Getting your bestie to try out that gorgeous 30 dollar lipstick you’ve just bought? There’s nothing quite like it, but have you thought for a second of how unsanitary this is? I know full well that sharing is caring, but unless you’re okay with the risk of getting an infection or some other nasty disease, certain beauty products should only be used by one person – and that’s you. Others, however, you’re free to share.
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To find out exactly what beauty products you can and cannot lend to others, keep reading. I’ve done my homework and I’ve got years of experience in the field too, so you can expect nothing but the very best advice.
Politely refuse everyone who asks to borrow one of these:
Creams and other products that come in jars
I know that all you did was dip your fingers into lotion for about two seconds, but really, you don’t need more than that to transfer the bacteria from your hands to the cream itself. That’s why you should wash your hands every time you use a product of this sort and make sure that you are the only one using it.
Mascara
Instagram/ justgabb
Don’t even get me started on this one, because your mascara is already full of nasty stuff as it is, and lending it to other people will only make things worse. Did you know that every time you push the wand into the tube, you’re actually pushing air into it? Well, that air helps bacteria flourish, and that’s exactly why you should throw away your mascara three months after you opened it. Anyway, your eyes are much more sensitive than the other areas of your face, so steer clear of passing this product around. It’s for your own good.
Cream blush and eyeshadow
The formula of these beauty products is an absolute favorite for bacteria, mainly because it’s sticky and kinda wet. For reasons that we’ve already discussed, you should be extra careful with cream eye shadow, but keep in mind that sharing cream blush can be quite dangerous too, especially if you apply it on your cheeks with your fingers.
Lipstick
Instagram/ vladamua
If you can spray alcohol on it between and after passing it on to your bestie, you’re fine. But if you don’t, you risk transferring the Herpes Simplex virus to each other. And before you tell me that you don’t have it, well, you should know that the majority of the world’s population has it without even being aware of it.
When it comes to liquid lipsticks, things tend to get even worse. Just as it goes with mascara, air gets pushed into the tube every time you stick the applicator back in, and while bacteria from your own lips is unlikely to affect you, you may not want to get that from other people involved, right?
Makeup brushes
Instagram/ kimmu1988
If you want your skin to be as healthy and acne free as possible, it may be best not to share your makeup brushes with anyone else. Also, don’t forget about the usual cleaning routine! Shampoo your brushes every week or so and add some conditioner to keep them nice and fluffy for a longer time.
Razors – the biggest nope ever
I know they’re made of stainless steel, but they’re damn sharp, so they can cause you to bleed, and no matter how well you wash your razor after you use it, there will still be some residue left between the blades. Just stay out of trouble and ask your friends (and partner) to use their own.
But these babies are as good for your friends as they are for you:
Beauty products that come in pumps
Beautfacefriday
I absolutely adore foundation and lotions that comes in a pump, and the main reason for that is the fact that I can use it on other people than myself. The product never touches your skin until it’s out of the container, so you’re free to share it with your girls too.
Eye and lip pencils
As long as you sharpen them well between uses, there should really be no problem with passing either of the pencil types around. If you want to be 100% safe, do dip them into a bit alcohol every so often.
Powder blush and eyeshadow
Powder doesn’t let bacteria flourish that easily, so you’re pretty much free to let your friends borrow your blush and eye shadows all the time. You should spray the product with alcohol before and after you do it, because hey, better safe than sorry, don’t you think?
Eyelash curler
Instagram/ hellocatie45
Stainless steel is known for being universally hated by bacteria of all kinds, and that’s some really good news for you and your girls. Just to be on the safe side, though, you may want to use an antibacterial wipe on it before passiong it on to someone else.
So what beauty products do you share with your friends?
