How To Clean Lip Gloss Applicator

The Ultimate Guide on How to Sanitize Makeup Products

It should come as no surprise that our makeup products can get pretty grimy the longer we use it.

I like to think that I do a pretty good job in keeping my makeup products clean and in good shape, but there's no doubt that after constant use, germs definitely get into makeup products.

Think about all those products you leave sitting on your bathroom counter, being exposed to, well… everything that happens in your bathroom!

Not to mention the heat and humidity that comes from a hot shower creates the perfect breeding environment for bacteria.

So what can you do? It seems like bacteria will get into makeup no matter what, right? And that's totally true.

But, there are some very basic steps you can take to minimize the amount of germs that collect on your makeup products.

And today I'm going share all of my tricks with you! After reading this post, you'll be a professional at sanitizing your makeup products!

So, without further ado, let's get started!

Affiliate links may be used in this post, which I may receive a commission from, at no extra cost to you. You can read my full disclosure here.

Actually before we even get started on how to sanitize makeup products, I want to remind you that the first preventative measure to keeping your makeup clean is not sharing them with anyone else.

I know that can be hard.

Maybe a friend forgot to bring their own makeup products and wants to borrow yours. Or maybe a family member wants to try that brand new product you just bought.

Whatever the case, I understand that you can't say no to everyone, just don't say yes to everyone LOL.

You never know what the other person has touched before using your makeup products and that person could also be just getting over a cold that you don't know about!

As the old saying goes, "better safe than sorry!"

And if you do happen to share your makeup products with others, it's best to clean them immediately after use to stop germs from spreading.

How often should you sanitize makeup?

With makeup products that you use on a daily basis, it's best to sanitize them every few weeks.

And maybe even more often if you've been traveling or have been sick!

Even with being super on top of sanitizing makeup, there comes a time when all makeup products expire.

Sanitizing makeup does not extend the life of your products past their expiration dates, so it's still important to get rid of products that are too old to be safe to use!

Read more:

A Guide to Makeup Expiration Dates
How to Declutter Your Makeup Collection

What supplies do you need to sanitize makeup?

Believe it or not, you only need a few items to sanitize your makeup! All of which can be found at the drugstore!

Rubbing Alcohol
Spray Bottle (to put the rubbing alcohol in)
Cotton Swabs
Cotton Pads

How To Sanitize Makeup:

Powders

Makeup powders consist of eyeshadows, blush, bronzer, highlighters, powder foundation, etc. and are definitely the lowest risk for collecting bacteria since they're dry products.

However, if you do want to sanitize your powder products, be extra careful because it can be super easy to ruin them!

To start, carefully scrape the top layer of the product off if it's been heavily used. You can use a small butter knife for this or anything you have available. (I like to use a face razor for this.)

Then, lightly spray with rubbing alcohol and let air dry.

Lipstick

To sanitize lipstick (traditional bullet-shaped cream lipstick), simply spray the exposed lipstick with rubbing alcohol and wipe it clean.

For liquid lipsticks and glosses with doe-foot applicators that are being submerged back into the product after application, there's no real way to sanitize them.

Other than wiping the outside of the tube and around the opening of the tube, the product itself can't be sanitized once you use the built-in applicator on your lips then put it back inside the tube.

Just don't share with anyone! And be sure to get rid of liquid lip products once they are expired.

If you are a makeup artist that wishes to use a liquid lip product on multiple clients, be sure to use a disposable applicator for each use.

Mascara

Just like liquid lipsticks, there's no real way to sanitize mascara.

If you are concerned with the hygiene of a mascara tube for any reason, since the eye area is so sensitive, it's better just to throw it out and open a new tube.

The same goes for liquid liners with brush/felt tip applicators!

Other Products with Doe-Foot Applicators

There are actually a handful of makeup products that come with doe-foot applicators these days.

And with these products, treat them similarly to a liquid lipstick – once you use the built-in applicator then place it back into the tube, there's no way to really sanitize them other than wiping the outside of the tube and around the opening.

Some products with doe-foot applicators include: concealers, liquid eyeshadows, liquid highlighters, eyeshadow primers, and even some liquid foundations.

Liquid Foundation (and anything else in a bottle)

Assuming the product is contained within a bottle or tube that does not come into contact with anything until it's dispensed, these products are already pretty hygienic!

You can clean up the bottle nozzle and cap to prevent bacteria from collecting in those areas by wiping it down with a cotton pad/swab that has rubbing alcohol on it.

Pencils

To sanitize lip liners and eye pencils, you can simply sharpen it to get rid of the exposed area. (Be sure to sanitize your pencil sharpener with rubbing alcohol, too!)

However, there are many pencils that are self-sharpening, so you can't just sharpen it to get rid of the exposed part.

With these pencils, treat it the same way as lipsticks – lightly spray the exposed area with rubbing alcohol and gently wipe it off.

(Make sure to get all the alcohol off and let air dry completely before using it near your eyes again.)

Liquid/Creams (in Tubs or Pots)

This category includes cream eyeshadows, concealers, brow pomades, primers, some foundations, cream blushes/highlighters/bronzers, etc.

Basically everything that can come in a cream form!

To keep these products really clean, the best practice is to never dip your finger into the tub.

Even if your hands are super clean, there are bound to be germs still on your fingers and cream products are germs' favorite place to live!

It's always best to use sanitized applicators when using these products. This totally applies to skin care products like moisturizers, sleeping masks, and lip masks!

drugstore makeup must haves under $10 feature photo

With how sensitive an area our face is (especially our eyes), it's super important to sanitize our makeup on a regular basis!

The last thing we want is an infection like pink eye or an unwanted rash!

It's easy to overlook the importance of sanitizing makeup, but since you made it to the end of this post, I now challenge you!

I challenge you to do a complete sanitization of your makeup collection! Well, if your makeup collection is massive (like mine) I challenge you to sanitize at least the products you use on a regular basis!

Once you finish, be sure to come back to this post and let me know how it went!

Thank you for reading and until next time! <3

Related Posts:

A Guide to Makeup Expiration Dates
How to Declutter Your Makeup Collection

More Makeup Posts:

Quick and Easy Makeup for Busy Mornings
The Ultimate List of Drugstore Dupes
Best of Maybelline Makeup

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How to Sanitize Makeup – A Complete Guide