As we find ourselves in the hottest months of the year, it’s important to be mindful of how to store your makeup products. Makeup and skincare, when stacked in your bathroom or on shelves with direct exposure to sunlight, can easily develop mould and bacterial growth thanks to the high temperatures and humidity. We explain the most important factors you should consider when pondering the question–how to store your makeup products correctly.
Where do you keep your makeup and skincare?
The ‘store in a cool and dry place’ disclaimer that most products come with isn’t for nothing. It’s important to keep your makeup and skincare out of direct sunlight, most importantly. Sun exposure or high temperatures can impact the efficacy of your products by altering the formula — we’re talking splitting and oxidation, both of which reduce the shelf life of the product, hence, reducing the returns on your investment as well.
Ensure that your makeup stays in drawers — not in your bathroom, please. The steam from hot showers can lead to mould and bacteria development within your palettes, sponges and brushes. Stash them out of sunlight as much as you can. If you’re using clear drawers to store your products, make sure they aren’t placed next to a window either; they’re great for organisation but still let UV rays in.
How hygienically do you treat your makeup?
As fun as getting ready with your sister, best friend or even your mom sounds, sharing the same products can lead to cross contamination, infecting your products and possibly causing acne and other infections as well. Plan a makeup date but keep your products and tools separate, always sanitising them before usage. If you’re after a makeup sanitiser that doesn’t alter the formula or impact its texture, look to Code Beauty by Bianca Louzado. Try the Anti-Bacterial Cosmetic Disinfectant for products in pots and pans, Sanitising Wipes for lipsticks and liners and the Brush & Sponge Cleansing Baths for your tools. In the summer, make sure you clean your brushes and sanitise your tools more often. Your skin is also stickier this time of the year and that quick concealer touch-up can easily transfer excess oil onto your brush, which lives there till the next wash.
Storage solutions
Chests of drawers are ideal to store both makeup and skincare. Easily available drawer organisers allow you to create partitions within, based one how much space you need for each product type you own, making it easier to store and use. For your potent serums and skin soothing products, it’s worth investing in a beauty fridge. The cool temperatures prevent your active ingredients from oxidising and making skin soothing and cooling gels and mists work even better. The House of Beauty Beauty Fridge comes with a mirror on the front with LED lights which doubles up as a mini vanity as well.
As a thumb rule, make sure you keep your fingers out of all sorts of pots and jars, and use clean beauty spoons or spatulas to scoop everything out. The increased humidity increases the risk of infection tenfold and even when you’ve rinsed your hands, it’s safer to use a clean tool instead.
Also Read:
How to sanitise your makeup products, according to the pros
Best clean sunscreens to buy and the suncare ingredients to avoid
Vogue’s summer guide to clear skin and the products you need to ace it
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