coz nothing can make up for bad hygiene, says Vidya Tikari.

Here’s how to truly come clean:

1. Makeup brushes & powder puffs:  Wash them weekly with a mild baby shampoo. Squeeze out all of the remaining water and pat dry with a paper towel. Allow them to completely dry before placing them back. Makeup artists use a cleanser on brushes like Sterilum or makeup brush cleanser every time they finish an application because they have to use their brushes on many people. This will clean all makeup, disinfect, and condition the hair of the brush too. Just spray it on the brush and wipe clean with a tissue. The best part is that makeup brush is completely dry after you’re done! It is perfect when you don't have the time to dry your brushes. How often should you clean your makeup brushes? Depends on the brush. Any brush you use on a liquid cosmetic should be cleaned everyday – like concealer, foundation, lip products and cream eye shadow. For other brushes, clean as often as twice a week or once a week depending on how regularly you use them.
2. Always wash your hands before applying makeup. Keep hand sanitizer with you when on-the-go.
3. Although brushes are great, use disposable applicators when possible. These include sponges, Q-tips, etc. Chuck them after a single use to be safe. 
4. Sharpen eyeliner/lipliner before every use and and swipe with a tissue before applying it. Not only does it give you a precise point to work with for a better line, but using a sharpener also gets rid of any bacterial residue.
5. Can’t remind you enough to check the expiry date of products. Most women use expired makeup products not just because makeup can be expensive, but also because your products look and smell the same as when they bought them – way past their expiry date. Once your makeup product has expired, the preservatives which kept bacteria in check become less effective – allowing microbes to multiply freely inside your tubes and bottles. This bacteria is then transferred to your face every time you apply makeup and can cause all kinds  of dermatological distress from rashes to pimples.
6. Avoid using in-store testers. Would you offer your mascara or eye shadow to the girl with the pink-eye next to you in the restroom? Doubt it very much. Testers in stores sure seem tempting and a great way to check out makeup products before buying them. But the truth is you never know who's been using them before you. Testers can be full of viruses like herpes and pink-eye which are passed on through skin contact. If you have to use testers, scrape off the top layer of the lipsticks, use disposable applicators and sharpen any pencils you want to try out.
7. Keep your products clean. Most of us are guilty of storing our makeup products in the most unhygienic room in the house, the bathroom, which is full of airborne microbes just waiting to settle into your favourite foundation or mascara. If you still want to keep your makeup in the bathroom, keep it all covered and the lids on tightly.
8. Bacteria is more likely to breed in warm, moist conditions. So keep your products cool and away from direct sunlight. Keeping them in your car is also not a good idea.
9. Keep your tools clean. Though we tend to put our makeup brushes and sponges down on the sink while applying makeup, there’s no telling what kind of bacteria that bathroom surface has collected. Our brushes and sponges come into contact most with our faces and should be kept clean and dry at all times. Lay makeup brushes on a paper towel while using them.
10. Now that you’ve got that awesome eye shadow, of course your girlfriends will want to try it on. But even if it offends anyone, don’t share makeup! This bacterial barter could be a recipe for breakouts, or worse, infection.