If you’ve found yourself becoming ten times more conscious of your general hygiene lately, you’re most definitely not alone. Experts are seeing a higher demand for contact-less or hands-free skincare, as the world continues to battle against COVID-19.
If you’re thinking of amping up your hygiene care when it comes to your beauty routine, here are five tips that you can easily apply to your daily skincare regimen to ensure maximum cleanliness.
1. Sanitise everything
Whether you’re intending to spritz on some facial mist before patting it into your skin or to do a quick lipstick touch-up, remember to first sanitise your hands. If you have access to soap and water, wash your hands first, otherwise, hand sanitisers can help to rid your hands of all bacteria and viruses.
At the same time, leave no tool unturned. Since it’s inevitable that dust and grime will settle, it’s not a bad idea to give your application tools a good spritz or wipe down before and after every use.
You can either get yourself a pack of alcohol swabs to do the job with, or a brush cleaner such as the Make Up For Ever Instant Brush Cleaner (S$34), which is alcohol-free and non-greasy, to keep those bristles sanitary.
2. Avoid dipping your fingers in
When dealing with pot or jar products, try a spatula. Muji has a reusable stainless steel one that only retails for S$5.60.
That way you can make sure you’re not introducing unwanted germs or bacteria into your skincare. You can easily wash the tool before and after using, making the scooping out process way more hygienic.
Besides avoiding contaminating your product, this habit can also help them last longer since they’re less likely to spoil when you’re keeping it bacteria- and fungus-free.
3. Re-package your products
Source: YesStyle
In the spirit of minimising the amount of surfaces you touch during your skincare regimen, you could consider putting your skincare into pump or spray bottles. Pump bottles (from S$1.75, Shopee) allows you to dispense cream or gel without dipping your finger into the product and also makes sure the they are not exposed to the surroundings, and spray bottles (from S$0.69, Shopee) are great for toners and essences, for direct, contact-less application.
4. Use a silicone makeup sponge
Porous sponges are more susceptible to trapping bacteria, dead skin cells, and leftover product, which you’d be piling back onto your face upon next use.
A silicone sponge, however, proves less of a hygiene hazard. The non-porous material makes for a more sanitary makeup application process – all you have to do is wipe it down with some antibacterial soap and it’ll be good for its next use. Plus, you’ll be saving more product with this non-absorbent sponge alternative.
For an affordable silicone makeup sponge that does the job, consider the Sephora Collection Silicone Makeup Sponge (S$15).
5. Use pimple patches
Since wearing a mask nowadays is non-negotiable, consider pimple patches as your mode of spot treatment. While creams and serums will get rubbed off, a pimple patch sticks to the skin. Using a patch also helps shield the pimple – which is essentially a wound – from irritants and pollution while treating the spot.
For trust-worthy pimple patches, try COSRX Acne Pimple Master Patch (from S$3.20), made of ultra-thin hydrocolloid material that feels comfortable and isn’t very visible.
