When you're going makeup shopping, there's more to it than just finding the item that catches your eye the most. It's one thing to like the color or shade of something, but is it the right color for you? Enter makeup test.
Safety tips for doing a makeup test
Most shops you go to will have a designated "tester" product of whichever product or your choice you happen to be looking at. With only one choice tester for ALL shoppers, do you know how many fingers have been all over it? We lost count. As you can probably guess, those tester products aren't the most sanitary of all the things. This doesn't mean you can never swatch a new product before you buy it, but there are some steps you should take to protect yourself.
Here are a few tips to use the next time you go snooping around your favorite beauty shop.
Avoid putting products on your face
While this may seem like a no-brainer, you'd be surprised. Just because you might know better than to share a makeup product with a thousand other people, doesn't mean there wasn't some other Naive Nancy that swapped that sample straight on their face.
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Makeup testers are breeding grounds for thousands of bacteria. The last thing you want to do is to spread that bacteria onto your face. If you must swatch a product, use the back of your hand or the inside of your wrist.
Some products are safer than others to test
Think of it this way. The wetter the product, the better breeding ground it is for bacteria. Unfortunately, we can't always be positively sure that the morning crew has gone around and sanitized the testers, and even if they had, if you're coming in the afternoon there are plenty of persons that could've gotten their little hands all over that sample first.
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With products like eyeshadow and blush, you're a little better off than trying out that bubblegum pink cream blush you've been eyeing all day. Not that drier items are germ-free, but their yard may not be as crowded as their more liquid companions.
Clean the product before and after applying
Repeat after me, alcohol is your friend. No, we don't mean you should carry a hotel mini bar around with you, but we are saying there is a way to sanitize the products you try on. Every good makeup counter and beauty store has a spray bottle or two of rubbing alcohol to spritz down and clean products they use on their clients.
Ask for one, spray down the whole product and wipe a layer of product away. After you've done that, then it's time to sample the product with a q-tip on the back of your hand. Even if you've just cleaned it NEVER sample a product directly on your face!
Above all, no matter what it is you want to test, trust your gut. If it doesn't look clean, don't touch it. Best case scenario, you buy the product, take it home, you don't like it and you have to return it. Never compromise your safety. Avoiding that rash, breakout or infection is always the best option.
Discover more makeup tips and tricks on our SkinStore blog.
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