Art by Candace Napier
Turns out, it’s not just your makeup brushes that are worthy of a regular cleanse—plenty of other beauty tools are also havens for troublesome bacteria. A potentially germ-filled tool may appear pristine after use, but without sanitizing it, you can’t ever be sure and you may be setting yourself up for a host of diseases. Here’s a few of those items you’ve probably been overlooking.
Tweezers. Admit it, you may use these for more than just brow plucking. Even if that’s the case, oils from your skin can coat the metal tips and redeposit into a freshly plucked follicle, potentially leading to a breakout. A quick dab into hydrogen peroxide or isopropyl alcohol is all it takes to spare you the agony of having to fight a brand new breakout.
Nail Clippers and Cuticle Clippers. Your nails are an incredibly fertile ground for infection, though considering your hands are the body part that interacts with the environment the most, this isn’t all that surprising. You may have noticed that when you go to a nail salon for a manicure, staffers sanitize their tools in little UV light boxes that kill bacteria. An easier option would be to clean them in a barbicide solution or boil them in water.
Hairbrushes. Sure, it’s just hair, but seeing as you drag your hairbrush across your scalp and through your hair multiple times a day, you can bet it’s covered in bacteria. It’s not going to kill you but it may take on a funky smell over time. There are special tools out there that look like mini rakes to get rid of the hair trapped between bristles, but you can also use an old comb. Filling your sink with about two inches of warm water and shampoo and swishing your hairbrush around, bristle-side down, will also help loosen any gunk that’s on the bristles.
The Inside of Your Makeup Bag. We all know how gross the insides of your makeup bag can get. Melted lip balm leakage, loose powder, bits of hair and other mystery stains somehow gather over time. All that debris carries bacteria with it, which is then transferred from your hands to your makeup and back to your face again. A simple swipe with a disinfectant wipe every once in a while can sweep most of that gunk away.
Eyelash Curler. Anything that touches your eyes should have its own regularly scheduled cleaning, since your eyes take to infections really easily. You can spray your lash curler down with alcohol in a spritz bottle or wipe it clean with a disinfectant wipe (ideally after every use).
Loofahs, Konjac Sponges and Exfoliating Mitts. We know these are used to get your skin clean and are generally coated in soap when in use, but those tools are taking on the dirt and dead skin in the process of removing them from your body. They might look fine but generally these tend to take on an odor once they’ve reached maximum bacteria build-up. Take that as a warning sign and replace it as soon as it starts to smell a bit off.
MORE: Extend The Life Of Your Beauty Tools
