Acne and Make-up Brushes

By: Kristin Adams

Acne can be an extremely irritating, frustrating and embarrassing problem. Often women tend to blame their cosmetics or their diets, but sometimes the real cause of the problem can be something a little unexpected - your make-up brushes.

How Cosmetic Brushes Affect Acne

Cosmetic brushes are used more and more these days with the increasing popularity of high-end cosmetic use and mineral make-up. Generally using a quality cosmetic brush is much better to use in terms of overall cosmetic application and end result than using your fingers or a piece of tissue. However, you need to remember that without regular and thorough cleaning, cosmetic brushes can and often do harbour bacteria and dirt.

Your cosmetic brushes can contain millions of little bacteria and can cause various infections and skin problems such as acne. If you have been breaking-out often lately then take a look at your cosmetic brushes and see if they are as clean as they could be.

Think about it. When you wake-up each and every single morning you are putting your make-up on with your cosmetic brushes. You place them back in your bottomless make-up bag or your drawer and leave them there until the next time you apply your make-up.
You may also occasionally set your cosmetic brushes on your sink which may not be pristine. Perhaps they momentarily fall on the floor. You might not be able to bring yourself to throw away that discontinued blush (now expired as well) that you have had for 3 years now.

Your counter, drawer, cosmetic bag, floor and potentially expired cosmetics can all deposit bacteria into your cosmetic brush which you, in turn, brush on your face. Day after day you are potentially buffing bacteria picked up from dirty surfaces bags and floors onto your face, infecting your skin and clogging up your pores at the same time.

What Should You Do to Protect The Skin?

So now that you know your brushes could be a problem, what should you do to help your skin? There are many cosmetic brush cleaners on the market. Some are washes that resemble a shampoo and others are alcohol based sprays. If you use one of these products keep in mind that any chemical based residue from the cleaner could end up on your face. If your skin is sensitive this could further irritate you.

Want to really clean your cosmetic brushes? A good wash will really help.

1. First rinse each cosmetic brush under warm water to remove the superficial cosmetics from the brush.
2. Place a dot of natural, gentle shampoo on the bristle of each cosmetic brush and massage between your fingers.
3. Fill the bathroom sink with warm water and place the cosmetic brushes in there to soak for a few minutes.
4. Once the cosmetic brushes have had a chance to soak, rinse each brush under warm running water.
5. Dry each brush by first gently squeezing out any excess water.
6. Allow the brushes to air dry on a clean towel.

If your brushes are really dirty then it is possible that they may have contaminated your make-up, regardless how well your make-up is preserved. If you suspect this, throw away your cosmetics and replace them with new products. Always use a clean brush with a new product to ensure that you aren't contaminating the new product.

Also, remember that the majority of cosmetics don't have an indefinite shelf life so be sure to mark the date with a pen when you first open your cosmetics and throw them away when you have reached the standard expiration date.

Overall cosmetic brushes really do come in handy but their usefulness is entirely counterproductive to creating that flawless look if they are causing acne or skin issues. Acne is just one of the many skin conditions you can develop through dirty brushes and so it really is important to keep them as clean as possible. Rinse all your cosmetic brushes under the tap at least once a week and wash them properly at least once a month to prevent possible infections.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com

Finding affordable Cosmetic and beauty products

By: Anne Harvester

Choosing Safe Cosmetic and Beauty Products For Both You And The Planet

There are often unwanted ingredients within your commonly purchased cosmetic and beauty products. However, there are a plethora of safe cosmetics with which you do not have to sacrifice quality. If anything, it most often is the opposite. Safe personal care products many times work better than their chemical laced counterparts. Neither beauty nor cleanliness need be sacrificed in pursuit of safe products.

There are many natural components to cosmetic and beauty products which accomplish additional tasks up and above the stated purpose. For example, mineral makeup uses zinc oxide in its natural state to impart a sun protection factor (SPF) of 25 in addition to providing a long lasting and beautiful look. Protection from UV rays produces obvious safety benefits. Personal care products do not have to be artificial in order to work their best.

Safe personal care products leave out many potential irritants and potential allergens. Most deodorants contain aluminum chlorhydrate. Natural deodorants utilize loose minerals instead providing greater protection without exposing the user to harsh chemicals. This does not mean they do not work. Once switching, many claim far longer and more dependable protection coming from organically based deodorants.

Commonly found personal care products like shampoo contain sodium lauryl sulfate. Many suffer allergic reactions to this compound. Safe personal care products are characterized by shampoos and conditioners which rely solely on organic cleaning agents. The effectiveness of organic products often supersedes that of chemically based products. Organic shampoo may not lather, but it has been shown to be far more effective at producing the cleanest hair possible.

Women's personal care products include both safe cosmetics as well as organic personal care products. Organic cosmetics contain no salicylates, dyes, or talc. Safe cosmetics are also non-comedogenic meaning they will not clog your pores. This provides obvious advantages versus other popular makeup lines. Cosmetic and beauty products can provide for both your health and beauty. One just has to be cognizant to carefully read the labels.

Information is a major factor which makes buying cosmetics online the smart avenue. Any suspect ingredient you may see on the list can be immediately researched. The convenience of being able to shop from your own home is also obvious, not to mention saving money on gasoline needed to run all about town searching down safe cosmetics.

Unnecessary driving has well known impacts upon the environment. Lesser realized are the effects that many cosmetic and beauty products have on the world around us. All of the harsh chemicals resident in many products end up in our streams and wetlands after our use. Safe cosmetics protect both you and Mother Earth.

Source: http://www.articlesnatch.com