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Infection and disease caused by poor hygiene and cross-contamination within the beauty and cosmetics industry is an issue that many practitioners ignore and worryingly, for some clients, are simply unaware of. The Safe Beauty Association (SBA) is now promoting health and hygiene across the makeup and beauty industry Its campaign for change is called "Hidden Truth. Safe Beauty " and we encourage all professional makeup artists and beauty professionals as well as the big cosmetic brands, salons and educational establishments to join the campaign and also becoming a member and sign up to the campaign for change.
Is it acceptable for any professional beauty practitioner not to respect their clients' health and safety by not taking the responsible posiiton of protecting themselves and their clients by having the appropriate insurances in place? Many individual practitioners do NOT carry public liability insurance. If that's you, then get yourself insurance, the cost is insignificant when put into perspective of potential loss of income and law suits. As a client, ask to see the appropriate valid certificate. If this cannot be provided, cancel your appointment, walk away as you are risking your health.
Nor is it acceptable for cosmetics and beauty brands and their respective distribution outlets to use dirty brushes, tools and applicators to "test" products on consumer when these testers have been continaminated through "double dipping" by both the sales reps and by customers who are adding their own hidden germs to the products. This applies to beauty treatments too, not just at the beauty counter.
A two year research programme by Dr Elizabeth Brooks, a biological sciences professor at Jefferson Medical College in Philadelphia found staph, strep and even E.coli bacteria on makeup testers. "Whenever you see E.coli, you should just think 'E.coli' equals feaces'. Brooks says "That means someone went to the bathroom, didn't wash their hands and then stuck their fingers in that moisturizer." Brooks says that when they tested the makeup on Saturdays - the day with the most traffic at cosmetic counters - the percentage of tainted makeup was 100%."
It is issues such as this that the Safe Beauty Association campaigsn to change. Be part of that change and sign up now at www.safebeautyassociation.com
The facts you need to know
Bacteria lives in all our lashes and so using mascara, whether only on yourself or as a professional makeup artist on clients, means that it is very easy to contaminate not only your mascara tube, but also your customers. The moment the mascara wand touches the lashes, bacteria is transferred and either then transferred into the product tube or perhaps directly to the other eye. Bacteria thrives in dark warm environments of containers, and eventually breaks down the preservatives in the product.
NEVER “double dip” mascara brushes or any other makeup cosmetic applicator or tool. Double dipping defeats the purpose of using a single use, disposable applicator or brush and it is a term that all professional makeup artists and beauty professionals should be aware of. It means to reload the same mascara wand with mascara by dipping it into the tube a second time (or more than once).
Respect the published shelf-life of the products. A mascara tube will be overrun with bacteria after six months. Conjunctivitis (“pink eye”) is commonly caught from double dipping and more serious eye infections such as blepharitis and corneal ulcers which affect vision are a side effect of dirty mascara as well as the transference of acanthamoeaba – a waterborne organism which will gradually ‘eat’ your cornea.
What is a virus?
Viruses are too small to be seen by the naked eye. They are unable to multiply on their own, so they have to invade a 'host' cell and take over its machinery in order to be able to make more virus particles. Viruses consist of genetic materials (DNA or RNA) surrounded by a protective coat of protein. They are capable of latching onto cells and getting inside them.
What is bacteria?
Bacterium is a single-celled, often parasitic microorganism without distinct nuclei or organized cell structures. Various species are responsible for decay, fermentation, nitrogen fixation, and many plant and animal diseases. Bacteria exist everywhere inside and outside our bodies and are capable of multiplying by themselves, as they have the power to divide. They vary in shape and most of them are completely harmless with some bacteria being very useful. Some bacteria can cause diseases, either because they end up in the wrong place in the body, or simply because they are 'designed' to invade us.
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What is "safe beauty" and why should I be bothered?
We all instinctively know if a doctor or dentist practised their profession without adopting the highest level of hygiene in all their activities, we would be exposed to potential infection and disease. SAFE BEAUTY is simple, it's about bringing to the makeup and beauty worlds the same level of professional hygiene practice that one expects and demands from the medical world. No more double-dipping and cross-contamination through bad practice, just safe, simple and straight forward ways of ensuring that either, as profesional makeup artist or beauty therapist, you know what's the right thing to do for your clients and, as a consumer, what you should expect and demand from your practitioner.
The new professional standard for our industry.
You expect a dentist to wear gloves. You would be horrified if your doctor didn’t open a fresh, sealed syringe to take blood. Because you instinctively understand the health damage that cross-contamination could wreak. You wouldn't share your toothbrush because you not it's not hygienic.
And yet with makeup, it seems, anything goes. Brush to face, brush to product, person to person, skin to skin. What about the risks?
Makeup? Risks? Really
First, think about where it goes. Around sensitive eyes, into the moist corners of the mouth, onto facial skin which is semi-permeable and thinner than body skin. Now, think about the micro-organisms that can transfer through makeup use, breed in the product, and contaminate brushes and applicators. Bacteria, viruses, fungal spores.
These are just a few of the health problems they can cause:
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Conjunctivitis: a viral infection of the eye, easily transferred by mascara wands.
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Blepharitis: a nasty bacterial inflammation of the eyelid. Mascara wands again.
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Impetigo: a staphylococcus infection transferred by brushes and applicators.
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Ringworm: not a worm but a fungus that multiplies rapidly in product such as blusher.
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Herpes simplex: the highly-contagious cold sore virus, easily transferred by contaminated lip brushes.
This is the unacceptable face of the beauty industry.
And it’s one which, at THEPROMAKEUPSHOP.COM, we’re passionately determined to change by ensuring that all makeup and beauty professionals have access to high quality professional single use and diposable brushes, applicators and essential hygiene tools and accessories. And by working with the SAFE BEAUTY ASSOCIATION (www.safebeautyassociation.com) to encourage a more responsible work practice for members.
Single use means exactly that. A single loading and application before disposing of the applicator, to avoid all risk of cross-contamination. (Imagine a mascara product, one dip in, one load of mascara, one application to a client and then bin the disposable mascara brush.)
And professional quality?
Well, we understand that better methods won’t take hold unless professionals can achieve the effects they need. So our products are a world away from the ‘disposables’ you may have seen and used in the past. The quality of both brush and handle are superb. Vitally, you’ll always experience that elusive, professional ‘feel’. So our "Big Bertha" disposable mascara wand will produce a full, dramatic, false-eyelash effect. Our "Blushing Belinda" natural haired blush and contour brush will help you achieve subtlety of colour, highlight and contour and "Pouting Poppy" deluxe lip brush, in your hands, will ensure wonderful definition and precision.
At THEPROMAKEUPSHOP.COM we don’t want to take away any of the fun and glamour of the makeup and beauty industry. We don’t want to take away any of its expert artistry. We certainly don’t want to take away the sheer joy of beauty.
We just want to take away the risks.
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Introducing the Safe Beauty Association. The vision is simple – to bring about change for good by leading the way for a new professional standard for the makeup and beauty industry.
THE SBA'S VISION (www.safebeautyassociation.com)
To change the unacceptable face of makeup and beauty industry by working together.
The Safe Beauty Association’s goals include the following:-
- - Educate, inform and raise awareness amongst the trade, consumers and businesses of the health dimension in the beauty and cosmetics industry.
- - Promote behaviour change at all levels
- - Work with the industry to introduce an appropriate Code of Practice.
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The face of the beauty industry hides an ugly truth
Cross-contamination. Infection. Brushes and tools that transmit micro-organisms from person to person, brush to face, face to product, product to brush, skin to skin via bacteria, viruses and fungal spores. Conjunctivitis, blepharitis, impetigo, ringworm, acne and herpes are a few of the potential infections caused by bad hygiene and poor working practice from the catwalk to the beauty counter, from the bridal makeup to TV makeup preparation, from the spa to the photographic studio.
This is the unacceptable face of the makeup and beauty industry and it’s one that the Safe Beauty Association and its “Hidden Truth. Safe Beauty” campaign is setting out to change.
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Posing a real threat to the industry, makeup artists and beauty practitioners trusted with and responsible for the health and well being of clients and models, are all too often providing an unhygienic and unsafe service, putting both their customers and career at unnecessary risk.
Research conduct by the SBA found that over a third (1) of makup artists choose to use only their professional brushes over disposable and single use brushes and applicators and over half (2) had no public liability insurance. Clearly, these professionals are either unconcerned or unaware of the risks of cross-contamination – a direct result of hygienic application of makeup and beauty products with double dipping (3) a key cause.
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+research base 360 makeup arftists
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To find out more about the SBA, to become a member and support the campaign for change visit
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www.safebeautyassociation.com
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Makeup - The Risks
