Beauty Quarantine: Safe Practices To Implement During COVID-19 (and Forever)

During a recent meeting, I watched a co-worker pull out a favourite pot of lip gloss, dig out a little with her finger, and apply to her lips. Normal, right? Not during the coronavirus outbreak. This is an easy way to get sick by potentially spreading germs on your finger to your mouth. I can’t fault her – I do the same all of the time. Now more than ever, we need to be much more vigilant about our beauty practices to keep us and our community as a whole safe.

The best way to stay healthy while using makeup and brushes is to just plain old not share it with anyone.

As a rule, we should focus on regular cleaning of our beauty tools, as sanitizing powder-based makeup with alcohol and other cleaning agents can ruin it.

Laneige Lip Sleeping Masks come with a reusable applicator with can be cleaned easily

Here are some tips to implement during the COVID-19 outbreak…and beyond.

Wash Your Hands, Pre-Application

“Wash your hands, wash your hands, wash your hands…” this has pretty much been the outbreak mantra. Be sure to thoroughly wash your hands before applying your makeup.

Practice sound hand-washing hygiene. Hum the “Happy Birthday Song” twice while lathering up. Don’t forget the backs of your hands, in between fingers and under your fingernails.

Don’t Share Your Makeup With ANYONE

This is a great way to spread the virus. The amount of bacteria that makeup harbours is staggering. It can cause infections that will check you right quick.

Disinfect Your Makeup

Now is a great time to give your makeup such as lipsticks, eyeliners, etc. a good wipe down with alcohol or a sanitizer. Go that extra step and remove the first layer of the product too.

Avoid Store Testers

And on that note…please, for the love of GOD – AVOID STORE TESTERS. With drugstores still open, it’s tempting to peruse the beauty aisle and get a few pick-me-ups in the form of lipsticks, eyeshadows, blushes, etc. I don’t have to explain why this is a bad idea right now.

Clean Your Brushes

Brushes really should be cleaned after every use, but we all slack off, myself included.

An easy way to disinfect your brushes is to spritz them with isopropyl alcohol (90%) and wipe the bristles and handles against some clean paper towel. Alcohol is drying though. To extend the life of the bristles, invest in a great brush cleaner. My favourite is Beauty Blender BlenderCleanser Solid Pro. It’s pricey, but it works and a little goes a long way. It also comes with a little brush scrubbing mat!

Give Your Makeup Bag The Cleaning It Deserves

Ok – I don’t know ANYONE with a pristine makeup bag. Mine get so gross from spilled glitter, eyeliners that become uncapped, you name it. There was that very unfortunate time a bottle of red nail polish exploded in my makeup bag too. Ugh.

Every month, I chuck my cloth makeup bags in the washer and hang them to dry. Plastic makeup bags can be wiped down with Lysol wipes (if you can find them), or any good spray cleaner.

Store Your Makeup Properly

Bacteria loves to multiply in warm, damp places like your bathroom countertop. Tuck your makeup away in a cool, dry drawer or cabinet.

That’s it for now, Dominators. Stay safe and healthy…