101 Expert Tips to Sanitize and Disinfect Makeup Accessories

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Sanitizing and disinfecting makeup accessories and tools is actually a crucial part of your makeup self-care routine.

Wondering how? Simply put, clean makeup items give you the best application and ensure healthy skin.

Similarly, unclean brushes and makeup products can cause long-term skin damage. Plus, the application would also be so hard that it would be quite hard for the makeup to sit properly. No wonder unclean brushes are such a big no.

That’s why, in today’s blog, I will be talking about how to safely sanitize and disinfect makeup accessories like a pro. So you can ensure your beauty tools are as clean as your favorite highlighter glow.

From cleaning brushes, lipsticks, and eye products to sanitizing your liquid and cream products, nothing gets missed. And for the best part, they’re cheap, simple, and fun.

Read on to find out!

Speaking From Experience

I know that with “makeup,” the other thing that comes to mind is “expense.”

But here is the catch: 
You don’t have to buy any expensive cleansing solutions, as I have the ultimate DIY solution.

As a makeup lover and hygiene-conscious person, I have been following these for years now. Also, I will add expert tips from big makeup lines. So you can always maintain a pristine makeup kit.

Key Takeaways:
✅ Clean your makeup brushes and sponge with a mix of 1-2 tablespoons of baby shampoo and lukewarm water. Or, make the solution with dish soap, lukewarm water, and a few drops of olive oil.
✅ Sanitize your lipstick, mascara, eyeshadow palette, and powders with 70% rubbing alcohol.
✅ If you are a makeup artist, follow the disinfecting tips and use organizers in the workspace to maintain a hygienic process.

Why Is Sanitizing Your Makeup and Accessories Crucial?

Suppose you’ve got your favorite foundation, the perfect lipstick, and those eyeshadows that make your eyes pop like never before. Now, imagine all of that turning into a breeding ground for bacteria and germs.

Not so glamorous, right?

“Keeping your brushes clean helps them perform at peak levels while preventing acne breakouts caused by bacterial build-up.”

By Murden and Paris in the Vogue article.

That’s where the magic of sanitizing comes in—a beauty ritual that’s as crucial as picking the right shade of blush.

Hence, it goes without further saying that, just like makeup brushes, you should keep all makeup accessories, from organizers to small items, neat and clean.

Importance of Regular Makeup Sanitizing

Just think about how you go through the ingredients before buying a foundation or a setting spray. Why? Because it should not carry any item that can react and damage your skin, right?

Now think of the same outcome that could happen because of using an unclean brush or a damaged concealer.

In other words, not sanitizing your makeup brushes and products can cause dirt or leftovers to build up and grow bacteria.

Once you apply those to your skin, your skin gets infected. From clogging pores resulting in acne breakouts to rashes developing into long-term infections, you never know the worst-case scenario.

So, besides adding extra colors, you must be very careful about keeping the whole collection super clean for a healthy application and outcome.

When and How Often Should You Sanitize Your Makeup and Tools?

We all have that favorite lipstick or eyeshadow palette we can’t bear to part with, but just like that jar of expired pickles in your fridge, makeup has a shelf life too.

Now, the million-dollar question, how do you actually plan a routine for sanitizing your makeup accessories? Also, as you have a variety of collections, the frequency will also vary for different types of items. So, here’s what to know.

Time to Toss: When to Discard Old Makeup Products?

Like any other thing, makeup products can also become a breeding ground for bacteria, leading to skin irritations and breakouts with time.

What to do? Well, the expert tip here is that decluttering is the first step in giving your whole makeup collection a makeover.

Do you know what’s the most exciting thing? Every time I do this, I feel like I am decluttering and hauling. Filming or not filming is up to you.

Are you a private person with limited followers but love to show off this small organizing mastery to this audience? Then why not? Film it for some extra drops of dopamine.

Remember that each step of today’s blog is going to serve you as an extra dose of dopamine.

So, how do you know when to declutter? Here’s a quick guide to help you decide:

• Check expiry dates: Avoid using any makeup past the expiration date. Trust me, this turns your skin into a comfy home for bacteria. And you surely don’t want that.
• Check for changes in smell or broken or damaged pieces: Let’s say your product’s expiration date is far away, but somehow it got damaged or started smelling different. In that case, the best is to just let it go. I know this breaks your heart. But why break your skin instead?
• Keep a donation box: Give away your lovelies from time to time and spread love. Wondering when and how? Well, now that you have a new blush palette, give the small single blushes to the ones in need. You can keep one or two go-to shades for keeping it in the bag.

Pro Tip:
Put them in a Sephora bag while giving them away. You know, it’s that heart-to-heart connection from one makeup lover to the other.

Regularly Sanitizing Your Makeup for Personal Use

Here are some of the best practices for sanitizing and sterilizing your makeup products and accessories:

• Know the frequency: Maintain a routine to sanitize and disinfect makeup accessories. You can plan it this way:
  • Clean brushes and sponges that soak heavy makeup once a week, like foundation brushes.
  • Clean your eye brushes once every two weeks to stay safe from any eye infections or allergies.
  • Brushes that carry less product, like the contour brush and the fan brush, try to give them a good clean at least once a month, depending on your makeup routine.
  • Also, clean makeup items, like lipsticks, eyeshadow, cream, and liquid products, once a month. The same goes for your makeup bag. However, if you travel a lot, you should clean it more often. Just make sure not to let any dirt or germs grow.
• Clean immediately after any unwanted exposure: Well, the best practice is to not share the makeup items. May sound a bit rude. But reality is reality; everyone’s skin has its own bacterial balance.

So, even if anyone else uses it in case of an emergency, clean it immediately. Again, if any of your products are exposed to external dirt or dust, do the same as well. You know, the times you just leave the eyeshadow palette open while leaving in a hurry.

How to Safely Sanitize and Disinfect Makeup Accessories? [Step-By-Step Guide To Follow]

You can easily clean your different types of makeup products in the simplest steps and enjoy every bit of doing this.

Here’s a surprise!!

“Sanitizing your makeup accessories is the cheapest part of your makeup routine.”

And you know what? I guarantee you that putting each makeup product back after sanitizing it thoroughly is always a very relaxing thing to do. It is as if you are doing a task, but it is adding more energy and enthusiasm.

Here’s a step-by-step guide on how to safely sanitize and disinfect various makeup accessories:

How to Sanitize Eyeshadow?

Eyeshadows, the crown jewels of eye makeup! Here’s how to keep them sparkling clean:

• First, carefully skim the residue off the top layer with a clean tissue
• Spritz isopropyl alcohol over the palette
• Let it dry in a clean, convenient place. Also, don’t dry it in a humid area

How to Sanitize Pencils and Liners?

• Sharpen and Swipe: Sharpen your pencils before every use to get rid of any potential germs. For extra hygiene, pour a small amount of rubbing alcohol on a towel to rub off any dirt from the pencil.
• Quick Dip: For liquid liners, clean the applicator by dipping it in alcohol. Easy peasy!

How to Sanitize Lipstick?

Lip game strong, germs gone:

• First, rub the top of your lipstick. Be very gentle.
• Spritz isopropyl alcohol over the surface.
• Let it dry before putting the cap back.
• To clean the outer surface, rub it with a cotton pad with rubbing alcohol. You can also use cleansing wipes.

How to Sanitize Mascara?

Flutter those lashes safely:

• Pump and Wipe: Remove excess product from the wand by pumping it in and out. Wipe the wand with a tissue soaked in alcohol.
• Avoid Sharing: Don’t share your mascara to prevent the spread of bacteria.

Expert advice to follow:
Throw away the mascara the moment it starts getting dry or causing allergy issues.

How to Sanitize Cream Makeup?

Creamy goodness, minus the germs:

• Pour rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad or paper towel. Clean the container properly.
• Now, pour rubbing alcohol on another cotton pad or paper towel. Carefully clean the cap or internal surface area.

How to Sanitize Powder Products?

• Scrape Away: For powders like blush or bronzer, gently scrape off the top layer to get rid of any nasties.
• Spritz and Dry: Give your powder products a light mist of alcohol and let them air dry. Easy and effective!

How to Sanitize Brushes and Sponges?

This is a very important part. Brushing with leftovers for a long time can cause clogged pores, acne, and breakouts.

To sanitize your makeup brushes and sponges, all you need is:

• A bowl of lukewarm water.
• 1-2 tablespoons of baby shampoo or a mix of 1-2 tablespoons of dish soap and 2-3 drops of olive oil.

To clean the brushes, you can follow these steps:

• Rinse: First, rinse the top of your bristles softly with lukewarm water
• Swirl: Swirl it in the mix
• Repeat: Repeat the process till the brush is fully clean

Just follow these steps to clean your makeup brushes.

To clean the sponges, you can use the same mix. Or, use normal water, dump the sponges in a bowl with that mix, and heat it in the microwave for 30 seconds.

Now, take the bowl out. Wait a bit and let the water get tolerable. Gently squeeze off the makeup residue from your sponges.

Air dry your brushes and sponge: After cleaning your makeup brushes, air dry them on a soft, clean towel. Use the holder to air dry your beauty blenders and sponges. This keeps them in the right shape.

Additional Tips to Maintain Hygiene in Your Makeup Routine

Before I start, the pro tip is, don’t clutter. Always put it back.

Make it easy by using the most convenient organizers with the most sections. The same goes for choosing your makeup bag. Choose the one with the maximum number and variety of chambers.

How to Keep Your Makeup Bag Clean and Germ-Free?

Your makeup bag is the home for your beautiful makeup accessories. Here’s how to clean them:

• Inside out: Take out all the items and put each chamber inside out, if possible. This way, you will get rid of the first layer of dust.
• Deep wipe clean: Pour rubbing alcohol on a cotton pad and thoroughly clean each chamber. Make sure the amount of alcohol does not become harsh on the material of the bag.
• Organize the items: Put the items back in their right chambers. If you don’t have enough chambers, then follow this hack: Wrap your liquid makeup or sponge in cotton pads and store them.

Pro Tips:
If you don’t have a chamber with brush holders, then keep the brushes in soft wraps to save them from any external pressure or damage.

The Importance of Washing Your Hands Before Makeup Application

It is non-negotiable to keep your hands clean while doing your makeup or doing it on others. You need to use your hands so many times to tap over the highlighter or other parts.

“Small germs can grow into allergies and infections from not washing your hands before doing makeup.”

Not worth the risk, you see.

This concern literally comes as the first step on Jakarta Post’s blog on healthy beauty tips and keeping makeup accessories clean.

Role of Disinfectants and Isopropyl Alcohol in Makeup Hygiene

Disinfectants like isopropyl alcohol are a must to keep your makeup bag and items safe. Remember the way we used to sterilize our accessories during the COVID-19 days?

That is exactly how isopropyl alcohol works to save your makeup accessories from germs, dirt, viruses, or bacteria.

Everything You Need to Know About Keeping Liquid Makeup Products Sterile

You must be thinking that keeping your liquid makeup items clean is easy. Unfortunately, it is also easy for germs to get inside and damage the whole product.

All you need to do is be a bit careful. How?

• Always use them with clean hands. If needed, sanitize your hands while doing makeup.
• Keep the makeup organizer clean.
• Make sure that the organizer doesn’t have any holes or ways to get the dirt inside.
• Lastly, always clean the container with wipes or alcohol-soaked cotton pads while cleaning the organizer.

Follow Sanitary Practices In the Workspace

Now that you have almost reached the end, you know the best practices for your makeup hygiene.

Now, as a makeup artist, you must follow these and some more steps to ensure maximum hygiene in your workspace and for your customers.

Always keep the surroundings clean and disinfect the surfaces frequently. So that, when you keep the brushes and products while doing makeup, there is no chance of germ attacks.

Bonus Tips:
Use the most convenient holders for keeping brushes and other items while doing the makeup. It will save you from keeping them here and there.

Ending Notes

There you have it, beauty enthusiasts!

Now that you know each step, first, make a routine to sanitize and disinfect makeup accessories according to your needs and convenience.

Once you get into the routine, you will start enjoying the task. Besides, cleaning and organizing makeup accessories works like a mind-uplifter.

Time to shine, safely!

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)