|
Forums >
Hair, Makeup & Styling >
Sanitary/Hygienic Precautions Thread
I've seen lots of questions lately about what's sanitary and what isn't, and after first checking the FAQ, I see there's nothing there that addresses it. I might be wrong, but I went thru it a few times and then did a search on the words "sanitary" and "hygienic" and their variations and didn't find anything. So here it goes - please feel free to add - this is just to get the ball rolling. NOTE: "Alcohol" refers to 70% Isopropyl Rubbing Alcohol, unless otherwise noted. Sanitizing Lipstick, Concealer & Other Creme Products: Dip in, or spray with, Alcohol (91% is preferable), and then wipe completely with a clean tissue, presenting a "virgin" surface to work from. You can then remove a small piece of the product and work from a sanitary surface, or work directly from the tube or palette. In the case of cream concealers and foundations where blending is expected, use of a mixing palette is preferred by most professionals. IMPORTANT: This is a two part process, and wiping is equally important. Contrary to popular belief, alcohol doesn't completely kill all germs and viruses that may be present on the product. What it does help to do is remove the outer layer of the lipsproducttwhere most of them are. Because the base of most creme products is usually Carnauba or similar waxes, most of the things you're looking to kill are only on the surface. Sanitizing Pencils: Prior to using, remove any residue from the sharpener, and then clean the blade and inner chamber with Alcohol (99% is preferable). Dip pencil in, or spray with, Alcohol, and then sharpen. Before applying pencil, dip in or spray with Alcohol to prevent cross contamination from residue in the sharpener. Allow to dry before using on skin. Sanitizing Pressed Powders (Includes Eyeshadow, Blush, etc.): Wipe surface thoroughly with a clean tissue prior to touching with brush or any other applicator. Repeat prior to touching the product as necessary. Spraying with alcohol doesn't hurt in terms of sanitary precautions, but can ruin the product over time. Working Hygienically With Loose Powders (Include Pigments, etc.): Dispense onto mixing palette or other clean surface using spatula or other sanitary tool. Working Hygienically With Mascaras & Liquid Liners: Use a clean disposable applicator (aka "Spoolies" for mascara, etc.) and do not double dip. Dip once and use a new applicator each time if more product is required. Double dipping cross-contaminates and defeats the purpose. Variation: Use a regular, reusable brush and follow the same protocol - no double dipping. Working Hygienically With Lipgloss: Use a disposable applicator following the same protocol as above. If one is not available, dispense onto mixing palette or other hygienic surface. Never apply directly with included applicator. Working Hygienically With Liquid Cosmetics: Dispense on to mixing palette and then apply with brush or sponge. Make sure the mouth of the bottle doesn't touch the surface of your tools - no pressing the sponge or brush up against it, especially after it has already been used. This applies to foundations, moisturizers, or anything else that comes out of a bottle. Dec 28 07 07:31 pm Link David, Thank you for posting this! Sometimes these seem so obvious to some of us, but I think some of the hygiene practices are picked up by other good artists. (or bad artists, if you ever got pink-eye from improperly cleaned items. Eek!) Another tip: Squeeze out a drop of lash glue onto a work surface, rather than applying directly from tube. Germs from the model's eyes can be sucked back into the tube to fester otherwise. Dec 28 07 08:24 pm Link Great Idea! Let's not forget: There is a difference between sanitation, disinfection, and sterilization. Here is a site that defines some terms. http://www.multiscope.com/hotspot/howcln3.htm Also, alcohol is no longer an FDA approved disinfectant. It should only be used as a method of sanitation. It will not kill blood born pathogens (if you tweeze someone, don't just clean your tool with alcohol, sterilize it!), and viruses. Taken from Wiki Answers Rubbing alcohol as an antiseptic There are two general types of rubbing alcohol, one made primarily from ethyl alcohol (ethanol) and the other from isopropyl alcohol. Both kill bacteria okay but are less effective on viruses. It is best if a surface is physically cleaned (washed with soap and water) before being rubbed with alcohol. As it evaporates, it sucks out the insides of bacteria and viruses and kills them. However, they won't be dead until all the alcohol has evaporated. Wikipedia has a good article on rubbing alcohol that addresses its uses as an antiseptic. Also, isopropyl alcohol requires about 10 minutes on the skin's surface to kill bacteria, and about 3 minutes on hard surfaces. The main purpose when they use alcohol on the skin before an injection, ect. is to clean and remove oil from the skin. Dec 28 07 08:28 pm Link Rachels Artistry wrote: Now I hardly tweeze brows but how would you sterlize tweezers without an autoclave if alcohol is not enough? Dec 28 07 08:56 pm Link Rachels Artistry wrote: Absolutely, and let's keep to those definitions! Good call. Rachels Artistry wrote: This is super important info too. Dec 28 07 09:46 pm Link Awesome idea, David! I forget sometimes that when the new artists come here for information, this is often the most important information that's left out. I don't have anything to add to that list - but I do have a question - how do you Hair Stylists go about sterilizing your hairbrushes at home? Dec 28 07 10:39 pm Link Jennifer Denise wrote: I hate to split hairs or seem stupid here, but how does applying lash glue to a false lash with the tube even see the model's eye germs unless you are applying the glue to her lashes? I'm confused. Dec 28 07 11:05 pm Link Elizabeth Gerbino wrote: I have a good sized tupperware bucket that I use to soak my brushes in Barbicide. Dec 28 07 11:48 pm Link All hail this thread! Dec 28 07 11:58 pm Link Lottie wrote: I am confused about this one as well. Dec 29 07 12:02 am Link thank you David..... this is beyond brilliant. i often see people and have had questions asked about how to clean things.... recently i was in a drug store and i stopped a girl as she went to put black eye linner tester directly into her eye.. i stopped her and told her how yucky it was and what she could potentially get pink eye, or worse. She shrugged it off and continued to apply the liner to her eye. we need to spread the word to stop the spread of germs and bring an end to pink eye... Dec 29 07 01:14 am Link Lottie wrote: I guess I am more concerned wit the individuals, where you are touching her eye, touching the lash, dipping in glue, touching her eye, and back and forth. Not stupid...I may be overly cautious with eye contaminations. Dec 29 07 01:59 am Link Deadly Design Make-up wrote: WOW! that just icked me out for the rest of the night...ICK At least you tried Mandy Dec 29 07 02:11 am Link jchoi makeup wrote: Using quats (barbicide) Dec 29 07 02:56 am Link THANK YOU for posting this.. And this is why I still come to MM! *besos* Dec 29 07 03:08 am Link Jennifer Denise wrote: it's just a safety precaution, just especially because you don't realize when you touch the models skin with your tools then the tube and then maybe back to the skin to retouch...people really don't pay attention sometimes. Dec 29 07 03:18 am Link btw, this is an awesome thread, people don't realize how important these tips...nay, RULES are! Dec 29 07 03:22 am Link Rachels Artistry wrote: This is a phenomenal suggestion! I'm going to buy some of this myself though I rarely, if ever tweeze. Dec 29 07 10:21 am Link David Klasfeld wrote: heres a smaller version of the UV sanitaizer Dec 29 07 10:41 am Link Crystal Banks wrote: You know, I actually had this in my hands the last time I was in Target! I almost bought it too, but the list of precautions about the use of an "exposed" UV light had me a little concerned (avoid incidental skin contact, etc). Which is a shame because it seems like such a great thing to have, otherwise. Dec 29 07 10:55 am Link jchoi makeup wrote: I use barbicide for tweezers, pencil sharpeners etc, but not sure if it's different in the USA? Dec 29 07 12:20 pm Link Rachels Artistry wrote: Does Barbicide eat through containers like The Cinema Secrets Brush cleaner does? Dec 29 07 12:38 pm Link I use the 99% alcohol and the barabcide and I also wash my brushes after every use. Sharpen my pencils and wipe them with alcohol. I also wipe down my kit with antibacterial spray and use hand sanatizer through out application. Is there anything else I should be doing. I always use a spatula is there anthing else that I should be doing? Dec 29 07 11:25 pm Link Elizabeth Gerbino wrote: I've had this happen too! crazy! Dec 30 07 12:21 am Link Elizabeth Gerbino wrote: I couldn't tell you for sure. I have never left the solution in longer than and hour and a half.... and nothing happened during that amount of time. For prolonged use, I would stick with a stainless steel container. Dec 30 07 01:13 am Link 99% alcohol is fine on tweezers...use before and after use. This is the proper procedure for Esthetician licensure. Dec 30 07 05:18 pm Link CaraSue Hall wrote: This may vary by State, just FYI. Not sure because I'm not an aesthetician - can anyone who is weigh in on this? Dec 31 07 10:28 am Link I am a Licensed Esthetician in MO. You may disinfect implements with ethyl alcohol strength of no less than 70%. Isopropyl alcohol must be 99%. Because alcohol is not an EPA-registered disinfectant, it is not permitted for use with implements in states requiring hospital disinfection. Household bleach is an effective disinfectant for laundering. Quaternary ammonium compounds (quats) disinfect implements in 10 to 15 minutes. This type of disinfectant can also be used for cleaning tables and countertops. Electrodes, tweezers, scissors, plastic spatulas and other nonporous tools that have not come into contact with body fluids or blood must be sterilized or disinfected. A steam autoclave is the highest level of decontamination. Dec 31 07 11:15 am Link CaraSue Hall wrote: Oh no, don't misunderstand me - I didn't doubt you, and I'm sure this is the case in MO, but it may vary by state. I've been hearing what Rachel said about Isopropyl a lot around New York - maybe it's a local thing. I know liscensing requirements vary by state, so it wouldn't surprise me if sanitation procedures are different here as well. Dec 31 07 12:53 pm Link David Klasfeld wrote: I am licensed in CA. It does vary by state. Dec 31 07 03:38 pm Link Rachel MC wrote: That's what I thought. Thanks Rachel! Dec 31 07 05:36 pm Link Okay, I've been using alcohol to clean my tweezers. What is a proper disinfectant? Bleach? Dec 31 07 05:50 pm Link Oh David, I didn't at all think that you were doubting...I just was listing that I was licensed before I posted the info. Everyone should check with state laws before doing anything...just the same as some states require more hours for their licensure....meaning also that some states will not have a focus on sanitation as much as others. In MO it's 750. Florida is only like 150. Kansas 650...every state has it's own requirements, etc. I personally (even before I was licensed) would not want anyone performing waxing or tweezing on me if they were not licensed. There can definitely be blood with either of these. It amazes me that nail salons will wax. Dec 31 07 07:42 pm Link *Bump* I am also adding this to the FAQ's.... I didn't see that it was added. Jan 03 08 08:54 pm Link the problem with alcohols like isopropyl is that with each time the container is opened, the alcohol part of the solution evaporates, leaving more and more water content in the container. i can't count how many times i've seen stores have a small beaker of alchol with their tweezers just sitting in it to show that they disinfect, and to save money they don't replace the content. they simply top it off when it is low. plus the true effectiveness of the alcohol is when it dries so fast that it completely dehydrates the bacteria so it dies. just wanted to put it out there as i personally think it's terrible for stores to put up a 'front' of sanitation and not educate their staff properly. Jan 03 08 09:14 pm Link Elizabeth Gerbino wrote: Woah, I would be extremely leery of using any kind of brush cleanear that "eats" through stuff. I have seen quite a few brush cleaners made out of primarily acetone, which creeps me out even more. Jan 03 08 10:31 pm Link Femme Artistry wrote: Yeah, this totally blows my mind too. Acetone should be in nail polish remover (if that) and nothing else. I don't even really fully understand its use prosthetic makeup removers either. Jan 04 08 11:19 am Link David Klasfeld wrote: I think pure acetone would dry out the brush in a major way. No need for that when there are more gentle and just as effective cleaners around. Jan 04 08 11:38 am Link Monique Heijboer wrote: Yeah, I still see that over here too. My FX experience is very limited but I always found that spirit gum remover or even baby oil did the trick. I know there must be a reason it's still used though, because it is common. I know that dermatologists even use before certain kinds of chemical peels, etc. Jan 04 08 11:47 am Link David Klasfeld wrote: Believe it or not when i was in college, the tutor said it was fine to remove latex, prosthetics etc with acetone....i had my own cinema secrets remover luckily cause it really had a bad effect on the skin when someone tried taking latex off my face! So we switched it to the one i had. Jan 04 08 11:53 am Link |
