Whether you just throw on a little powder or concealer to cover imperfections, or like to play with multi-color eye shadow palettes and bold red lipstick, just about all of us use makeup at some time or another. Makeup has a fantastic way of making us more confident, hiding flaws, and highlighting our best features. But is it possible that your makeup could actually be making you ugly? So to speak… While makeup has its many merits, if you don’t use it correctly, it could wreak major havoc on your skin. Are you guilty of any of these habits?
1. You leave your makeup on when you go to sleep.
We’ve all done it, it’s ok. But if you routinely sleep with a full face of makeup, you’re just inviting acne to take over your skin. Makeup clogs your pores and I won’t go into major details, but essentially clogged pores leads to acne. Read more about it here.
2. You take your makeup off before bed, but you don’t really get it all off.
You may think you’ve done a good job of removing all that mascara and foundation, but you could actually still have significant traces of makeup left on your skin. Start off with a makeup removing towelette like these Neutrogena wipes ($5, drugstores). Gently rub the cloth all over your face, including over your eyelids. If you wear a lot of eye makeup, you may also want to use a separate eye makeup remover. I like Avon’s Moisture Effective Eye Makeup Remover Lotion, and it’s only about a dollar. After you’ve taken off your makeup, wash your face. Try Aveeno’s Clear Complexion Foaming cleanser ($7.49, drugstores). It’s really gently but lifts dirt and makeup from your skin very effectively.
3. You apply foundation with your fingers.
I’ve done a lot of research on this particular habit, and it seems that the jury is out on it! However, if you do apply foundation with your hands, and have issues like oily skin or acne, you may want to invest in a foundation makeup brush or sponge. When you apply foundation with your hands, any oil or bacteria on your fingers can transfer to your face. I really love Cover Girl’s Aqua Smooth Compact Foundation ($7.95, drugstores). It comes in a compact so you don’t have to worry about a bottle busting or leaking. Plus it has a sponge applicator so it’s mess free, easy to apply, and feels light on your skin, while still providing good coverage.
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4. You use makeup brushes, but don’t clean them.
Makeup brushes need to be cleaned every week or two. I’d be willing to bet many of you collegiettes have never cleaned your makeup brushes at all! Using a dirty makeup brush means you’re constantly putting residual makeup, oil, dirt, and dead skin cells back onto your face. Um, gross. Replace your eye shadow applicators from time to time with a new one. Don’t worry about washing them; you can get a pack of applicators pretty cheap at a drugstore, so just toss the used ones every now and again. Other makeup brushes, however, need to be cleaned, but to keep them in good condition you need to clean them safely! Check out this tutorial on the proper way to clean your makeup brushes.
5. You’re using makeup that you purchased years ago.
We’ve all got that really fantastic lip gloss from high school that still works like a charm. However, you may want to toss some of the items in your makeup bag that you’ve had for a while….. Bacteria can grow in your makeup, especially mascara because it’s moist. You really don’t want to be putting germ-ridden makeup on your face day in and day out. Lip products are good for about 2 years, while blush is only good for about 9 months. And even though mascara is getting pretty expensive these days, you want to discard that tube after about 6 months, max.
Makeup should make you feel beautiful and radiant! Don’t let a few bad habits cause unwanted problems for your complexion. Staying aware of what you’re using, how you’re using it, and how you’re taking it off will ensure that you’re makeup does one job, and one job only.