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Ambuja Sarkar

COVID-19 SANITATION FOR MAKEUP ARTISTS

Before I begin, I want to start off by saying that ALL makeup artists should be following these practices anyways despite the pandemic! It’s SO important no matter what is going, that makeup artists are as hygienic as possible for their clients. Even without a pandemic going on, there still could be other things that can spread such as cold sores, Herpes, etc.

If you are a client that is interested in hiring a makeup artist for a special event, this is also a great article for you to read as well! It basically will let you know what things to look out for when you are hiring someone. If your makeup artist doesn’t do these things . . . .RUN!!!!


1. Wear a Face Mask

This is a new procedure that was recently implemented because of COVID-19 and is now mandatory if you are in public spaces. For makeup artists, this means that you need to be wearing one at all times around your clients. This can be a face mask, face shield, or pull up scarf. It also must cover your nose and mouth at all times to be effective.


2. Wash your hands

This should be done before and after each client with soap and warm water. If you do not have access to a sink, then hand sanitizer must be used. Keep in mind that hand sanitizer is not as effective, but will do the job!

Whenever you touch anything besides your makeup products or your client’s face, WASH YOUR HANDS! This includes touching your clothes, someone else, your hair, etc.


3. Clean your brushes

Your brushes need to be cleaned in between each client if you are planning on using the same set on the next client! They need to be cleaned with an approved brush cleaner that is proven to disinfect. My favourites are Cinema Secrets https://www.beautybay.com/p/cinema-secrets/professional-brush-cleaner/professional-brush-cleaner-473ml/ or Isoclean https://www.beautybay.com/p/isoclean/makeup-brush-cleaner/makeup-brush-cleaner-150/. These two products are easily available at Beauty Bay https://www.beautybay.com/.

However, I have recently been assigning one set of brushes to each individual client that I have by putting them in plastic pouches or mesh bags . These pouches have card holders to I can label the pouches with the client’s names to keep them organized. By doing this, I am not only saving time by not have to spot clean, but it is also more hygienic this way!

Just remember to deep clean ALL of your brushes with soap and water when you get home! This applies even if you spot clean. Take note that spot clean temporarily cleans, but does not thoroughly disinfect.


4.Use a Mixing Palette & Spatula

As stated before, it’s VERY unhygienic to double dip into products or dip directly into cream products. This is why makeup artists should always have a metal spatula that they can sanitize between clients (or you can buy disposable spatulas).

The other thing artists definitely need is a mixing palette. However, even if you clean your hands well, your skin has several pores which means that it is not hygienic enough to be using as a “palette.” You need a separate palette, either glass, plastic, or metal that you can put liquids or creams on that can be easily cleaned.


5.Sanitize Makeup Products This can be done with 70% Alcohol. If the percentage is any less, it won’t thoroughly disinfect, but if the percentage is too high, the alcohol will absorb too quickly to disinfect. I have never had products dry out.

When sanitizing powder products, take a tissue and wipe the top layer of the product and then thoroughly spray the product until you can see the color darken. Wait for the alcohol to thoroughly absorb (until the powder goes back to its original color) and then you are safe to use it again. This also needs to be done with pencils (eye liners, lip liners, etc.)

However, this cannot be done with cream products since bacteria can get below surface level in creams. Creams always need to be scooped out with a spatula onto a clean palette and worked from there.

When you are done with each client, your products and work space need to be wiped down with a disinfectant wipe. Make sure your station is reset and clean for each client that sits down in your chair!


6.Use Disposables

#1 Rule of Thumb: NEVER DOUBLE DIP!! EVER!!

Disposables are called disposables because they are a one time use applicator and then get thrown away. Yes, it may seem wasteful, but that’s what it takes to be sanitary. If you want to be more environmentally conscious, you can buy bamboo disposables instead of the plastic applicators. I’m thinking of switching to those myself!

Ex: When you dip into a mascara tube and apply it on a client’s lashes and need to go in with a second coat, DO NOT go into the tube again with the same applicator. Throw that one away and get a new one. Same thing goes with lip gloss and eyeliner applicators as well.


7.Avoid Beauty Sponges These things have got to go! Yes, they may be cute and work fantastic if you are just doing makeup on yourself, but for clients it’s a big NO!! I am definitely guilty of using them in the past because I didn’t know any better. The thing with reusable sponges like these is that they are a sponge. They absorb product and as we all know, they are VERY hard to clean! Foundation and concealer gets stuck in the middle somewhere and it hardly ever gets completely clean. You see the problem?

If you choose to use sponges, you can either use disposable wedges or if you buy a sponge like a Beauty Blender, you can always just give it to your clients. Another option if you don’t want to spend a ton of money on a sponge, but you don’t want to use wedge sponges is buy them from wholesale retailers. Websites like Ebay or Ali Express sell bulk makeup sponges for a very affordable price! This way, you won’t have to break the bank and still have good sponges to work with.



Following these sanitation procedures as a Make Up Artist will ensure that you are as hygienic as possible and your client’s will feel safe! If you are a makeup artist, what procedures have you changed because of COVID-19? Will you change anything after reading this article?

If you are a client looking for a makeup artist, did any of these procedures change how you think about makeup artists? Have you ever had a makeup artist in the past that didn’t follow the correct hygiene procedures? Time to spill the tea!


REMEMBER TO STAY BEAUTIFUL!!



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