🧪 How to Sanitize Makeup After Being Sick
🧪 How to Sanitize Makeup After Being Sick
When you’re sick with a cold, flu, or another illness, your makeup products and tools can collect bacteria and germs. If you start using them again without cleaning them, you may accidentally re-introduce bacteria to your skin, which can lead to irritation, breakouts, or even another infection.
If you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin, sanitizing your makeup properly is even more important. Here’s how to safely clean your products after being sick.
🧼 1. Wash All Makeup Brushes
Makeup brushes collect:
Bacteria
Skin oils
Dead skin cells
Product buildup
How to clean them:
Wet the brush with lukewarm water.
Add a small amount of gentle soap or brush cleanser.
Swirl the brush in your palm or on a silicone cleaning mat.
Rinse until the water runs clear.
Lay brushes flat on a towel to dry overnight.
✔ Wash face brushes at least once a week.
✔ Eye brushes should be cleaned even more frequently.
🧽 2. Replace or Deep Clean Makeup Sponges
Sponges absorb moisture, which makes them a perfect environment for bacteria.
After being sick:
Wash the sponge thoroughly with gentle soap.
Squeeze repeatedly until no makeup comes out.
Let it dry completely in an open space.
👉 If the sponge still smells or looks stained, replace it.
Most dermatologists recommend replacing makeup sponges every 1–3 months.
💄 3. Sanitize Powder Products
Powder products are easier to disinfect than liquids.
Examples include:
Powder blush
Highlighter
Eyeshadow
Setting powder
How to sanitize:
Lightly spray the surface with 70% isopropyl alcohol.
Let it air dry for a few minutes.
Wipe the top layer gently with a clean tissue.
This helps kill bacteria without ruining the product.
✏️ 4. Sharpen Pencils
Eye and lip pencils can hold bacteria on the tip.
To sanitize them:
Use a clean sharpener to remove the top layer.
Wipe the pencil with a small amount of rubbing alcohol.
Let it dry before using again.
This is especially important for eyeliners and lip liners.
🚫 5. Consider Throwing Away Certain Products
Some makeup products are hard to fully sanitize, especially after illness.
You may want to replace:
Mascara
Liquid eyeliner
Lip gloss with a wand applicator
These products go directly from the face back into the tube, which spreads bacteria easily.
Mascara should already be replaced every 3 months, even without illness.
🧴 6. Wipe Down Packaging
Don’t forget the outside of your products.
Use a disinfecting wipe or alcohol pad to clean:
Foundation bottles
Compacts
Lipstick tubes
Makeup palettes
This removes bacteria from surfaces your hands touch regularly.
🌿 Final Thoughts
Sanitizing your makeup after being sick helps protect both your skin and your health. Clean tools and products reduce the chance of irritation, breakouts, and infections—especially if you have sensitive or allergy-prone skin.
If a product smells strange, has changed texture, or irritates your skin after illness, it’s safest to replace it.
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