5 Ways to Maintain a Sanitary Beauty and Skincare Routine
By Emily Chiang | Nov 11, 2020Remember when we didn’t have to spend every waking moment thinking about how to stay clean and virus-free? It’s clear that 2020 has many of us focused on cleaning everything coming into our homes, but what about our beauty and skincare products? Now more than ever, it’s important to be as sanitary as possible, especially with products we slather on our face morning and night. Read on for our tips to maintaining a sanitary beauty and skincare routine.
1. Wash Your Hands Thoroughly
If there’s anything I’ve learned this year, it’s how to wash my hands the right way. Remember to regularly wash your hands throughout the day but it’s especially crucial that you wash them right before touching your face for your beauty and skincare routine.
According to the CDC, here are the best handwashing practices:
- Hands should be scrubbed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- When washing, make sure to lather your hands thoroughly. Make sure to get the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel.
2. Routinely Clean Your Beauty Tools, Brushes, and Sponges
Don’t forget to clean your beauty tools, brushes, and sponges at least once a week. If you have been sick or if it’s cold and flu season, you should clean them even more frequently.
For most beauty tools, like makeup brushes and sponges, you can dilute a little dish soap or facial cleanser with water to wash out any dirt and makeup. Lay them out to dry. For tools like a jade roller, you can wipe it with an alcohol solution or wash it with warm water and dry with a soft towel.
3. Toss All Expired Products
ALL beauty and skincare products expire! You may have seen a symbol on your beauty products that looks like a jar with a number in it (e.g. “24M”). If you’re unsure what it stands for, it’s the recommended time frame for using up your products - also known as the Period After Opening (PAO) date. For example, if you open a moisturizer on January 1st, then “24M” means you should finish using it or discard it within 24 months.
As beauty products approach their expiration date, they lose their potency and can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can cause breakouts, skin flare-ups, and infections. To avoid skin inflammation, it’s best practice to toss all expired products.
4. Store Your Products Properly
In addition to expiring products, how you store your beauty and skincare products directly impacts their effectiveness and safety. If you store products improperly, they can lose their potency and harmful bacteria can grow. Store them in a cool, dry location, away from sunlight exposure.
5. Wash Your Pillowcase Weekly
One of the most important beauty habits to practice religiously in order to maintain a sanitary routine is washing your pillowcase weekly. Yes, beauty sleep is a part of your routine! The cleanliness of your pillowcase directly affects the risk of any breakouts and bacteria on your face. When you sleep, your body temperature rises and you sweat throughout the night. That sweat ends up sinking into your pillowcase, along with excess dirt, oil, and any leftover makeup. As a result, your face is resting all over the grime the entire night. Definitely not the most ideal scenario! Try washing your pillowcase at least once a week - ideally every few days.
How do you keep your routine sanitary? Share your tips @Wander_Beauty!
5 Ways to Maintain a Sanitary Beauty and Skincare Routine
Remember when we didn’t have to spend every waking moment thinking about how to stay clean and virus-free? It’s clear that 2020 has many of us focused on cleaning everything coming into our homes, but what about our beauty and skincare products? Now more than ever, it’s important to be as sanitary as possible, especially with products we slather on our face morning and night. Read on for our tips to maintaining a sanitary beauty and skincare routine.
1. Wash Your Hands Thoroughly
If there’s anything I’ve learned this year, it’s how to wash my hands the right way. Remember to regularly wash your hands throughout the day but it’s especially crucial that you wash them right before touching your face for your beauty and skincare routine.
According to the CDC, here are the best handwashing practices:
- Hands should be scrubbed with soap and water for at least 20 seconds.
- When washing, make sure to lather your hands thoroughly. Make sure to get the backs of your hands, between your fingers, and under your nails.
- Dry your hands using a clean towel.
2. Routinely Clean Your Beauty Tools, Brushes, and Sponges
Don’t forget to clean your beauty tools, brushes, and sponges at least once a week. If you have been sick or if it’s cold and flu season, you should clean them even more frequently.
For most beauty tools, like makeup brushes and sponges, you can dilute a little dish soap or facial cleanser with water to wash out any dirt and makeup. Lay them out to dry. For tools like a jade roller, you can wipe it with an alcohol solution or wash it with warm water and dry with a soft towel.
3. Toss All Expired Products
ALL beauty and skincare products expire! You may have seen a symbol on your beauty products that looks like a jar with a number in it (e.g. “24M”). If you’re unsure what it stands for, it’s the recommended time frame for using up your products - also known as the Period After Opening (PAO) date. For example, if you open a moisturizer on January 1st, then “24M” means you should finish using it or discard it within 24 months.
As beauty products approach their expiration date, they lose their potency and can become a breeding ground for harmful bacteria that can cause breakouts, skin flare-ups, and infections. To avoid skin inflammation, it’s best practice to toss all expired products.
4. Store Your Products Properly
In addition to expiring products, how you store your beauty and skincare products directly impacts their effectiveness and safety. If you store products improperly, they can lose their potency and harmful bacteria can grow. Store them in a cool, dry location, away from sunlight exposure.
5. Wash Your Pillowcase Weekly
One of the most important beauty habits to practice religiously in order to maintain a sanitary routine is washing your pillowcase weekly. Yes, beauty sleep is a part of your routine! The cleanliness of your pillowcase directly affects the risk of any breakouts and bacteria on your face. When you sleep, your body temperature rises and you sweat throughout the night. That sweat ends up sinking into your pillowcase, along with excess dirt, oil, and any leftover makeup. As a result, your face is resting all over the grime the entire night. Definitely not the most ideal scenario! Try washing your pillowcase at least once a week - ideally every few days.
How do you keep your routine sanitary? Share your tips @Wander_Beauty!