Dirty makeup kits do more than your face

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Dirty makeup kits do more than your face

Is wearing makeup giving you skin problems? Maybe it’s because your brushes are dirty. Makeup brushes need to be washed and there are some tips from Lee Mi-jeong at LJH Clinic, Cho Sun-young at LJH Easthetic and makeup artist Gwon Hee-seon.
Big brushes ― powder brushes and blusher brushes, which most people use to finish their makeup ― can collect sebum, the oily substance secreted by the sebaceous glands, and dirt. If they are not taken care of, they can lead to skin rashes and inflammations.
Apply alcohol to a cotton ball and use it to loosen the dirt on the brushes. Then dip the brushes in lukewarm water mixed with mild detergent. Rinse them in clean water for a while and dry them by gently wrapping them with tissue or tower. Then place them in a spot in the shade, but with good air circulation. To keep them clean, wipe them with a wet tissue right after use.
Small brushes ― mainly concealer brushes and lip brushes ― tend to be greasy after use and hairs tend to get fastened together. They also tend to collect any dirt or even bacteria in the air. Using a contaminated lip brush can cause an inflammation of lips and even generate pus.
Rub the brush against a sponge to get rid of residue and rub a cleansing cream into it evenly with your hands. Then wash it with a cleanser and rinse with water.
After use, wipe it with a tissue right away. If the hairs keep sticking together, you know it’s time to buy a new brush.
Sponges are used to apply foundations and cream blush to the face. They tend to absorb the grease of cosmetics and sebum, and thus are easily contaminated with dirt and bacteria. Using a dirty sponge can even lead to folliculitis, the presence of inflammatory cells in the wall and lumen of the hair follicle, creating a follicle-based pustule.
Many people often cut the used parts out of sponges. If it’s going to be reused, however, a sponge needs to be washed once or twice a week. Dip it in lukewarm water mixed with mild detergent and rub it gently with your hands. Apply soap to eliminate grease and wrap it with towel to dry it out. Let it dry in the shade.
Powder puffs are often breeding grounds for bacteria and mold. A puff is like a vacuum cleaner in the air, sucking up sebum and grease from makeup foundations, as well as dirt and foreign materials This can lead to rashes and itchiness.
Gently wash it in lukewarm water mixed with a mild detergent and rinse it for a long time to prevent a build-up of residue. Rinse it with a fabric softening agent to keep the puff soft to the touch and let it sit out to dry in the sun. Since powder puffs are used very often, be sure to wash your at least once a week.
Eye shadow tips is used to add fine coloring around the eyes. Because the eye shadow tip directly touches the surrounding area of the eyes, using an tip can lead to the user developing conjunctivitis.
Wash it in lukewarm water mixed with a mild detergent and gently tap it while washing ― do this several times. Set it out to dry in the sun. Use two or three eye shadow tips in rotation and replace them often.

by Kim Eun-hye
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