How Dirty Is Store Makeup?

saniyairshad

Well-known member
SOURCE: http://www.10news.com/news/10906175/detail.html

Makeup is fun, flirty and part of a more than $33 billion industry.MAC, Revlon, Maybelline, Estee Lauder and other companies are all vying to sell the hottest look or the perfect color.However, Sonia Kashuk, a recent guest on “The Rachael Ray Show,” said, “Beware when you walk into department stores. The testers and the brushes, you don’t know where they’ve been.”
10News investigators assigned undercover researchers and had them fan out across San Diego County. The researchers went to drug stores and department stores in search of counters where consumers test out cosmetics.Researchers noticed many customers sampling the same product over and over again. The researchers were careful not to contaminate the samples they were taking of lipsticks, eyeshadows and eyeliner.At Quadrants Scientific, Inc., the team learned how to properly lift the samples and have them returned to the lab.Mark Shannon of Quadrants Scientific said, “We found bacterial cells in just about every sample you brought us.”Out of nine samples collected, seven of them had bacterial growth.The most growth was found on three different retailers and manufacturers. The bacteria found are staphylococcus warneri and epi, two very common bacteria found on human skin.“The levels we found were not alarming. It’s what you would expect to find on a package that is opened by several people,” said Shannon.It’s no more than what is found on a kitchen table, Shannon told 10News.The lab technicians at Quadrants Scientific also found another bacteria in the samples called Bacillus Sphaericus. It is usually found on the ground or in the dirt, but you don’t expect to find these microbes in makeup.So, how did these bacteria get there? Consumers using their fingers to apply samples to their eyes and mouth and dipping back for more is to blame.“There's potential contamination, certainly,” said Shannon Oriola, lead infection control practitioner for Sharp Healthcare. She said it could be a problem depending on your general health and skin condition.“Let’s say you have no intact skin, a rash on your face -- then bacteria can get in a cut,” said Oriola.So, if you choose to sample at the cosmetic counter, avoid picking up what the last person left."Ask them what their practices are. Do they always use disposable applicators or do they monitor to make sure people aren't putting it into their mouth, for example? Ask them to open up a new one so you know it's not contaminated,” added Oriola.The retailers told 10News they strive to keep the makeup counter samples as clean as possible.

***Hey dolls, I don't want to offend anyone who works for MAC, or as a matter of fact anyone that works with cosmetics, it was an interesting article I came across, and I just wanted to share it with u ladies!!! Please dont be offended!!!!!
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***
 

giz2000

Well-known member
When someone wants to test the lipglosses/lipsticks, etc, I am the one who dips the tester wands (once) into the product and hand the wand to the customer...I was trained that way, so it's a habit now...no one's complained so far!
 

Shimmer

Well-known member
Considering I've seen girls lick their fingers then touch the shadows and rub the colors on their eyes, I'd say pretty effing gross.
 

little teaser

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by SARAHluvsMAC
what do you mean?

the lipgloss testers brush are cut off, they have tester brushes that are thrown away after use
 

tiramisu

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shimmer
Considering I've seen girls lick their fingers then touch the shadows and rub the colors on their eyes, I'd say pretty effing gross.

oh
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!!!
This is why I have an OCD "look but don't touch" policy at any counter. I just can't bring myself to do it and immediately envision this type of behavior in others. I have a pretty good idea of what's going to look good on me anyway or not...
 

Artemis

Well-known member
Their is the this shiseido make up counter where I live...some of the make up looks like it was spit on. O_O Don't people relize that you use the Q tips provided to sample the make up not your fingers!
 

sharyn

Well-known member
I stopped using drugstore make up the day I picked a lipstick (after swatching the color on a tissue with the TESTER!!) that was supposed to be NOT used and I came home and it was obviously used by someone who though "How grooooooss using testers... lets take a new one out of the shelf."

I completely understand why drugstores now tell people who do such things to please leave and never come back.
 

Cosmopolitics

Well-known member
While this may not be department-store related, I can tell you right out that drugstore makeup is nasty, because I work at a drugstore cosmetics counter and I have seen with my own eyes these things going on. I think the biggest offenders are in the Loreal line, as most of them are unwrapped. I often see old women trying on (TRYING ON! UGHHHHHH!
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) lipsticks, people dipping their dirty fingers in the foundation, people UNWRAPPING packages to try the product.

Don't these people get that makeup should be sanitary?

I have to check that awful Loreal wall at least once a week. You should see just how much product goes in the damage bin. It's quite a bit.
 

flowerhead

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by Shimmer
Considering I've seen girls lick their fingers then touch the shadows and rub the colors on their eyes, I'd say pretty effing gross.

EWWW that is so digusting and inconsiderate. Dirty bitches D:
 

Corien

Well-known member
Today when I was in some stores I saw someone trying lipgloss on, she grapped a tester and put the want on her lips. I had to stop myself from saying: "IIIIIEEEWWW! Do you know how many people touched that with their lips/fingers/whatever?"
 

shabdebaz

Well-known member
I have to agree with the Sephora comment. I was in there the other day and wanted to try on one of the lip plumpers. I asked the SA how I was to go about this in a sanitary manner and she told me to dip a disposable wand into the gloss. WHAT ABOUT THE WAND THAT'S ALREADY THERE? How many hundreds of people probably put that wand on their hands, or worse, their lips? I told her that exactly and she just looked at me funny.

And trust me, at work, there are tons of people who do just that...try on the dirty lipsticks, glosses, whatever.
 

franimal

Well-known member
eeewwww this is why i only ever try products on my hands. i think that mac is pretty sanitary and at least they have a decent return policy. i think one of the grossest places to try products is the CCOs.
 

asnbrb

Well-known member
Oh, gross.

When I go to Sephora, I always see tons of girls trying on lipgloss or mascara! Once this pushy tourist actually shoved me out of the way to get to the Diorshow. I waited until she put it on before saying "I hope you get pinkeye from that. You never know who tried it on before you." She looked absolutely horrified. I did it to another girl who was trying on lipgloss (and was also bitchy to the sales associate). I commented how I heard that you could get herpes or another infection from lipgloss wands.
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Okay, so I was a little mean, but I don't do it to anyone not deserving of my "attention".
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Holly

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by asnbrb
Oh, gross.

When I go to Sephora, I always see tons of girls trying on lipgloss or mascara! Once this pushy tourist actually shoved me out of the way to get to the Diorshow. I waited until she put it on before saying "I hope you get pinkeye from that. You never know who tried it on before you." She looked absolutely horrified. I did it to another girl who was trying on lipgloss (and was also bitchy to the sales associate). I commented how I heard that you could get herpes or another infection from lipgloss wands.
smiles.gif


Okay, so I was a little mean, but I don't do it to anyone not deserving of my "attention".
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i always think things like that when theres awful customers shoving past people to try everything on themselves. Would never have the guts to say it though!
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amoona

Well-known member
Yea this doesn't surprise me ... it's kinda gross that people don't think about it when they're swatching colors though.

I feel comfrotable at a MAC counter though because they always seemed to go above and beyond to make sure people weren't using dirty products. When I was filling out my freelance paperwork last week the manager kept stressing over how sanitation is such a big deal. She said that if I didn't follow sanitation procedured I could be let go on my first warning. That makes me feel secure that when I've gotten my make-up done at a MAC counter those artist are using clean products on me.
 

MxAxC-_ATTACK

Well-known member
Quote:
Originally Posted by amoona
Yea this doesn't surprise me ... it's kinda gross that people don't think about it when they're swatching colors though.

I feel comfrotable at a MAC counter though because they always seemed to go above and beyond to make sure people weren't using dirty products. When I was filling out my freelance paperwork last week the manager kept stressing over how sanitation is such a big deal. She said that if I didn't follow sanitation procedured I could be let go on my first warning. That makes me feel secure that when I've gotten my make-up done at a MAC counter those artist are using clean products on me.


not at my mac counter...

The girls i see at the Mac near me, never seem to clean their brushes off..they do this thing where they dust them off on Kleenex.. thats not doing a damn thing ..
 
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