Tech Talk: Cosmetic Care

Makeup and cosmetic applicators can be expensive and truly an investment~ If you’re going to spend money on quality cosmetics, you might as well take care of them properly. It is so incredibly important that you know how to care for your cosmetics not only because of the price but for serious health motivations as well.

Brushes, lipsticks, eyeshadow, mascaras, eyeliners and basically anything you apply to your skin is a breeding ground for bacteria. This bacteria microscopically forms on old, unclean cosmetics and can cause serious infections. So today, to avoid any scary hazards, I’m briefly going to lay out some common rules to follow i.e when to throw out makeup  & how to clean applicators such as brushes/ sponges.

#1: WHEN TO THROW OUT MAKEUP

I’m a huge makeup hoarder so I know it can be hard to throw out makeup, especially those that you’ve barely used, but it is necessary to follow these rules to prevent infection!

Here are the general guidelines to when you should throw out certain beauty products:

MASCARA: 6 mo.

SPONGES: 6 mo.

LIPSTICK: 1 yr.

LIPLINER: 1 yr.

BROW PENCIL: 1 yr.

CLEANSER: 1 yr.

EYELINER: 1 yr.

EYESHADOW: 2 yrs.

MOISTURIZER: 2 yrs.

POWDER: 2 yrs.

CONCEALER: 2 yrs.

LIQUID FOUNDATION: 2 yrs.

BLUSH: 2 yrs.

Note: If any makeup is broken, it’s time to throw it out as bacteria can seep into the cracks. 

#2 HOW TO PROPERLY CLEAN BRUSHES / SPONGES 

Brushes should be washed at least once a week. An easy way to wash brushes is simply putting the bristles under a steady stream of water with a small dab of soap or shampoo. You can also opt to buy a brush cleaner~ most brands have their own version of a cleaner. Such cleaners have alcohol in them that help break up tough formulations from such products as cream shadow, foundation or lipstick. Rubbing alcohol also does the trick if you wish for a less expensive option.

Personally, I like the Clinique cleanser, which is often recommended by makeup artists who spend the majority of their time cleaning brushes after using them on their clients.

Sponges like the common Beauty Blender should be washed every other time you use them. Just like with brushes, take a little soap and massage it into the sponge and let dry.

DRYING: 

When drying your clean brushes, make sure to leave them flat on a towel with the bristles hanging off the edge. If you leave the wet ends upward, the water will break up the glue holding the bristles which will eventually ruin your brush completely. It is also best to lay your wet brushes by natural light or outside to prevent a drying mildew smell.

Hoped this mini guideline post helped all you makeup lovers! See you guys very soon, I’ve been posting like crazy lately.

As always, thanks for reading!