How to deal with this gently? (Makeup/brush sanitation)

[wordgirl]

I have a friend who lives near me, we're always in each others' houses and will often get ready to go out together.

She's very into makeup, has a lot of stuff, but straight-up does not keep it clean. (Generally speaking she's a good housekeeper but her makeup area is a wreck.) It almost makes me weep to see her high-end brushes all matted and clogged with color. Her makeup drawer is a mess - bunch of products all jammed in, missing lids, dirty cases, dried-out paints, etc.

The worst, honestly, is when she starts dipping into my stuff. "Ooh, what's this" and there go the unwashed fingers into the shadow. (I never take anything I want to keep over to her house, and I've kind of taken to hiding "the good stuff" at my own house.)

I don't want her in my stuff, but more importantly I'm worried about her health. How do I broach this gently and get her to understand how important it is to keep this stuff clean? Am I being too judgmental/anal? If so, is there a way I can just keep her out of my stuff?

 

[Hilly]

Tell her you have an eye infection and cold sores and therefor your stuff's contaminated

 

[MsCuppyCakes]

You are definitely not being too anal. Sanitary and health concerns are important. I guess you could start by asking, "How often do you wash your brushes?" Just to get the conversation going, maybe mention (this has personally happened to me) the possibility of getting an infection from using unclean tools etc. My personal approach is straight forward, "Dude don't be dipping your dirty brush into my product."

 

[wordgirl]

Hilly, that would be a great idea -- except when I DID have an infection, I threw everything except the sanitizable brushes away (I take no chances with my eyes.)

MsCuppyCakes, I love your last response. I think she's seen me flinch a few times.

I might get her some brush cleaner for Christmas. Maybe some of her poor babies can be saved. Would it be over the top for me to just go over there and start cleaning them?

 

[purrtykitty]

Quote:

Originally Posted by MsCuppyCakes You are definitely not being too anal. Sanitary and health concerns are important. I guess you could start by asking, "How often do you wash your brushes?" Just to get the conversation going, maybe mention (this has personally happened to me) the possibility of getting an infection from using unclean tools etc. My personal approach is straight forward, "Dude don't be dipping your dirty brush into my product."

and after you've asked her...you act surprised, "Really?! You never clean them?! Aren't you a little worried about germs?" then spout off some facts like you read makeup brushes can harbor dirt and grime for years that can cause serious infections and contaminate your makeup, and that once your makeup is contaminated...you have to throw your stuff out. then say how often you clean yours and offer to show her how. if that fails...be blunt (but nice) - like you're worried for her safety and yours since she insists on sharing cosmetics.

 

[Beauty Mark]

Yes, it would be.

With certain products, like mixing powders colors, if they're her own, it's her own business how she wants to treat her own stuff. It's messy but not harmful to her, unless she's mixing powders with huge chunks of glitter and placing them on her eyelids.

I would tell her firmly that you have your way of keeping your stuff. Explain that you want to keep your makeup clean and why. It's your property, you need to take control of it

 

[MsCuppyCakes]

Quote:

Originally Posted by Beauty Mark Yes, it would be. With certain products, like mixing powders colors, if they're her own, it's her own business how she wants to treat her own stuff. It's messy but not harmful to her, unless she's mixing powders with huge chunks of glitter and placing them on her eyelids. I would tell her firmly that you have your way of keeping your stuff. Explain that you want to keep your makeup clean and why. It's your property, you need to take control of it

I agree totally.

 

[MACATTAK]

If you're not a straightforward person, just don't get ready at her place anymore. Keep all your makeup away from her. Also, the brush cleanser idea is a great one! Excitedly tell her that you have a great product she has to try & it gets your brushes soooo clean! If she chooses not to use it, that's her business, but in the meantime keep your stuff clear of her.

 

[wordgirl]

*sigh* I thought so. But it was worth a shot, LOL.

 

[makeba]

MACATTAK took the words right out of my mouth.!!!. there is a way to make a stand and it not be offensive. soo i suggest you try it so that way you protect your precious gems!!!

 

[Dani]

Maybe next time you're there and she's putting on eyeshadow with a dirty brush, you could say something like 'maybe you should wash that before you use it, the colors on the brush might mix with the one you're trying to put on and ruin it'

 

[Shimmer]

Look in the Frequently Asked and Answered Questions forum and find the brush cleaning thread, then email it to her.

 

[xsnowwhite]

or you could be like, hey try this new brush cleaner it works so good and it makes the brushes really soft(or something like that)

 

[righteothen]

I really like the idea of the brush cleaner. If I were in your situation, I would even clean them for her (tell her that's part of the present, or something), so she can see how it's done. That's just me, though ^_^.

I completely understand where you're coming from. I don't allow my mom to use my makeup, and I don't use hers. If it's something easy to sanitize, like a lipstick, or shadow, we sometimes try it (if we were thinking of buying it ourselves, and wanted to try it first), after sanitizing it, but that's it. And brushes? She's not allowed near them, hehe.

I've seen way too many infections from makeup that were easy to avoid through things like throwing old stuff out, and cleaning/sanitizing products.

 

[wordgirl]

righteothen, I like that idea ... make the cleaning part of the present. A lot gentler than just barging in and turning on the sink. ... she is perfectly free to say no if she wants. I have also pondered just cleaning my own brushes while she's over at my house. It really is kind of fun (or am I just sick and wrong to think that?)

Ironically, now that means I have to find an actual brush cleaner, LOL. I use diluted castile soap on mine, and Dawn on my concealer/foundation brushes.

The FAQ idea is also great. Maybe I'll print it out for her too.

 

[MACATTAK]

^^ Mac's brush cleanser is only $10.00, and it really is amazing! My brushes have never been cleaner. Get it as her Christmas present/or part of her Christmas present

 

[CantAffordMAC]

you know what I would do? Buy/bring over some brush cleaner and while you're at her house tell her "oh girl i'm sorry but I have got to clean my brushes its been almost 2 weeks!" and maybe ask her if she's ever tried that particular brush cleaner. she might be intrigued because she doesn't know that she's supposed to wash them or maybe she doesn't know how.

if she says "oh no i've never heard of it" say "oh you're missing out it works so good..do you want me to clean yours for you?" like I said maybe she'll get interested and take a hint. and maybe just slip in there that you try to wash yours every week, two weeks.

maybe u could go to mac together and while you guys are there you can chat up a MA and ask her "how often should brushes be washed"

I would cringe if I was there with you while she washed her brushes. after 2 weeks of using my powder brush (for my studio fix) it takes me about 4 washes with baby shampoo to get all the stuff out.

 

[flowerhead]

so? my friend's makeup is a mess but i dont give a damn, it's her business and she doesn't care...

 

[*KT*]

Quote:

Originally Posted by flowerhead so? my friend's makeup is a mess but i dont give a damn, it's her business and she doesn't care...

The main issue here is that her friend is dipping her nasty never-been cleaned brushes into her makeup.

Good suggestion CantAffordMAC. =) Luckily, I don't share my makeup with anyone... but I still try to give everything a good cleaning every 2 weeks. Besides, they feel so nice when they're clean. I can't imagine how yuck hers would look/feel.

 

[CantAffordMAC]

Quote:

Originally Posted by *KT* The main issue here is that her friend is dipping her nasty never-been cleaned brushes into her makeup. Good suggestion CantAffordMAC. =) Luckily, I don't share my makeup with anyone... but I still try to give everything a good cleaning every 2 weeks. Besides, they feel so nice when they're clean. I can't imagine how yuck hers would look/feel.

I don't share my makeup either...I don't have anyone to share it with lol. I do give my friend allthe makeup I don't want though. we're weird that way.

I can honestly say, that before I knew much about makeup I was applying them with my fingers. i got two cheap CVS brushes and I only had one eyeshadow brush for all of my different eyeshadows. I never really had a problem, and honestly I never thought to wash it. Sounds gross, and it is. But I just didn't know. After being on specktra, I've learned about brushes, and bought an adesign set last month. Now I'm taking proper care of my brushes/makeup.