The old saying, “You get what you pay for” is so true! Hiring a budget makeup artist not only ensures a poor makeup application that doesn’t last, but also increases your chances of getting horrible infections. Professional makeup artists realize the importance of using sanitary brushes and makeup. Your personal artist needs to have excellent hygienic practices!
Cosmetics have a shelf life, but you may not realize that they need to be cleaned too. Not only do brushes need to be washed, but since you are dipping into that powder blush every day, you better keep it clean too.
Here are some bad habits of inexperienced makeup artists that you need to watch out for:
Blowing on makeup brushes
Never, ever, ever should a makeup artist blow excess product off of a brush. It absolutely spreads bacteria and is an unprofessionalism that you shouldn’t be paying for.
Not using disposable mascara wands and double-dipping
Mascara is something that should only be used on one pair of eyes, unless disposable mascara wands are being used. A tube of mascara is the perfect breeding ground for conjunctivitis and other eye infections, so its good sanitary practice to use disposable mascara wands for each client. And mascara should never be double-dipped!
Not sanitizing their hands between clients
Doing makeup is an intimate business. Touching products, tools, and someone’s face without sanitizing your hands is gross and disrespectful. Don’t trust someone who doesn’t sanitize their hands before getting started on your face.
Using dirty cosmetics
When you see powder products that are cakey looking, that means they are not clean. Cream products that have been re-dipped into for many faces can actually grow bacteria. Sanitizing makeup is just as important as cleaning makeup brushes.
Using dirty brushes
Using dirty brushes can spread infections, viruses, and bacteria. This is a whole other problem in itself. There are SO MANY reasons to use clean brushes on each face! Here are some important things to think about if your artist is only using one set of brushes on everyone:
1. bacteria builds up
2. causes breakouts
3. can clog pores
4. causes many viral infections – pink eye, herpes, staph infection, and more
5. offers a bad makeup application – muddy looking, streaky, uneven due to too much old product. If they’re already caked with makeup, how can they apply it properly?
6. damaged brushes – dirty brushes lead to them wearing down more quickly causing them to shed on your face during a makeup application.
7. you risk accelerating wrinkles – dirty makeup brushes can expose the skin to oxidative stress from free radicals, which causes a breakdown of collagen and elastin and can result in premature aging.
On a personal note, dirty brushes ruin your investment. Cleaning your brushes keeps them in good shape and prolongs their life. Decent brushes often cost as much or more than cosmetics, so it’s worth the few minutes you’ll spend cleaning them. This will keep them looking nice and lasting for years to come.
Take a second and try to think of the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes. If it wasn’t recently, I have listed many reasons above that should make you run to the bathroom to clean them.
So, in summary, don’t hire a cheap, inexperienced makeup artist, and clean your makeup and brushes!
Here are some quick instructions on how to clean both.
How to clean your makeup – Beauty So Clean
Beauty So Clean’s chemical-free makeup sanitizers are easy to use and loved by makeup pros. Unlike pure alcohol or a water-diluted version of alcohol, the formula won’t dry out creams or powders. They sell small wipes, or my favorite is the cosmetic sanitizing mist. You can either use the wipes on lipstick or the sanitizing mist on powder and cream products. Follow the more detailed instructions on the bottle.
How to clean your brushes – Randee Strand Artistry Brush Soap
I sell a special curd soap that is made in Germany. This not only cleans the brushes, but it conditions and sanitizes them too. This is something that baby shampoo and dish soap won’t do for you. It smells great and a little bit goes a long way so it lasts forever.
