The Dirt on Makeup :

What’s your beauty routine? A little mascara, some blush, a few pats of powder, eyeliner and lipstick? Sounds about right. What about brushing on bacteria, "double-dipping" into contaminated containers and patting on mold? If you’re not regularly cleaning your makeup brushes, wands and applicators -- then just like nearly 70 percent of American women -- you’ve probably already added them to your beauty regimen.

Don’t act surprised. It looks like Rainbow Brite exploded in your makeup bag, and when the girls ask to borrow your mascara, you hand it over. Prepare to rethink your makeup routine -- and stop using that lipstick you found in the bar bathroom. Seriously, it’s gross."I've seen pinkeye and herpes breakouts on lips and eyes from poor makeup hygiene," says Annet King, director of training for the International Dermal Institute, a school for skin therapists.

"Mascara wands, brushes and applicators have the ability to hold a great deal of bacteria," she says. "So if you don't clean them, you're just re-exposing yourself to the same viruses day after day."

How could this happen? I always practice safe makeup.
"Basically, things carried in the air land on your face, and then you apply your makeup and cross-contaminate your brush," says Scott Miselnicky, executive director of makeup product development for Clinique. "Then you dip it back in to apply more and contaminate the product."

Water-based products like cream blush, mascara and foundation act as incubators for bacteria, mold and fungus. Manhattan dermatologist Dr. Patricia Wexler recommends washing your brushes in warm water and soap every week. A good way to avoid spreading acne is to apply your makeup with a disposable brush or pad you throw away after each use.

Throw out lip gloss and tinted moisturizer if the texture changes or they start to smell funny, advises Maral Balian, makeup artist at Warren Tricomi. She also recommends replacing mascara every two months because it is a moist breeding ground for bacteria. However, powder eye shadow can last for years. If it's old, Balian says, "I use a Q-tip to scrape off the top layer." For cream blushes, Balian suggests taking off the top layer with a paper towel and some rubbing alcohol before use.

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