Image: Pexels Does anyone else feel panic when parted from their anti-bac hand gel? The emerging pandemic has made Marie Kondo’s of us all. Here, cleanliness reigns supreme and a rogue sneeze from a passer-by is enough to spark mass hysteria. People are sloping off to Tesco in hazmat suits, one man was even spotted on the tube wearing a snorkel (yeah, we’re not sure how that helps either).
But rather than losing our heads, we’d rather focus on practical and sensible ways to keep ourselves safe. It starts with washing our hands thoroughly and frequently. But, beyond that it includes making sure our environment (whether that’s at work, if you’re still going, or at home) is as clean as possible. This means sticking sofa throws, cushion covers, bed sheets, towels and tea towels through the wash regularly and making sure anything that’s going in our mouths (cutlery and cups) and on our faces (foundations, face creams and fingers) are sanitary.
Which brings us to our makeup bags. Hands up, whose looks grim? Even if you weren’t tempted by a spring clean before, it’s more important than ever that we up our hygiene standards now. The same rules as before still apply. Products that are past their expiry date should be retired – not only will the preservatives have become ineffectual but they’ll have had months to accumulate dirt and grime, making them doubly gross.
So, empty out the entire contents and set aside the bits you don’t use on a daily basis. Anything that doesn’t make the cut because it’s run out or too old should be binned (responsibly). Anything you want to keep but don’t use very often should be wiped down with an isopropyl alcohol spray like this one and stored away. And anything going back into your makeup bag should be thoroughly sanitised (by wiping down the packaging and the product itself if it's exposed to air, like bronzers, lipsticks and powder blushers) with the alcohol spray.
Brushes and makeup sponges need extra attention (we'll spare you the gross details), so wash them thoroughly with warm water and an antibacterial soap to clean them, rubbing them gently until the water runs clear. Leave them to dry on a clean towel with the tip hanging over the side of a solid surface so they can resume their shape, then once dry, spritz them with the alcohol spray to ensure they’re completely sanitised.
Last but not least, is your actual makeup bag. Empty out the fluff, crumbs and random shrapnel that’s accumulated since you last cleaned it. If it’s a wipe-clean fabric, mist it down inside and outside with the alcohol spritz and dry it with a cloth. If it’s a softer fabric, throw it in the washing machine on a hot wash. Once dry, you can re-instate your favourite products.
Then, all that’s left to do, is keep up the good work. Each time you use your makeup stash, wipe it down with anti-bac spray and only apply with clean hands, otherwise all that hard work was for nothing. Oh, and keep that anti-bac spray close for the next time a stranger sneezes at you...
This article was originally published on GLAMOUR UK
