It’s time to clean up your act! Check out our top tips on how to help keep your make-up & skincare regime germ-free
Remember the days of not thinking twice about dipping your fingers into your fave pot of moisturiser? How about lending your best blusher to your BFF or swiping on a new lippie tester?
Things are a bit different these days, with hygiene an even bigger part of our everyday lives. But what about our beauty routines?
Wash your hands and we’ll explain all…
Hands off
By now we’re all experts in not touching our face, but that can get a little tricky when it comes to applying skincare and make-up. Luckily, formulations like stick foundations and misting sprays are here to help make things a bit easier.
For a quick hydration hit grab XX Revolution Face Fixx Moisturising Mist. Refresh and revitalise your complexion for nourished, more radiant-looking skin in a spritz.
For contact-free coverage, try Fenty Beauty Match Stixx Matte Skinstick. Conceal, correct, contour… it’s basically everything you want, all in one super-easy (and hygienic) stick.
Get selfie-perfect skin in a flash with Wet N Wild Photofocus Stick Foundation. Perfect for buildable coverage, pop it in your bag for on-the-go touch-ups.
Give cheeks a gorgeous flush of colour with Revolution Fast Bace Blush Stick. Simply dab onto cheeks in a circular motion and build up until you’re happy. It’s that easy!
Use Fenty What It Dew Makeup Refreshing Spray at the beginning of your beauty routine to prep and prime, or hit refresh with a quick spritz throughout the day to revitalise skin.
One-hit wonders
Another easy way to keep things clean during your beauty routine is to use individually-packaged products that contain a daily dose of your favourite skincare. In other words, pluck for capsules and ampoules that save you sticking your fingers into a jar of face cream (just remember to recycle everything you can, to keep your beauty routine sustainable too).
Pop open a single use Elizabeth Arden Retinol Ceramide Capsules Line Erasing Night Serum or Esteé Lauder Advanced Night Repair Intensive Recovery Ampoules and smooth over your face and neck. Each capsule contains just the right amount for your pre-bed regime.
Brush up on basic hygiene
Did you know that as well as dirt, oil and dead skin cells, your make-up brushes could be harbouring a whole host of nasty germs and bacteria?
It makes good sense to wash your make-up brushes every couple of weeks. Stylpro Make-up Brush Cleaner makes super-short work of washing (and drying) your brushes.
For a quick cleanse in between washes spritz It Cosmetics Brush Love Instant Make-up Brush Cleaner – think of it a bit like a dry shampoo sesh for your make-up brushes.
To freshen up your bristles when you want to swap your make-up shades (eye brushes, we’re looking at you), we love No7 Make Up Brush Cleanser.
Not sure where to start when it comes to cleaning your make-up brushes? Check out our brush cleaning guide for top tips on cleansing and caring for your beauty tools.
Virtual beauty
You may not be ready to try on testers in store just yet, but fear not – you can still find your perfect shade, skincare match or brand new make-up look thanks to our virtual beauty services.
Fancy a beauty routine refresh but don’t feel like venturing into store? Book a video or telephone consultation online with one of our premium beauty or No7 experts. They’ll answer all your skincare and make-up questions and help you find your perfect products. You can even book a personalised virtual skincare or make-up lesson!
Swot up on shelf lives
Did you know skincare and cosmetics have an expiry date? Keep them longer than they’re good for and they might well become a breeding ground for bacteria, especially those you’re constantly dipping fingers or make-up brushes in.
If you’ve not been using your full arsenal of skin and beauty products recently, take a sec to check they’re not past their best. You’ll see the ‘open jar’ image on most beauty products, and this’ll tell you how many months the product will stay good for, from the day you open it.
Here’s a rough guide to how long your favourite products should last, and how to tell when it’s time to toss them and restock:
Moisturiser & serum
Typical shelf life: six months
Might be past its best if… it looks or smells different
Foundation
Typical shelf life: six months
Might be past its best if… the pigment has changed
Eyeshadow
Typical shelf life: six-12 months
Might be past its best if… the pigment has changed
Mascara
Typical shelf life: three months
Might be past its best if… the smell or texture is different
Lipstick
Typical shelf life: 18 months
Might be past its best if… it goes on dry, flaky or leaves lips feeling gritty
Perfume
Typical shelf life: three-five years
Might be past its best if… it smells stronger, weaker or just different
All that’s left to do is wash your hands (again) and get ready to enjoy your new-look beauty routine.
