How to banish bacteria and germ-proof your makeup bag

Did you know that only 34% women clean their makeup bags at least once a year? Yup. That’s a real number – from a survey done by the folks at Q-tips.

Now, imagine, how that makes your makeup bag a breeding ground for germs and bacteria – every single time you pull it out in the tube, a taxi or a bathroom, pick out a lip gloss or mascara with not-so-clean hands, place products on a restaurant or office table and chuck them back in again… I mean, just imagine everywhere your makeup bag and its products have been.

And then think of all the germs that have been breeding in its depths, which is scary and ewww-worthy at any time but never more than now, when the whole world seems to be collapsing around the greatest pandemic our generation may ever see.

Several laboratory tests have already proved that makeup bags are breeding ground for all kinds of bacteria and other micro-organisms, including E. coli, Staphylococcus aureus (causes skin infections and food poisoning) and Pseudomonas aeruginosa (blood infections and pneumonia!).

So, how much bacteria could be in YOUR makeup bag? Short answer: probably more than you think.

Hence, along with religiously washing your hands, sanitising your space and social distancing you really, really need to do one more thing – clean out and disinfect your makeup bag. NOW.

Press the reset button

First of all, dump everything and clean the bag thoroughly (inside and out) using anti-bacterial wipes. If it’s a cloth bag and washable, go one step further and toss it into your washing machine. Allow to dry completely before replacing the contents. Next, wash all makeup brushes, whether or not they seem dirty.

Sort out your stash

This is also the perfect time to take stock of what you are actually using right now, toss out expired products and store everything else away the rest in a cool, dry place. After all, do you really need 16 lipsticks going everywhere with you?

Sanitise, sanitise, sanitise!

No makeup artist would be caught dead without a mammoth supply of isopropyl alcohol, hand sanitiser and antibacterial brush cleansers. Once a month (or after you’ve had any infection), gently swab all makeup surfaces – blush, compact powder or foundation, lipstick etc – with the alcohol to de-germify. And keep a pencil sharpener handy – it’s the best way to keep your brow, eye and lip pencils sanitised.

Switch to plastic

Powders, dyes and germs latch on to cloth or canvas surfaces, making them difficult to clean. A makeup bag made from plastic, on the other hand, can be easily cleaned with a wet cloth.

Sharing is not caring

DO NOT SHARE YOUR MAKEUP. EVER! This is not being selfish – merely smart. Sharing lipsticks and mascara wands is the easiest way to spread germs. And that’s not all: do not double-task your tools. Lip brushes should only be used on the lips, and the same goes for eyes. This is not a place to mix-and-match.