We all try and steer of bacteria and keep our homes clean, but have you ever considered what nasty little bugs might be lurking in your makeup bag and beauty kit? We don’t want to scare you, but here are ten 10 beauty items that are literally loaded with bacteria:
1. Hairbrushes and combs
In salons, they clean and disinfect combs and hairbrushes on a regular basis, but, honestly, when was the last time you cleaned your own? You hair, dead skin cells, your natural oils and products that you use, all build up on these tools and make them a great place for bacteria to live and breed.
2. Bathroom towels
Now, we are not suggesting, for a moment, that you don’t wash your towels, but who washes them after every single use? That means that they are left damp, in the warm bathroom and then they too can quickly become a breeding ground for bacteria and even mildew.
3. Mascara wands
Mascara wands are one of the worst culprits when it comes to bacteria and it’s especially important to be careful with them, as we use them on our eyes. Bacteria can easily build up on a mascara wand, so you should never keep one for more than three months.
4. Toothbrushes
When you brush your teeth you can transfer the bacteria that are in your mouth to the bristles of the toothbrush and there they can sit, quite happily, waiting for the next time you brush your teeth! This story gets even worse, if you leave your toothbrush out in the bathroom, because when you flush the toilet, bacteria from there can get into the air and then onto your toothbrush too. Make sure to change your toothbrushes regularly.
5. Makeup Brushes
You need to be cleaning your makeup brushes regularly too, or they can become a home for bacteria. They will pick up bacteria from your face and, just like a toothbrush, from the toilet as well. Hygiene aside, your makeup will go on a lot smoother if you keep your brushes clean.
6. Earrings
Earrings should be cleaned regularly to disinfect them. Otherwise, you will leave them around, picking up dust, dirt and bacteria, and then poke them into a hole in your skin. If they are not kept clean, they can cause an infection in your ear.
7. Nail clippers and files
All the things that you might have picked up on your hands and under your nails can end up on your nail file and clippers. If you don’t keep them clean, then they too can harbour a nice collection of bacteria for you to pick again later.
8. Lipstick
A lot of women reapply their lipstick, straight after a meal and that means any remnants of food left on your lips can get transferred to your lipstick. Those pieces of food will eventually breed bacteria that you will put back onto your lips again, another time.
9. Loofah
The fibrous texture of a loofah holds on to the moisture and the bacteria, long after you have finished using it and that promotes the growth of mould and bacteria. What’s worse is that loofah’s are abrasive, so the bacteria that breed in them can get into the tiny micro abrasions in your skin that a loofah can cause.
10. Handbags
And finally, here’s one you probably haven’t thought about before as a breeding ground for bacteria – your handbag. It’s quite likely to have particles of food at the bottom, from snacks you have carried in your bag, it is dark, and it could well be damp in there too. Just the type of environment that bacteria love!
BDST: 1309 HRS, JAN 25, 2015
