Is your bag as clean as you think?
Fragrance and beauty experts are urging women partying over Christmas, to cull 40 per cent of the makeup and fake fragrances in their handbags, or face putting their health at risk.
Lurking in women’s handbags is a host of dangerous bacteria. This includes the most commonly found germ – pseudomonas, which can cause eye infections such as conjunctivitis, as well as staphylococcus which leads to skin infections and the food poisoning bacteria - salmonella and e-coli.
Fragrance and beauty e-tailer, Deane Brooks of perfume-click.co.uk, has spoken to a number of female customers with infections caused by using make up past its sell by date, spraying fake designer perfumes, not cleaning make up brushes and using testers in cosmetics shops.
He said: “Old make-up brushes, especially if they’ve been festering at the bottom of a handbag, could be riddled with bacteria. It’s essential they are cleaned regularly. I’ve seen cases of conjunctivitis and skin complaints caused by people using old products that should have been thrown out months ago. Similarly fake perfumes can have an adverse reaction on some people’s skin and cause an unsightly and uncomfortable rash. Always buy the real thing.
“I’d advise all women to go through their handbag and make sure everything is clean and useable. In many cases, especially over the festive season when alcohol consumption runs high, products are left without their lids on and come into contact with all kinds of things that are in their handbag, and that could cause infections. Think about all the places you leave your handbag– the floor of your car, at the bar, in shopping trolleys, gym lockers and even on floors in public toilets.”
Deane Brooks’ top tips to prevent contracting an infection are:
Wash make up brushes with mild soap or shampoo every week
Don’t keep mascaras for longer than six months
Never share make up
Always buy genuine designer fragrances from reputable e-tailers and retailers
Don’t use old applicators with new products
Never use testers in cosmetics shops on your face
Keep eyeliners sharpened to avoid the wood casing scratching your eye
Tagged in Health