So we’ve been #WFH for awhile and soon some of us will go back to the office/school – and for the rest of us, we continue looking fabulous on our conference calls. What better time than the middle of the year to blow off the dust from your makeup brushes and give your beauty counter a nice, deep cleaning!
Here are some simple and efficient ways you can start to declutter and deep clean your makeup counter so you can look your best while maintaining high levels of hygiene and health!
- Check Expiry
The first and most important step is to discard any expired products (and make way for new ones). Not sure if that foundation you opened 2 years ago is still good? We’ve got you covered with these guidelines to maintain safe use of makeup!
Face Products – 12 to 18 months
- Liquid & Pressed Foundation
- Concealer (Tube & Pan form)
- BB Cream & Sunscreens
Eye Products – 3 to 6 months
- Mascara
- Eyeliners (Liquid & Pencil)
Eye Products – 6 to 12 months
Pressed eyeshadows & Cream eyeshadows (applying eyeshadows with a brush instead of using fingers helps keep contamination to a minimum as well)
Lip Products – 12months
- Lipsticks
- Lip Gloss
- Lip Balm
Don’t forget to do a Marie Kondo and thank your expired lippie for helping you serve killer looks, before tossing it in the bin!
2. Clean Surfaces
Now that you have a refreshed vanity, wipe it down with a natural disinfectant spray to help make your makeup up routine a clean and safe one! Here’s a simple DIY disinfectant that will come in handy during the Covid lockdown!
What You’ll Need:
- 3 cups of water
- 1/2 cup of white vinegar
- Your favorite scent of essential oils (We recommend lemon or tea tree!)
- Spray bottle
Directions:
- Funnel the water and vinegar into a spray bottle, and shake to mix. Vinegar contains antibacterial and antifungal properties that will naturally disinfect surfaces without stripping the material off your furniture.
- Next, add 10-15 drops of lemon or tea tree oil (or as much as it takes to get the scent)! You could also use rosemary, orange, or a few drops of each for a really amazing smelling spray. Apart from making your surfaces smell fresh, essential oils are also a potent source of antibacterial and antifungal benefit, that help fight germs on your countertops, makeup and beauty tools!
Once you’ve made your DIY disinfectant, spray generous amounts on countertops, in drawers, storage compartments, and even on your mirror, and wipe down with a clean cloth. Do this daily to ensure your vanity is squeaky clean and free of any nasty germs or bacteria!
3. Clean Products
Don’t stop at just the surface of your makeup table – remember to clean the surface of your makeup too! The part that will be in contact with your skin needs to be as clean as your makeup table to prevent and outbreaks, infections or allergic reactions!
Spray some of your DIY disinfectant on the surface layer of lipsticks, lip balms, as well as any pressed powder product and wipe down with a clean tissue. You can also disinfect your eyelash curler and tweezer in this way. Be sure to do this after each use!
If you use pencils for your lips or eyes, remember to sharpen them before each use as dirt and bacteria can stay on the tips, especially if exposed. If you use sponges, be sure to wash them daily and replace them after 2-3 uses.
When it comes to how you apply your makeup, always try to use an applicator or brush instead of your fingers so as to prevent contamination.
4. Clean brushes
Now that you’ve organised your products and given them a new lease on life, don’t stop there! The tools of the trade are just as important. A dirty brush = bacterial contamination, and bacterial contamination = outbreaks on the skin! Here is a DIY brush cleaner you can make at home to get your brushes clean and fluffy for your next use!
What You’ll Need:
- 1 ½ cup distilled water
- 2 tablespoons of rubbing alcohol
- 2 tsp castile soap
- Your favorite scent of essential oils (We recommend lemon or tea tree!)
- Container like a glass bottle or jar
Directions:
- Combine all the ingredients, except the water, into the container and stir the mixture to combine everything.
- Add the distilled water and shake well to mix.
Once you have the mixture, you can give your brushes a deep clean but swirling them in a jar of the solution, or do a daily wash by transferring the solution into a spray bottle and disinfecting your brushes after each use.
Reshape the bristles and lay your brushes flat to air dry over night.
4 simple steps and voila! You now have a brand new makeup counter ready for use for your next conference call or when you get back to the office!