How to Disinfect or Sanitize Makeup with Alcohol

Knowing how to keep all of your makeup clean and sanitary is something that professional makeup artists, estheticians, and industry professionals address every day, but the average consumer might not think about. There are a lot of makeup swaps and blog sales out there that offer products or brands that might not be available in your area, and you can find a lot of limited edition or discontinued products through them as well. If you're getting a used product, you absolutely need to make sure you disinfect it before use. Some products can't be disinfected, such as mascaras, lipglosses, or creams in tubes and it's use at your own risk. A few things you can disinfect are eyeshadows, blushes, and lipsticks because they have a single surface area.

You need either 70% ethyl alcohol or 99% isopropyl alcohol. To be effective, the strength of of ethyl alcohol must be no less than 70%. Isopropyl alcohol's strength must be 99% or it isn't ineffective. I've seen people use it in different ways, but what seems to be the easiest without wasting the alcohol is using it in a small spray bottle and lightly spraying about 8 to 10 inches away from the product. Spray a lipstick on both sides or spray a whole palette all at once. Some people fill a small dish with alcohol and dip a tube of lipstick for a few seconds and let it air dry. Some people spray a tissue with alcohol and wipe the surface of an eyeshadow. It's up to you.

The official MAC Cosmetics technique, in case you were wondering, is to wipe the lipstick with a clean tissue after it's been dipped in 70% isopropyl alcohol and leave it upside down so any remaining alcohol will evaporate. 

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Lotus