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- BEAUTY PIE surveyed over 1000 people from the UK to find out how often they clean their beauty tools, and the answers will shock you.
- Several people admitted never washing items like makeup brushes, beauty blenders and Gua Shas.
- Pictures taken by macro photographer Matthew Doogue show how nasty these items look up close when not cleaned.
- Dirty beauty tools can transfer bacteria onto your skin, causing irritation, breakouts and other skin conditions, so they should be regularly washed.
Be honest, how often do you clean your beauty tools? When was the last time you gave your makeup brushes a good scrub? Or how about your Gua Sha?
Dirty beauty tools can become a breeding ground for bacteria, and when they make direct contact with your skin, it can lead to breakouts, irritation and other skin conditions.
Maybe the reason you don't clean your tools that often is because they just don't seem that dirty. Well, brace yourself because BEAUTY PIE teamed up with macro photographer Matthew Doogue to show you just how nasty your tools actually are.
Over 1000 people from the UK were asked how often they clean their beauty items, which included things like a Gua Sha (facial sculpting/toning device), beauty blender sponge, eyelash curler and facial cleansing cloths.
Topping the list of the dirtiest beauty tool was the Gua Sha, which 73% of people admitted they had never washed.
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Swipe right to see what your dirty beauty tools look like up close:
Below is the list of the dirtiest items and the percentage of people who admit to never cleaning them:
1. Facial toning/sculpting device, for example, Gua Sha (73% say they never wash this item)
2. Fake tan mitt (68% say they never clean this item)
3. Dry body brush (66%)
4. Skincare headband (61%)
5. Facial cleansing brush (59%)
6. Reusable face pads (58%)
7. Eyelash curlers (55%)
8. Beauty blender (53%)
9. Body exfoliating mitt (50%)
10. Face cleansing cloths, for example, muslin cloths (50%)
11. Foundation brush (45%)
12. Eyeshadow brush (42%)
13. Flannel (40%)
14. Skincare/makeup bag (40%)
15. Blusher brush (38%)
Dr Joe Latimer, a microbiologist and lecturer in antimicrobial resistance from the University of Salford, tells BEAUTY PIE how the use of dirty tools can affect your skin.
"Our skin is an ecosystem with a myriad of bacteria, fungi and viruses living together, and most of the time, our skin keeps the balance of these bacterial species in check. Our bacteria help to keep our skin healthy and protect us from infection, but if numbers become too high, we can end up with problems like acne, atopic dermatitis, seborrheic dermatitis, or wound infections," he warns.
Every time you use dirty beauty tools, the bacteria transfer onto your skin. "To make it worse, bacteria love warmth and moisture. This means that if we store our clothes and brushes in a damp environment, more bacteria will grow."
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So how do we keep beauty tools clean?
"To stop bacteria from building up to potentially unhealthy levels, we need to remove their food, water, and heat so they can't grow. Regularly cleaning skincare and makeup tools and, crucially, storing them somewhere nice and dry is the best way to do this. That way, you can restore the happy balance between you and your bacteria without risking any annoying spots or rashes," Dr Latimer says.
Source: Distributed by Propellernet Digital Marketing Agency
