As a professional makeup artist or influencer, you know that good hygiene is an essential part of your job. When your products and brushes come in contact with different people daily, they can become a breeding ground for different diseases and bacteria. Not only is this gross to think about – but a lack of sanitation practices could result in health risks for you and your clients.

The reality is that knowing how to sanitize makeup properly is critical for health and for protecting your professional reputation at the same time. Maintaining hygiene standards is essential to ensure client safety, helping to prevent the spread of contaminants. Not only is it your responsibility as a makeup professional, but it also sends a message of care and respect for your clients.

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How to Sanitize 7 Most Common Makeup Products

It doesn’t matter if you use liquid, cream, or powder – everything must be sanitized between clients to avoid cross-contamination. In addition to following these guidelines for specific types of makeup, take time to use a biodegradable wipe to keep the outside of your products clean. It’s also a good idea to use a cotton swab sprayed with alcohol to clean the hard-to-reach places, such as the caps and crevices.

Can you use rubbing alcohol to disinfect makeup? Many people are surprised that it’s possible to sanitize makeup with alcohol and not damage the makeup. A fingertip spray bottle with rubbing alcohol is often the easiest and most effective solution. Create your own makeup sanitation spray by mixing 70% isopropyl alcohol with 30% distilled water.

Once your sanitizing spray is ready to go, follow these best practices for the different types of makeup you need to sanitize:

Powder products

Carefully remove the top layer of the powder product using a clean paper towel. Then, spray your alcohol sanitizer over the powder palette to saturate it thoroughly. Let it evaporate and dry completely before using it again. This method can be used for all types of powder makeup, including eyeshadow, face powders, bronzers, blushers, and more.

Liquid products

For any type of liquid makeup, such as creams and glosses, it’s better to be careful about how you are handling the products so you can minimize the need to sanitize them directly. If the liquid is untouched and in a closed container, then you know it’s clean. Keeping the product in the container is the best solution because it keeps the makeup protected from the outside world, which helps reduce the spread of germs and disease.

Lipsticks and lip glosses

Avoid applying lipstick to each client directly. Instead, use disposable tools to transfer the lipstick or lip gloss to a tray, then the color can be applied from the tray to the client.

Even if the lipstick doesn’t come in contact with a person directly, you still need to know how to sanitize lipstick. Spray the exposed portion with alcohol, and make sure that you leave plenty of time for the alcohol to soak in and evaporate before using this lipstick again.

Mascara

Even though many makeup products can be sanitized with alcohol, it’s not a good idea to use rubbing alcohol on mascara since the wand will be so close to the eyes. How do you disinfect makeup without alcohol? The ideal solution is to swap out the makeup tools often. Use disposable mascara wands and never re-dip the same mascara wand after it has already been applied to a client’s eyelashes.

Eyeliners

How do makeup artists sanitize eyeliner? It’s a fairly simple process: Sharpen the pencil to expose a new area of the eyeliner. For extra safety, you can spray the pencil with rubbing alcohol or dip the tip in the sanitation solution to disinfect.

Liquid eyeliners should be treated like mascara: Use a disposable wand every time and never double-dip. This method keeps the contents clean so you don’t need to worry about sanitizing the makeup.

Lip liners

When sanitizing lip liners, follow the same instructions as above for eyeliners. Both pencil lip liners and liquid lip liners can be easily sanitized in the same ways as eyeliner.

Eyeshadow

Are you wondering how to sanitize eyeshadow effectively? Most eyeshadow comes in a small palette, which can be sprayed with your alcohol-sanitizing mixture. Follow the step-by-step instructions above for powder products.

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How to Keep Your Workspace Clean Between Clients

In addition to learning how to sanitize makeup, it’s just as important to make sure your workspace is sanitary and clean between clients. A few proactive steps make a big difference in the long run:

• Disinfect surfaces between each client: Your work isn’t done when an appointment is finished – now it’s time to disinfect your workspace. Wash your makeup plate and spray with an alcohol-based solution to sterilize. Wipe down the tables, countertops, and chairs with disinfecting wipes. Throw away used disposable tools immediately.
• Use disposable applicators when possible: Disposable products will save you a lot of time and hassle! Always use tools instead of fingers when applying makeup. These disposable solutions eliminate the time necessary for cleaning makeup brushes and applicators after each appointment.
• Don’t overbook: When the number of clients in your space exceeds capacity, it can quickly become stuffy. Manage traffic flow by maximizing your schedule and calendar. GlossGenius is an all-in-one business management platform that includes scheduling features like  gap time, to build makeup cleaning time into your schedule.
• Store makeup and equipment properly: Storage matters. Put all makeup items back where they belong and reorganize your makeup kit if needed. Declutter regularly to ensure you don’t have any expired products in your kit. When your makeup is not in use, keep it out of direct sunlight and avoid extreme temperatures.
• Have a system for waste and dirty tools: Have a trashcan nearby so you can easily discard used disposable products. Also, set up a designated place (such as a Ziplock bag or washable container) to set aside dirty brushes, eyelash curlers, spatulas, etc., that need to be cleaned. Mark this bag or container so you don’t accidentally cross-contaminate the dirty and clean tools.

6 Extra Sanitation and Safety Tips

In addition to makeup sanitation, it’s also critical to be proactive about other salon safety tips:

• Wash your hands frequently, especially between clients: Hand washing must become a way of life. Wash your hands before each appointment, multiple times during the appointment, and after every client.
• Don’t work when you’re sick: Even though it can be hard to cancel an appointment because you don’t want to miss out on the business opportunity, don’t put your client at risk by working while you’re sick. Network with other makeup artists who can fill in as your backup in case you need to cancel unexpectedly when sick.
• Keep track of product expiration dates: Like food products, makeup packaging will have an expiration date listed on the label. Have a system in place to track this information so you know when to discard and replace each product. If a product package doesn’t have an expiration date, consider investing in your own label maker to clearly mark when you should stop using a product.
• Know your client’s allergies: Keep track of your client’s allergy information in your notes. Tracking allergies protects your clients from a negative reaction, and protects you from liability. Plus, you increase the likelihood of repeat business when clients can see that you are paying attention to the details. GlossGenius’ smart form builder empowers you to quickly and easily gather allergy details and other crucial information at booking. Plus, the client notes feature can keep you updated about your clients’ medical needs (or even general requests, looks they want to try, or skin problems to keep in mind).
• Never double-dip: Don’t double-dip using the original makeup container. Instead, transfer a small amount of the makeup onto a tray, then you can double-dip with the same client as much as needed.
• Deep clean your brushes and tools: Not only can you use a professional-grade brush cleaner for quick cleaning during an appointment, but make sure to deep clean all your brushes after each appointment is over. Other tools that need to be cleaned include your kit bag, lash curlers, spatulas, tweezers, and anything else that you are using during each appointment.

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Elevate Your Makeup Business with GlossGenius

There’s no question that makeup sanitation is essential for maintaining cleanliness and safety for your clients. It’s essential that you learn how to disinfect makeup and apply these habits in your daily routines. The more proactive you are about these best practices, the easier it is to grow your makeup artistry services and build a thriving business.

In addition to these daily activities, there are many other details that go into running a successful business. As a makeup artist, you are skilled at applying makeup and helping your clients look their best. But it can be a challenge to keep up with business management, which is why GlossGenius is here to help.

Our tools streamline the administrative side of your makeup business with tools for inventory management, forms and waivers, payments, and more. Not only do these tools help you keep up with business responsibilities, but you also set a good impression by showing clients they are booking with the best. As a salon owner looking to level up your makeup business, GlossGenius is the premium platform to help you grow and crush your goals.