Don't Just Dig It

"Oh, I don't need that--I just put it on with my fingers."
Believe it or not, that is the most common phrase I hear on a daily basis and it makes my blood run cold. Why? You may ask, well if you stuck those fingers, even freshly washed, into your makeup, you've just introduced bacteria into it, which thrives in that damp atmosphere. You have just cross-contaminated your makeup. Now don't panic just yet, the Outbreak monkey hasn't been let loose and the CDC won't swoop down and demand quarentine, but let's discuss what can happen when your makeup is contaminated with bacteria.

First thing's first, there is such a thing as good and back bacteria. What we're talking about here is the bad. On a severe scale bacteria can cause some serious problems such as eye infections, styes, staff, and even blindness. On a smaller scale you can get break outs, skin irritations, redness, itchiness and other un-fun types of issues. So how do we avoid these scary things?

Touching that Product
You might have wondered with not being able to share certain cosmetics how a makeup artist doesn't just run through 50 mascaras in one sitting or buy twenty zillon foundations. We practice sanitization. We use simple tools like a metal pallet and spatula. This way we can scrape out the tof makeup we're going to use and apply it to our client's face without worrying about putting bacteria into the makeup and then closing the lid to have it gestate in there. Then we can simply wipe the pallet clean and start again fresh. You can easily do the same thing at home. If you use things such as liquid foundations try to get them in tubes that squeeze or have a pump to avoid sticking your fingers into a product.

Application -- CLEAN TOOLS!
Another way to help avoid problem issues is to use clean sponges or brushes CLEAN being the proper word. Higher quality sponges can be washed a few times before they start to break down with facial cleanser, but you can also buy a bag of sponges and toss one each day. Foundation brushes and other makeup brushes are great tools, but you have to be sure they're properly cleaned as well. Use a brush cleaner to keep them free of old makeup and bacteria.

Eye Makeup -- The Major Suspect -- Keeping Safe
Mascara is always a nasty culprit of makeup contamination as well as eyeliners. So how do you stay safe?

Never share your mascara -- Makeup Artists will usually do one of three things to keep from worrying about this issue.
1. We use disposeable mascara wands that are never dipped into the mascara twice.
2. We pull the mascara from the tube, use a cake mascara, or a cream and use a clean fan brush to apply it then sanitize the brush.
3. For certain clients we'll buy a specific mascara just for the one client and give it to them after the use.

3 Month Rule -- Toss that mascara after 3 months and no longer than 6 maximium. If you buy one tube at a time that's fantastic. If you know there's a sale on mascara buy a few, it'll be fine it it's sealed and never used, but what I do for myself (having always had issues with my eyes) is I put the month I need to toss it on with a lable maker. I see August is approaching so my mascara labled "July" will be tossed tonight.

Don't Pump -- I know you love to pump that mascara with the little cap brush to get as much as you need. The problem with this is that it forces air and bacteria into the tube and makeup. While the brush is in the tube roll it and pull out. Anyway, less mascara on the brush also means less clumping or gloppy application. So two wins!

Sharpen Eyeliner Pencils Before Each Use -- When you sharpen your pencil it takes off any of the bacteria with the pencil shavings. If you're extra worried I hit it with a spritz of 99% alcohol, but you should be safe. Also you get a really clean line with a newly sharpened tip.

Not in that Waterline -- Yes, it's the new thing. Yes, it looks cool, but the more you put eyeliner in your waterline the easier it is to irritate tear ducts and clog glands. If you must, stick to products specifically designed for that like Kajal liners.

Take off your Makeup! -- I know you're tired at the end of the day, but if you simply remove your makeup it'll keep problems from occuring. I know I've said it before, but at night your body absorbs more than any other time. Let your skin and eyes breathe. If you're lazy like me use a makeup remover wipe at least even if you're partying hard. Toss it in the bag or car. It takes literally 5 seconds. Your body will thank you.

That's it-- now you can be ready to thwart break outs and danger. Remember don't just dig in with those fingers. Be smart and be safe.

Eye Blush... Do You Blush?

Since I also work in a retail store along with working on set, I get a lot of the same questions asked by customers, so I thought this time around I’d address a good one that I get frequently. Is blush safe to use on my eyes?

Is blush safe to use on my eyes?

The short answer would be yes. I like to use my blush with a small dusting around the eyes to give a natural rosy glow rather than to in with too much eye shadow. Pressed powder is pressed powder no matter if you call it eye shadow, blush, or touch up powder.

But why would this be a concern?

The reason people usually get worried about it is that blushes tend to have more red pigments in them.

Why should that matter?

Well the skin in the area around your eye is the thinnest skin on your entire body and red pigments tend to cause the most staining. A few years back, around 1990, there was also a big issue with red dyes that were being used in food and cosmetics. If you look around eye shadow colors, most of them will not have a bright prime red— the FDA does not allow companies to make a truly red eye shadow, but there are blushes that are truly red.

Don’t panic, though, it is safe to use around the eyes, just remember they can stain the skin around the eye mildly. You can remove it with a little extra eye makeup remover or even shaving cream lightly massaged and rinsed off around the eyes will help to pull out any residual red pigment staining the skin.

Remember just because a product isn’t marketed for a certain use doesn’t mean you can’t experiment and play with it, but it’s always good to be safe and ask questions if you aren’t sure. No question is a silly question when it comes to your well-being. If anyone has any questions about products or how they work, feel free to leave it in the “Comments” section or email me a nina@cinemasecrets.com .

Brush-a, Brush-a, Brush-a --Part III

I looked at the title and it seems like I should put Part III – The Revenge! But fear not, it is not the revenge of your brushes but what I’d like to discuss is the proper care for your brushes.

So you’ve dropped your wad on the proper tools, now you want them to stay with you for a very long time. The easiest way to do that is to take care of them. Keep them sanitized, keep them conditioned, keep them from falling all to pieces, these are the things we’ll be talking about in the final chapter of our Brush Bonanza.

Keeping Clean and Sanitized

Have you even put on an eye shadow or mascara you’ve always used and suddenly felt itchy-eyed? Have your eyes ever turned red? Maybe suddenly out of nowhere your lip started to swell… well regardless what the affliction it could have been caused by contaminated makeup.

How does it get contaminated? The most common ways that makeup is contaminated are:

Ø Dipping your fingers into the makeup
Ø Using old sponges or puffs
Ø Not cleaning makeup brushes

The one we’re focusing on here, today, is cleaning your brushes. The easiest way to clean your brushes is with a Brush Cleaner. There are many on the market: Parian Spirit, Brush-Off, MAC, Cinema Secrets, Frends, Ben Nye… most of them will clean makeup from your brushes. Some people use 99% alcohol to clean their brushes.

My personal favorite it Cinema Secrets brush cleaner, and it’s not because I work with the company either. Let me tell you exactly why. I’ve tried all of the brush cleaners that I listed above. Most brush cleaners have an alcohol base, which while cleans well does tend to dry out the natural hair of your brushes, and eats away at the glues used to hold them to the ferrule. The famous bright blue cleaner has no alcohol, and is the only one on the market that instantly sanitizes your brushes.

NOTE: Did you know you have to soak a brush for at least 10 minutes or longer in 99% alcohol in order to actually sanitize it?

Second is that it conditions your brushes without leaving behind an oily residue on he brushes which leaves me with a smooth application. Plus, then I don’t have to shampoo and condition my brushes once a month and wait a day or two for them to dry… I’m just as lazy as the next person when it comes to that. Third, it dries very quickly. Lastly (and this part is just because I’m a girl) their cleaner leaves behind a mild and absolutely yummy vanilla scent to my brushes.

But no matter what sort of cleaner you use the important thing is to clean your brushes!

NOTE: If you use an alcohol-based cleanser be sure to shampoo and condition your brushes in luke warm or cool water every 6 months or so, so that your bristles won’t dry all funky on you.

You should really clean your brushes after every use. If you use them on other people as a makeup artist you must clean them after every use, but if you’re using them on yourself at home, you need to clean them once a week or once every two weeks.

Cleaner tools will make you healthier and happier and you’ll notice you’ll break-out less and have fewer problems with your skin along the way.

If you stick to caring for your brushes you’ll get your revenge against bacteria and having to replace them often. Hmm maybe I will add Part III –The Revenge!