Makeup aisle is place to get germs as well as beauty tips
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By KRISTI L. GUSTAFSON Albany (N.Y.) Times Union - Published: April 3, 2005
A dab of brown eye shadow here, a swipe of bright lipstick there. But testing makeup may give you more than a pretty face.
Makeup counters are a breeding ground for germs, says Angelica Smith, a former Estee Lauder counter manager and creator of Angelica Beauty, a private makeup line. "If brushes and makeup aren't disinfected, you can catch bacteria."
While store employees may do their best to keep cosmetics sanitary, your eyes and mouth are particularly vulnerable to germs left behind by other testers.
Say the tester before you has pinkeye and uses a community makeup applicator. When you come along and use the same brush, you can easily get pinkeye, too, says Amy O'Connor, deputy editor at Prevention magazine.
"It's really an ick factor," O'Connor says. "Herpes is another factor. If someone puts lipstick to their lips and has a cold sore and puts it down and it isn't put in alcohol, they could be transmitting the herpes virus."
One misconception, says Smith, is that the bacteria seeps below the top layer. Wiping the top layer of lipstick, powders or eye shadows with an alcohol-coated cloth or other antibacterial wipe is enough. Beyond wiping, says Smith, is another crucial rule: Never share brushes - especially mascara wands - even a relative.
"If you have any concerns at all, you can ask" at the counter, Smith says. "But it's better to stay at the counter for five minutes and watch to see if they really clean the brushes and wipe the makeup."
Even if counters offer disposable wands, brushes, pads and swabs, you should still be cautious, says Smith. You've got the double-dip factor, after all, and not everyone is conscientious enough to take a new brush or pad with each new sample they try.
O'Connor offers these tips on staying safe:
- Avoid testing on lips and eyes, which are the most vulnerable to infection; use the back of your hand.
- Try makeup at a counter where a salesperson oversees hygienic usage, including single-use applicators.
- Wash your hands with soap and water or use a hand sanitizer before and after visiting a makeup counter.
- Test only products that come from a shaker or a squeeze pump dispenser, or those that are single-use.
- Have an in-store makeup artist apply testers for you. They are trained by cosmetic companies to use sanitary measures, including disinfecting their hands, sharpening pencils and spraying makeup brushes with antibacterial spray.
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