If you’re one of the many women that wears makeup on a daily basis, then you’re likely aware of the importance of thoroughly washing the makeup off your face each night. Makeup left on your face overnight can cause irritation and even acne flares. In addition to keeping your face clean, it’s equally as important to keep your cosmetic brushes clean. Here are some surprising facts about dirty makeup brushes:
Sharing makeup could cause paralysis
It may seem harmless to share makeup with your best girlfriends, but since makeup brushes are breeding grounds for bacteria, it’s best not to share. If you insist on sharing, you should at least thoroughly clean the brushes in between uses, and sanitize them as well. This can help prevent the spread of potentially hazardous germs. A young woman in Australia believed it was okay to share makeup, and she ended up paralyzed as a result. The paralysis occurred after the woman contracted a dangerous antibiotic resistant staph infection that failed to respond to treatment. Cleaning the makeup brushes before applying the makeup could have prevented the woman’s infection.
In most cases, you do not have to worry about becoming paralyzed from using makeup brushes contaminated with the germs of others. Contracting a serious infection is rare, but it is obviously possible, and in most cases the worst thing you might have to contend with is eye or skin irritation, or possibly even pink eye or rashes.
Dirty brushes prevent proper color blending
If you like eye shadow and mixing colors is your thing, then in order to achieve the precise color you’re seeking, you need a clean brush. A dirty, debris-filled brush will make achieving the right colors nearly impossible due to a mixture of various colors left behind in the brush. Cleaning the brush is quick and easy and can help you get the exact look that you desire.
You could be wiping toilet germs on your face
If you leave your makeup on the bathroom counter on a regular basis, then chances are you or someone else has flushed the toilet while it was in the bathroom. When toilets flush, they spew out numerous nasty germs that can contaminate your brushes and other supplies.
Cleaning your makeup brushes isn’t something that must be done on a daily basis. Once every 4 weeks should suffice, and in addition to keeping germs off your face, regularly cleaning your brushes can help them last longer. Dirt and grime can build up in the bristles, resulting in them wearing out more quickly. It doesn’t matter which cosmetic brush cleaner you use, or even if you make your own, because as long as you’re cleaning your brushes, that’s all that matters.
The post Surprising Facts About Dirty Makeup Brushes appeared first on Makeup How-to and Advice.
