Keep Your Makeup Clean and Safe

I don't know about you, buy my makeup takes a lot of abuse. Most of it lives in my bathroom, a lot in my purse, and some tossed in the crevices of my van. It gets dirty. It gets handled by small, sticky fingers, too. The last thing I want to do is put dirty makeup on my skin. Here are some tips to keep your makeup clean and safe.

Keep it covered. Does your makeup live in the bathroom like mine? I don't have to tell you of the germy ickiness that floats around the air every time you flush. Gross. Keep the lid down - both on your toilet and on your makeup. Keep your brushes in a brush case or roll and wash them often with brush cleaner, soap, or even shampoo. Keep your shadows, liners, and the like housed in drawers, jars, or any container with a lid to keep the germs away. If possible, teach those cute little fingers to keep their hands -and little germs - away. (Bonus, it might just save you from having to clean red lipstick off the wall, courtesy of your favorite budding artist.)

Keep it out of the heat and cold. Summer heat and winter cold can wreak havoc on your makeup. It breaks down the creams and liquids, causes the powders to flake, and the temperature flux can cause germies to grow at super-speed. Don't leave makeup in the sun, in the car, or anywhere the temperature isn't stable.

Keep it in a bag. If you're taking your beauty stash along with you, toss it in a cosmetic bag. This keeps the makeup from ending up all over the inside of your purse (nothing like pink eyeshadow all over your checkbook) and keeps whatever is in your purse from getting on your makeup. (Dirty money, ink pens, matchbox cars, and goldfish crumbs, in my case).

Clean it! If your makeup gets dirty, clean it! A cotton ball with a little rubbing alcohol does a great job cleaning up the outside of your makeup pallets and cases. You can even use it to wipe off lipsticks (yup, the actual part that goes on your lips), eye liners, and anything else that gets germy on the outside. Use it to sanitize your sink after you've wiped your makeup.

Toss it. Anything that looks gross, separates, smells funny, gets old, or dirty just needs to go. Toss it and the germs and dirt right along with it. You don't need to be putting dirt and germs on your eyes, your lips, or your skin. When it doubt, throw it out!

Replace it. When you purchase makeup and skin care products, consider the container. Don't buy lotions in tubs, as they are too easily contaminated. Instead, use tubes where you can squeeze out a small amount on the back of your hand. And while no one actually likes the preservatives in the beauty stuff, its there for a reason. It will help keeps those germs at bay.

Take good care of your makeup and it will help keep you looking great. Watch out for germs and dirt to keep you - and your skin- healthy and beautiful.


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