When I heard about Coronavirus or Covid19 weeks ago, I think that like most people I did not realize that it was that serious.

Now we are stuck at home for 15 days minimum to prevent the viruses to spread.

I really hope that everyone in your family and yourself are safe.

It it in this kind of moments that we have to be reminded that life has to be cherished and we should enjoy every second of it.

That is what I try to tell myself everyday but it is even more meaningful today.

As a Makeup Artist, I am directly impacted by this situation professionally. I touch people, their skin, their face, their eyes. I am close to people everyday, face to face, side by side. I clearly cannot work now for my own security but also for the people that ask for my services.

Instead of crying about this situation, I will take some time to speak about the Coronavirus, subject of the moment and hygiene related to makeup.

Some might be wondering “how dares she talk about makeup while the situation is so crazy” but on the contrary, I believe that this is a good moment to give some tips about hygiene, tips that will be useful while the situation is there and after.

Hope you will find these tips useful.

Please take care of yourself and loved ones.

What is coronavirus ?

Coronaviruses (CoV) are a large family of viruses that cause illness ranging from the common cold to more severe diseases such as Middle East Respiratory Syndrome (MERS-CoV) and Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome (SARS-CoV).

Common signs of infection include respiratory symptoms, fever, cough, shortness of breath and breathing difficulties. In more severe cases, infection can cause pneumonia, severe acute respiratory syndrome, kidney failure and even death.

Source: World Health Organization and Abestos.

Which are the several precautions to take ?

Clean your hands often

Wash your hands often with soap and water for at least 20 seconds especially after you have been in a public place, or after blowing your nose, coughing, or sneezing.
If soap and water are not readily available, use a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol. Cover all surfaces of your hands and rub them together until they feel dry.
Avoid touching your eyes, nose, and mouth with unwashed hands.

Avoid close contacts

Avoid close contact with people who are sick
Put distance between yourself and other people if COVID-19 is spreading in your community. This is especially important for people who are at higher risk of getting very sick.

Stay home if you’re sick

Stay home if you are sick, except to get medical care.

Couvrez votre bouche et votre nez quand vous toussez et éternuez

Cover your mouth and nose with a tissue when you cough or sneeze or use the inside of your elbow.
Throw used tissues in the trash.
Immediately wash your hands with soap and water for at least 20 seconds. If soap and water are not readily available, clean your hands with a hand sanitizer that contains at least 60% alcohol.

Wear a facemask if you are sick

If you are sick: You should wear a facemask when you are around other people (e.g., sharing a room or vehicle) and before you enter a healthcare provider’s office. If you are not able to wear a facemask (for example, because it causes trouble breathing), then you should do your best to cover your coughs and sneezes, and people who are caring for you should wear a facemask if they enter your room.
If you are NOT sick: You do not need to wear a facemask unless you are caring for someone who is sick (and they are not able to wear a facemask). Facemasks may be in short supply and they should be saved for caregivers.
Clean and disinfect
Clean AND disinfect frequently touched surfaces daily. This includes tables, doorknobs, light switches, countertops, handles, desks, phones, keyboards, toilets, faucets, and sinks.
If surfaces are dirty, clean them: Use detergent or soap and water prior to disinfection.

Source : Center for Diseases Control and prevention

Hygiene and your personal makeup bag

As I said earlier, this is a moment to be reminded or learn about hygiene practices in makeup.

Some women (and men) think that because the products are theirs, they do not risk anything.

On the contrary, a good hygiene is important while storing or using your skincare and makeup products.

Skin is the largest organ of the body, it absorbs part of the products we put on it so using deteriorated products, dirty bushes etc. will directly impact it.

Washing your hands before touching your face, cleaning your brushes etc. are habits to always have in mind and you can go even further than that to prevent your sin from breaking out and even protecting yourself from Coronavirus. Indeed, touching your face can increase the risk of infections if your hands are not clean or properly sanitized.

Let’s see some of the habits that should be followed about skincare and makeup.

Beauty habits to follow for a good hygiene

Wash hands before skincare makeup

It might sound obvious but when going out of the shower, you might think your hands are clean but not 100% true.

After having your shower or your bath, you might have touched the tap to stop the water flowing, the shower door etc. Excepted if you sanitize every part of your shower everyday, I doubt that your hands are completely clean.

For this reason, always wash your hands before washing your face (always out of the shower) or applying skincare or makeup.

It will prevent bacteria to spread on your face and preventing your skin from breaking out.

Don’t touch your face

...or at least try not to as much as you can.

Touching your face constantly can rise the risk of damaging your skin and above all of rising the risk of Coronavirus contamination.

Avoid long nails

Long nails and beautiful manicure can be really chic and glamorous however it is also offering a place to dirt to sit in.

This is the reason why we are asked to cut our nails before going for surgery or other op.

Avoid cutting your cuticles

When cutting your cuticles, you are leaving space for germs to come in.

Use a washcloth (or makeup removal pads) to clean your face instead of your hands

This is one of the best way keep your skin protected and really clean.

Choose a soft washcloth and if possible change it everyday.

Change your face towel everyday

It might seem exaggerated however it is ont of the best way to prevent dirt to pile on your face.

If you cannot change everyday, at least make sure to change it often and let it dry properly and wash it thoroughly.

Prefer tube packaging to pots or use a spatula

Tube, pump dispenser, bottles, are way more hygienic than jars in which you have to put fingers to take your cream or other products.

Excepted if you use a spatula or disinfect your hands, it is best to avoid skincare or makeup products in jars.

Avoid storing your makeup products in your bathroom if possible

Bathrooms are most of the time humid and places where there is a lot of water are prone to mould / mold and proliferation of bacterias.

Storing your makeup there is not the best to keeping it clean and safe.

If you can, store your makeup in a dry room, where it is not to hot either.

If not possible, keep your makeup in clean makeup bags.

Wash your makeup bag

Whether you keep your makeup in a cupboard in your bedroom or in your bathroom, your makeup bag has to be washed frequently. It will ensure that everything is clean.

Check your products expiry date and throw away old products

Same as drug or food, makeup products have an expiration date that starts from the moment you open it.

Foundation - 6 to 12 months
Tip: Be careful not to put your finger close to the neck of the bottle.
Concealer - 1 year
Tip : if you notice a change of texture, throw it away.
Lipstick - 1 year
Tip: If you notice a strange smell or a change of texture of your lipstick, throw it away.
Pencils - 1 year
Tip: When sharpening your pencils, you take off the dirt that might have accumulated. To go further, think of sanitizing your pencils sharpener.
Mascara - 3 to 6 months
Tip : do not dip the wand several times when applying your mascara. It makes air come inside the mascara and thus germs.
Powders (eyeshadows, blush, powder) - Up to 2 years
Tip : if you want to go further, you can scrub the surface of your eyeshadows with a clean spatula to be sure it stays clean.
Be careful not to put water in your powder products, because they are dry they are less prone to bacteria proliferation.

Be careful where you put your makeup, clean place / table

When doing makeup, install your products on clean surface. You can also put a clean cloth on the surface or a clean towel.

If a product has a strange smell, throw it away

Makeup products can be quite expansive but whenever one of your products become smelly, do not play with your health and throw it away.

Always keep the cap on your pencils, lipsticks, eyeliner and mascara

The caps are there to protect them, always keep them.

Clean and disinfect brushes regularly (handles too)

As a pro makeup artist, I wash my brushes after each application.

No worries, you do not have to do that much. You can wash them once a week but please disinfect them everyday.

To disinfect them, simply spray them with 70 degrees alcohol, not 90 or 99% but 70%.

To wash them, use water and soap and go through the hairs. Then let the brushes dry and only use them when they are 100% dry.

Avoid blowing on your brushes

Saliva is a protection in our mouth but blowing on your brushes, you are transferring the bacterias in it onto your face.

Clean your glasses

This one is not directly makeup related but yes, if you wear glasses I recommend you clean them with alcohol too. Makeup, skincare, perspiration… all of these get accumulated on your glasses.

Hygiene mistakes to avoid with makeup

You can go through all the points above and avoid doing the contrary of course.

I will add the following :

Don’t share or lend your makeup products

Makeup products are personal, if you use a product, even just once, please don’t share it with anyone, even your sister or your mother.

You might be thinking to yourself, “what about you using products on several persons ?”. I use spatulas and respect a cleaning and disinfection process and I do not use these products on myself.

Be careful when trying makeup products like lipsticks in stores

Some makeup stores are to me dirty places, yes I said it. I have never understood how they could leave lipsticks opened, with the cap on, for a whole day an have people putting their fingers on them.

This is a recipe for disaster to me, a share of baterias that people do not really see.

If you want to try a lipstick , try it on the tip of your finger to see the color and then clean your hands.

Avoid trying it on your mouth as I see ladies do in a store that I will not name here.

When trying makeup with a salesperson, ask them to sanitize the brushes.

I went to a store to do a lipsticks restock. I saw the so called makeup artist / salesperson have a client try a foundation. The brush was dirty… I am sure it was used on someone else before and not clean or sanitized after.

Do not buy second-hand makeup or use makeup used before

You can never know how people handled, stored or used their makeup or even their health state.

Viruses can circulate in makeup products easily so why would you take the risk of buying makeup that has already been used by someone else ?

With this coronaviruses threat, it is the right moment to be careful with this kind of behaviors.

I know that makeup is expensive but your health is worth much more.

Hope you find these advice useful and follow them even after the Coronaviruses will be an old memory.

I have prepared a cheat sheet for you about makeup products expiration dates.

Download it here.

Please take care of yourself and your family and try to stay positive.

See you soon.

Yours in beauty,

Francine O.

Coronavirus, hygiene and makeup