Becoming A Vegan Makeup Artist: Hygiene

Hygiene is so vitally important to your work as a makeup artist, which is why I've decided to dedicate a whole post to it. Bacteria, fungi, viruses and even parasites can be transferred from a client's skin to your brushes. From here they can be transferred to your makeup kit via double-dipping, where they can grow, before being transferred to other clients the next time you use the brush or product. 

SERIOUS

BUSINESS!!

Hygiene Rules

• Wash hands with soap and water before and after each client.
• Once brushes have touched a client's skin, they are to be kept separate from the clean brushes. Do not put them back until they have been washed/sanitised, they will contaminate the others. A large zip-lock bag or a plastic bag can be used to store dirty brushes for later cleaning.
• Brushes used for powder can be quickly sanitised between clients by spraying with 70% alcohol and leaving to dry naturally. 
• Cream and liquid products are prone to bacterial/fungal growth, which thrive in a moist environment. These products should be decanted from the container using a clean spatula or the end of a brush and deposited onto a clean palette or back of the hand and used from there with a brush. Double dipping with powder products is acceptable, but everything should be spritzed with 70% alcohol every month or so. 
• Brushes used for cream products should be washed with soap.

Pic via realtechniques.com

• Mascara should be applied using a disposable mascara wand, which should be dipped once, used, then discarded or set aside for thorough washing and disinfection. To prevent accidentally double-dipping, I recommend cutting off the wand that comes in the cap of your kit mascara. 
• Lip gloss, eye primer, and other products with a wand/doe-foot applicator should be deposited onto a clean palette or back of hand using the applicator provided. This applicator should never touch the client's skin.
• Make note of when products are opened, and discard them when they have been opened for the amount of time it says on the packaging. This should be a number, followed by m (for months), inside a diagram of an open jar.

Period After Opening symbol. Pic via Wikipedia.

Recommended Products

Brush washing -
Isopropyl Alcohol/Rubbing Alcohol/Surgical Spirit for spot cleaning. Used in a spray bottle with kitchen towels or washcloths. Strength must be 70%, higher or lower will not kill bacteria effectively. 
Vegan bar soap (preferably palm oil free) for deep cleaning brushes. Vegan shampoo/washing up liquid for beauty sponges. After washing and rinsing, put beauty sponges in cup/bowl of warm water, then microwave for 30 seconds to kill bacteria.

Superdrug Fragrance-Free Baby Wipes

Cotton Pads (Organic, Fairtrade Cotton)

Cotton Buds (Organic cotton, paper stalk, not plastic)

Kitchen Roll (preferably recycled)

Large Ziplock bags to store dirty brushes/sponges apart from clean ones. Can be washed/dried and reused. Can also be used as a rubbish bin.

Clean small towel to lay on the table to protect from spillages and provide a clean working surface.

Disposable Mascara Wands. These should be washed thoroughly and reused. 

Disposable Lip Brushes. These should be washed and reused, but can also be given to brides along with a tiny pot of their lip colour to reapply throughout the day.

Stipple Sponge. To scrub eyeshadow brushes on before changing the shadow colour. If you're confused about the concept, it's a bargain version of the 'Colour Switch'.

Eyebrow/Facial razors. To remove excess facial hair. To shape brows when there's no time for plucking. Do not reuse. 

Superdrug Hand Sanitizer

Real Techniques Brush Cleansing Palette. Helps immensely with working the product out of brushes. If you have sensitive skin, like me, wear waterproof gloves when washing brushes.

The less glamorous side of make-up is just as important if you want to be a pro. Keep an eye out for my next post, all about my skin prep recommendations!

Til Next Time,

Emma
xXx