The vast majority of makeup products in use such as beauty blenders, mascara and lip gloss are contaminated with potentially life-threatening bacteria, new research from Aston University has revealed.
Makeup products used by millions of people every day are contaminated with potentially deadly insects, such as E.coli and Staphylococci, because most are not cleaned and used well past their expiration date, new research has shown.
Bacteria that can cause illness ranging from skin infections to blood poisoning when used near eyes, mouth or cuts or scrapes were found in nine out of ten of the products. This risk is enhanced in immunocompromised people who are more likely to get infections from opportunistic bacteria.
The relatively new beauty blenders — sponges used to apply skin bases — were found to have the highest levels of potentially harmful bacteria — the vast majority (93 percent) having never been cleaned, and more than two-thirds (64 percent) using them. fall to the floor.
The study is the first to look at beauty blender products — hugely popular makeup sponges used to blend foundation and contour on the face. The Aston researchers found that these products are particularly susceptible to contamination because they are often left damp after use, providing an ideal breeding ground for harmful bacteria.
