This time of year germs are everywhere. Runny noses, sneezing fits and uncovered coughs spreads germs quicker than you can say Gesundheit. Not only do knobs, handles, phones and computer keyboards contain and spread germs, your skin care products can too. Below are four simple tips to keep germs out of your makeup and body products.

1. Wash Your Grubby Hands

Did you know, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), salmonella, E. coli, norovirus (acute gastroenteritis), adenovirus (respiratory or pink eye) and hand-foot-mouth disease can all be found on unwashed hands ? Ick! These kinds of germs can get onto hands after people use the toilet or handle raw meat. Contaminated hands also come from people who touch an object that has germs on it because someone coughed or sneezed on it or because it was touched by some other contaminated object. When these germs get onto our hands and are not washed off, they can be passed from person to person or product to product. When germs contaminate our hands they also contaminate everything we touch including our makeup and body products. So before using any skin care or makeup product wash your hands to prevent spreading bacteria to your favorite goods.

2. Spatulas Aren’t Just for the Kitchen

Instead of putting your fingers in your body butter jar or liquid foundation bottle, scoop or pour your cosmetics onto the palm of your hand with a plastic product spatula to reduce spreading bacteria into your products. The less you touch a product the less chance of introducing bacteria into them. And remember, your products will last longer if you keep them free of germs.

 3. Don’t Touch Your Skin

One of the most widely used cosmetics is concealer. Whether it is used for dark circles or blemishes, a trick of the trade is to never touch a liquid concealer wand directly to the skin. Imagine a Petri dish in a lab being inoculated with different strains of bacteria. Well, this is basically what you are doing when you directly touch a makeup applicator to the skin. Even though you may have just washed your face in the shower, bacteria from acne and broken skin can be directly transferred from your skin and establish residency in your makeup. Yuck! So remember, always apply liquid concealer to a clean finger or brush and never apply directly from the wand to prevent contamination.

4. Keep Your Tools Clean

Do you use a sponge or brush to apply your makeup? How often do you wash you brushes? Once a month? Once a year? Never? Just like our hands, the tools we use to apply our makeup can harbor serious bacteria. These tools need to be cleaned but how often and how  should they be cleaned? According to Cosmopolitan.com, Ranella Hirsch, clinical assistant professor at Boston University School of Medicine, suggests cleaning makeup brushes once a month and suggests using a drop of baby shampoo instead of harsh hand soap which can damage brushes. Rinse your brushes well and allow to air dry on a flat surface.

By sticking to the above suggestions, you can help prevent germs from invading your prize skincare and makeup collection and extend the life of your products!