What Stayed on Your Lips – Lipstick or Bacteria?

Sharing is healing, said Cathy Stone, but she never said that about make-up testers. Share anything, but don’t share your cosmetics not even with a friend. You might be sharing body fluids such as a stranger’s saliva……..

The lipstick shades, mascara and the variety of eye liners on the shelves of departmental stores are meant to attract you. You select one of tempting lip shade and apply it on your lips. Seems quite convenient, isn’t it? But, unfortunately you might have picked up dangerous microbes along with that tube.

According to researches, microbes on the testers aren’t a cause of public panic, but it is hygienic and better if you can avoid them. In fact, as per the FDA 1989 report, Shared cosmetics – testers – are more likely to be contaminated than the same products in an individual’s home. At home, the preservatives on these products still have time to kill the bacteria that comes with every use, but, in a store, the elapse time is, few minutes. Preservatives in such a situation are no effective. Moreover, these preservatives themselves pose risks of allergic and irritant reactions to cosmetics, as per the studies conducted by North American Contact Dermatitis Group.

Dangers stringed with make-up testers

Dr. Philip M. Tierno Jr., Ph. D, director of clinical microbiology and diagnostic immunology at New York University Medical Center says, “Most infectious diseases are transferred person to person via germy hands”. Testers available over the counters of departmental stores have high risks of causing mucous membrane infections, causing pink eye, cold, or even herpes cold sore. Although, you can get Cold Sore Freedom In 3 Days, but, there are yet life threatening illness, such as Hepatitis A and salmonella that may creep up because of these shared cosmetics. So, why take risk. Someone said it very correctly, “Prevention is better than cure”.

Avoiding testers can help you avoid make-up risks

The magic mantra is – good personal hygiene–clean hands, clean face, and common sense. If you must try a cosmetic, then you MUST insist on a new and unused applicator, says Malbin, CTFA’s vice president of public relations.

Take care of the following, to avoid any infection risks:

• Try the testers at the back of your hands instead of eyes and lips.
• Use a tissue to wipe the tip of the lipstick before testing.
• Use a fresh and sterile applicator.
• Remove the top layer of creams.
• Sharpen the make-up pencils to discard the used portion.
• Don’t use cosmetics on broken or abraded skin area.
• Wash your hands with soap or use a hand sanitizer before and after visiting a make-up counter.
• A safer approach – Patronize stores that offer single serving testers

Resist the urge of using testers at the make-up counters before it gets too late and enjoy safer beauty!