Skin Spin

CONSIDER the term ‘make-up’. It’s only supposed to compensate for what you may not have been born with. The last thing you sh...

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CONSIDER the term ‘make-up’. It’s only supposed to compensate for what you may not have been born with. The last thing you should be thinking of when you slap on the pancake, therefore, are germs, creepy-crawlies and other uninvited micro-organisms that thrive in the warm, moist depths of your favourite foundation and colour cosmetics.

Can anyone use make-up?
Your skin is the decider. ‘‘Not everyone’s skin agrees with make-up,’’ says Dr RK Joshi, senior consultant at Indraprastha Apollo Hospital, New Delhi. The most common problems are:

Allergic dermatitis: If your skin breaks into rashes or acne on application of a particular product, it’s almost certainly a case of allergic dermatitis. It can start from the face and spread to other parts of the body.

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Contact dermatitis: Mostly caused by bad make-up quality, it starts as an itch or a rash, but remains localised to the area on which the product was applied. Bindi dermatitis—the area between the brows or higher on the forehead becomes red, dark, inflamed, or may develop a white patch, a condition known as bindi-induced leucoderma—is very common in India.

A BRAVE FACE

• For sensitive skin, use a barrier cream and hypoallergenic make-up
• Keep fresh tissues handy to cover dressing-table surface and place used brushes and sponges
• Never share make-up, because it transmits germs
• Destroy sponges and brushes that have become hard; they could be housing colonies of bacteria
• Leave on make-up only as long as necessary
• Remove make-up gently. Use cold cream afterwards and hold a cold, damp towel to your face to prevent irritation or allergic reaction

What preventive steps should one take?
The 72-hour rule applies here. ‘‘Apply a new product to a not-so-sensitive area, around the wrist or inside of the elbow, and wait for three days to see if there’s a reaction,’’ says Dr Joshi. ‘‘If there’s none, go ahead and use it. But beware that some products result in a cumulative reaction over repeated use, such as an inflammation. In that case, junk the product.’’

Make-up is expensive. How long is it safe to use a product?

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‘‘Most products come with an expiry date or, if not, then a manufacturing date. It is important to abide by that,’’ says Dr Joshi. ‘‘The product may be fine on first use, but may react later, after its efficiency drops. This usually happens around the expiry date, with chemical degradation. Micro-crystallisation of make-up blocks the pores, causing irritation and acne.’’

In other words, make-up may be expensive, but not more precious than your skin.

In general, how long do cosmetics last?
As long as the original character, texture and aroma of the product remains intact, it’s generally safe to use a product, says Dr Joshi. Here’s a guide:
ascara: Two months. Once decline sets in, it will clump, dry out, or smell bad.
Base: 18-24 months. On deterioration, it loses sheen and doesn’t seem to bind as well as it did earlier.
Compressed powders: Two years. Close to the end of its shelf-life, it will dry up and develop an unpleasant odour.
Lip pencils: A year. Always dip in alcohol before use; it kills germs.
Eye pencils: Three months. Sharpening or dipping in alcohol after use helps kill germs.
Eyeshadow, blush: Powder products last two years, cream products 18-24 months. On deterioration, they will become dry and lose some of their colour.
Make-up brushes: When the bristles fan out and the tips refuse to shake off colour. Use 90 per cent pure alcohol—not soap and water—to sterilise brushes and applicators.