Sanitation and Expiration: Key to Preventing Bacteria in Beauty

Did you know your beauty products have an expiration date? Beauty products are created from natural and man made substances to produce different effects on the skin, hair and more. Most products contain preservatives to elongate the shelf life of these products. The more “clean” the product is, the shorter the shelf life. 

Expired Products

Do not use expired products. Using expired products can have serious adverse reactions such as:

• Skin irritation: redness, itching and discomfort 
• Bacterial growth: bacteria, mold and yeast can grow in expired products 
• Ineffective products: expired products may not work as intended because of degeneration of the active ingredients and product potency rendering your routine ineffective. 

Sanitation Best Practices

Be aware that Bacteria can grow in products before the expiration date. As a professional cosmetologist I can say with confidence that you want to practice sanitation with your beauty products just as you would with other aspects of your home. To minimize bacteria growth in your products, adopt healthy sanitation habits. 

• Don’t stick your fingers in your products. Nails hold all sorts of germs and bacteria.
• Dispense products to a pallet or work from the back of your clean hand using a clean spatula.
• When applying makeup, use clean brushes and tools. Do Not double dip 
• Close containers after using to prevent exposure to debris. Also, products with chemical compounds may break down over time with exposure to the air weakening their potency. 
• Keep water out of your bottles and containers. Pumps for shower products are a great way to prevent water contaminated products.
• Use clean lipstick applicators and eyelash spoolies when possible. And ditch those falsies you have been wearing for weeks. They aren’t intended for repeated wear. 
• Do not cross contaminate. Do not double dip.

There is a minimalist beauty trend trending right now that seems like a good idea on the surface, but only if you are maintaining basic sanitation. Mold can easily grow in sponges and brushes that apply creams, like a foundation brush. Using these can transfer mold from product to product and eventually can lead to a skin infection. If you want to adopt a minimalist lifestyle with your makeup tools, be sure it includes adopting makeup brush cleaner.

To clean your tools you want to wash them with a gentle cleanser or specialized brush cleaner and warm water. My go to for cleaning my brushes is Paul Mitchell Tea Tree Shampoo. To see if all the product is removed once the rinsing water runs clear, while the brush on a white towel to see if all the product has been removed. I find that sometimes even if the water is running clear, there might still be product deep in the bristles. You will want to allow them to fully dry flat before using. I lay mine on the edge of the sink so they aren’t sitting in moisture creating a bacteria grooming environment. Do not put your brushes bristles up in a cup. The water remaining in the brushes will run down to the where the bristles are attached to the handle weakening the adhesive. 

In conclusion, beauty expiration dates are only the tip of the iceberg in avoiding contaminated products and harming your skin. The beauty industry is extremely under regulated, therefore it is up to you as the consumer to make educated decisions with your purchases and product maintenance.

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