Eyeliner: Like mascara, eyeliner can transfer pathogens, especially if applied along the waterline or close to the eyes. Makeup brushes: Makeup brushes can harbor bacteria, dead skin cells, and residual makeup. Sharing these items can lead to the transfer of impurities and increase the risk of skin issues.
Using another person's makeup products or sharing makeup that you own could spread acne-causing germs. Essentially, your face is coming into contact with someone else's pimples and germs. There's no way this can be good for our skin.
Also, don't share cosmetics. Cross contamination happens when 2 or more people use the same brushes or eyeliners. The main danger with sharing makeup is passing on an infection like viral conjunctivitis, also known as pink eye. Exposure to even a small amount of virus can lead to a very uncomfortable infection.
It is extremely rare for Hep C to be transmitted through household items like makeup and rare for it to be transmitted through tweezers but it's just good hygiene practice to not share these personal items if you're able to.
"Depending on the bacteria or virus and depending on the type of product and its ingredients, beauty products can remain contaminated from a range of a few hours or days to much longer," said Dr. David Lortscher, a board-certified dermatologist and the CEO and founder of Curology.
Can makeup make you sick? You wash your hands after using the restroom and before you eat, but if you're using four-year-old eye shadow, your hygiene habits may not be enough. Contaminated or old cosmetics can contain germs that lead to acne, rashes, pink eye, staph infections and even herpes.
“It is hard to re-infect yourself,” he said. RELATED: Symptom tracker: Cold, flu — or something else? After being exposed to a virus, the body creates antibodies to fight off the virus. When you recover from that particular virus, your body no longer remains susceptible to that strain.
Herpes is a highly contagious viral infection that can spread easily through close personal contact, including the sharing of makeup, chapstick, and lipstick. Although herpes can cause discomfort and embarrassment, it is important to remember that it is a common condition that affects millions of people worldwide.
You can sanitize powders like eyeshadow palettes by spraying a 70% rubbing alcohol on it and letting it dry. To be even cleaner you can take off the top layer of it with a tissue or something then spray it. You wanna stick with 70% so it doesn't dry off too quickly and not kill the germs.
Safe makeup practices and hygiene tips
Avoid sharing: Refrain from sharing makeup products, especially those that come into direct contact with the eyes, lips, or mucous membranes. This includes mascara, eyeliner, lipstick, lip gloss, and lip balm.
Sharing makeup increases your chances of contracting staph infections like Staphylococcus aureus and Staphylococcus epidermidis. The good news is that most staph infections can be treated with simple antibiotics.
You can reduce your risk of contracting the bacteria by: Washing your hands before you touch your eyes or if you suspect you have had contact with someone with the infection. Avoiding sharing items that can come into contact with your eyes, such as towels, washcloths, cosmetics, and fake eyelashes.
However, “any type of face powder” including powder foundation or blush, are among the least likely to transmit harmful bacteria according to Levy.
Beware of cross-contamination
It's no good if the makeup artist is using a disposable mascara wand but is cross-contaminating products by putting that disposable back into the mascara tube. Contaminated brushes and products breed micro-organisms that can cause a whole host of health problems.
It may sound rude to say no to sharing makeup, but it can lead to serious facial conditions that might look harmless at the moment. Just like one should never share or try makeup testers kept in the stores, you should never share some makeup products and skincare that could lead to a disaster.
Hepatitis C is transmitted primarily by exposure to blood containing the hepatitis C virus. Current research suggests that if you're in a long-term, monogamous relationship with a partner who has hepatitis C, your risk of contracting hepatitis C is quite low — unless you also have human immunodeficiency virus (HIV).
Hepatitis C is spread when a sufficient amount of blood from an infected person enters the bloodstream of another person. Hepatitis B is also spread this way, as well as sexually4. You cannot get hepatitis B or C through casual contact such as touching, kissing, hugging or sharing food5,6.
Hepatitis B is transmitted when blood, semen, or another body fluid from a person infected with HBV enters the body of someone who is not infected. This can happen through sexual contact; sharing needles, syringes, or other drug-injection equipment; or from mother to baby at birth.
Have you wondered as you share someone's lip balm or sampled makeup at a makeup counter? Well, the herpes virus that causes cold sores is a germ you can potentially 'catch' when you share personal items such as makeup. Yes, it's true!
Avoid reinfection.
If you use items that touched your cold sore while it was healing, you can get a new cold sore. To prevent reinfection, throw away your toothbrush, lip balm, cosmetics, and other products that may have touched the cold sore.
Avoid Sharing Personal Items
Don't share drinks, lip products, towels or utensils if you have oral herpes symptoms. Any object that touches an infected person's saliva or sores can spread HSV to another person.
Colds have a sneaky habit of hitting when you least expect it. Even with careful behaviour, it's possible for viruses to make their way into homes and bodies. During a cold, the bed is where we do most of our resting and healing. However, that also means that the bed sheets have high levels of exposure to germs.
When viruses and bacteria from your mouth attach to the toothbrush bristles, they can stay there for weeks. The fact that they can stay alive in the bristles means they still have the power to cause illness.