How to Sanitize Makeup: The Expert-Approved Guide (2024)

How to Sanitize Makeup: The Expert-Approved Guide (1)

Cleaning your makeup might not be something you've thought much about. We all know to clean our brushes, sponges, and other tools, but the fact that makeup itself can get dirty isn't so much a top-of-mind consideration. It's important, but how do you do it? We tapped a brand founder and a cosmetic chemist to find out what makeup products need to be cleaned, how to clean them, and how to know when to throw them away and move on. Ahead, we'll break down every type of makeup and how you can keep it in perfect shape.

Meet the Experts

Aimee Carr is the founder of Voodoo Makeup and a medical esthetician, makeup formulator, and makeup artist.
Charlene Valledor is a cosmetic chemist and the president of SOS Beauty.

Why You Should Clean Your Makeup

Simply put, makeup gets dirty. "Makeup, just like makeup brushes, can be filled with bacteria, external pollutants, buildup, and germs," explains artist and makeup brand founder Aimee Carr. "This buildup can be things like oils, environmental debris, dirt, or product residue." And if you skip cleaning? "If you are not being mindful of what your makeup is being exposed to and because of that not cleaning it regularly, it can lead to a range of health concerns, irritation, as well as your face breaking out," she warns. Cosmetic chemist Charlene Valledor also notes that dirty makeup can lead to dermatitis.

How you treat your makeup also impacts the need to clean it. "There are some types of makeup that may have more exposure to different bacteria, germs, environmental concerns, dirt, oils, etc, over others. This is due to factors like ingredients or where you bring your makeup," Valledor tells us. If you share your makeup with others or bring it with you into the world, you'll want to clean it more often than if you use it alone and only in your home.

Tip

The rules of thumb for how long to keep makeup are based on standard commercial products, and natural products may behave differently. "Chemical products may be harder to notice and may last you longer because of the ingredients that preserve the formulas longer," Carr explains.

Lipstick

How to Clean: Lipsticks are generally very easy to clean! Carr suggests doing this before every use. "Spray a little alcohol on top, then wipe it clean with a tissue, paper towel, or cotton pad," she explains. "I always use a paper towel and wipe off the top layer of the lipstick before each use. If you are looking to clean the entire lipstick, you can [fully] roll the stick out of the package and dip it in a cup of alcohol. Then wipe it clean and pop it back into the tube."If you want to avoid alcohol, Carr suggests the alternative of scraping off the top layer with a tool.

When to Throw It Away: In terms of when lipstick should be replaced, Valledor suggests tossing lipstick after a year. Carr says if you're unsure if it's gone bad, "you can taste it by licking your lips and if it tastes off then toss."

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Foundation

How to Clean: Unlike powder formulas, which we'll get to next, liquid foundation can't actually be cleaned because it's inside a bottle. The best you can do is wipe down the area under the top. To prevent foundation from going back quickly, Carr suggests being mindful of where you store your products. "Don't put your makeup on just after a shower or bath because the moisture from the room gets into the product," she warns. "Over time, it makes an impact and can grow bacteria."

When to Throw It Away: Both Carr and Valledor say to throw foundation bottles away within a year. You can tell if it's gone bad by how it looks and how it's performing. "If the product starts sweating or it's mushy, it's time to toss," says Carr. "[The same goes if] it changes form and texture which is different from the product separating." Whenever a formula separates, the issue can usually be resolved by simply shaking.

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Pressed Powders: Blush, Foundation, Eyeshadow, Highlighter

How to Clean: Powdered items can, and should, be cleaned. But don't worry, it's quick to do. "Spray a little alcohol on top [of the powder] then wipe it clean with a tissue. Once it dries, take a sponge and rub across to get the film off the product so it doesn't dry with it in," says Carr. "Rubbing alcohol could change the formula of the product and it's a dying ingredient so you want to make sure to clean and wipe off immediately. Don't let it sit on the product." This should be done occasionally.

When to Throw It Away: Carr and Vallegor agree that powders should be put in the trash within a year. However, don't jump the gun on that just because you see it cracking. "Cracking is not a sign it's old, that's a sign it's dry," Carr says. "It is typical that pressed products can crack, and it doesn't mean you have to immediately toss."

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Tubes: Mascara, Lip Gloss, Liquid Liner

How to Clean: Since you can't clean the contents, or easily clean the wands, disposable applicators can keep things sanitary across mascaras, lip glosses, and liquid eyeliners. "If you are using disposable applicators, the product could last you 6 months," says Carr. She also says to never make a pumping motion when applying. "When you do that you are pushing air into the tube which is causing it to dry out. The product will go bad faster because it makes moisture," she explains. "Instead of pumping, twist the mascara wand only to get more product then pull out."

When to Throw It Away: You'll want to turn over your mascaras, liquid liners, and lip glosses regularly. Valledor suggests getting rid of mascara and liquid liners every three months, and Carr says that's about how long gloss is good for, too. "Liquids like lipgloss go rancid faster because they typically have jojoba oil as an ingredient." However, as we mentioned above, you can lengthen the life of these products by using single-use applicators.

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Creams: Highlighter, Blush, Contour

How to Clean: There's no real way to clean a cream, so you'll want to stay vigilant about not letting it go bad. However, don't be fooled by the texture. "If it gets grainy it's not a sign of needing to toss it's more a sign of the emulsifier and that the shea butter is separating and showing," says Carr.

When to Throw It Away: To know how long you should keep it, Carr suggests looking at the ingredients list. "If the product has water listed, then 6 months shelf life is recommended." Similarly, Valledor instructs us to throw away creams every 6-8 months after opening, watching for any changes in color or smell.

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Pencil Liners

How to Clean: Chances are, you already are cleaning your lip, brow, and eye pencils regularly, and you don't even realize it. "You are taking the top layer off when you sharpen it," says Carr. She notes that this action removes the bacteria on the surface. You can also clean pencils in between sharpening. "Spray a little alcohol on the top [of your pencil], then wipe the tip clean with a tissue, paper towel, or cotton pad," instructs Carr. This method is similar to how you would clean lipstick.

When to Throw It Away: Both experts agree that these makeup products should be thrown away within a year. Carr notes that if you're using a pencil regularly, you will likely use it up in far less time than that.

The Final Takeaway

Makeup items can, and should, be cleaned regularly. Some are easier to clean than others, with items like lipsticks and pencil liners being the most straightforward. Some makeup products can't be cleaned, such as mascara, because there's no way to get to the product itself. In those instances, you should use disposable applicators for each application. All makeup products should be thrown away every year, at the outset. Thanks to these in-depth tips from our experts, your makeup can stay clean from here on out.