I've got to admit, I've always been slightly germaphobic. I'm probably that girl in your group that will always have hand sanitizer in her purse (someone has to be). And while I've always tried to be conscious of trying to keep the bacteria away as much as possible, there are definitely still some personal care items that I don't even think twice about. It didn't occur to me that I had to clean or change up items that I used pretty much every day, whether it was my hair brush or my contact lens case until recently. Oops.
Obviously, bacteria comes in all different shapes and forms, but now it feels good knowing that I can easily avoid some of them by taking some simple actions. While there are more obvious things I could do to stay as germ-free as possible, like constantly washing my hands and doing my laundry every single day, it's actually my small beauty items that I forget to clean that are actually damaging my health the most.
Here are the 7 beauty essentials you're forgetting to clean and should fix ASAP.
1. Toothbrush
Something so simple as changing a toothbrush can easily be forgotten. It's always a good idea to change your toothbrush at least every 3 months to make sure your bristles aren't accumulating an excess amount of bacteria. It's also important to make sure to change your toothbrush after being sick. Oh, and kissing? A new study states that 80 million bacteria transfers from one partner to another in a 10-second kiss. Ready to change your toothbrush now? If your 3 months aren't due, you can always clean it in the meantime.
2. Hairbrush
So this one time when I was a college student I lived in these things called dorms. And sometimes in these dorms, people liked to share hair brushes with you. I realized that after changing my hair brush, my hair and scalp became so much healthier — my hair was was shinier and scalp wasn't as flaky. The lesson: do not to share hair brushes with anyone. On top of that, I definitely recommend changing up your hair brush at least every year. If you don't feel like changing it, and your hairbrush is too much of a sentimental belonging, I suggest cleaning it. Your hair will thank you in the long run.
3. Makeup Brushes
In all honesty, I've done a pretty good job at avoiding cleaning my makeup brushes. It's no fun and takes up so much time. But cleaning your brushes can ultimately save your skin some serious damage. Your makeup brushes could actually be the cause of acne or blemishes on your skin. If you're still not into cleaning your brushes, there's always the other option of buying new ones. I mean, who doesn't love a new fluffy makeup brush?
4. Makeup Bag
Here's my dirty little secret: how my makeup bag used to look just a couple months ago. One word: ew. I mean, it makes sense — I take my makeup bag everywhere: in my purse, in the car, to the bathroom, literally everywhere. Lately, changing my makeup bag has been a priority for me, and it's nice to know that my makeup essentials are clean and organized.
5. Eye Lash Curler
I use my eye lash curler like there's no tomorrow and used to never change the pad or think about buying a new one. I thought it could last years! Boy, was I wrong. Over time, a bunch of germs can accumulate on this beauty tool, making your eyes prone to infection. So even though your curler might be made out of steel, you might want to go ahead and buy a new one.
6. Contact Lens Case
I've got to admit, I wasn't the cleanest when it came to my lens case, but I've learned that cleaning this essential is super important. Contact lens wearers should change their cases every 3 months. Even though you might use saline solution to clean your lenses, it doesn't necessarily mean that your contact lens case is free from all bacteria, too.
7. Loofah and Bath Sponges
Serious germ alert. There are tons of germs on our loofahs and they need to be changed consistently. When you use a loofah or bath sponge, you're literally scrubbing away different organisms and dead skin cells from your bodies. There's no way all of it disappears after we hop out of the shower, especially when the loofah is still wet. The rule: let go of your old loofah after 3-4 weeks and buy a new one.
I know it might be difficult to remember the exact rules for switching up your beauty tools, but just know this: anything you keep too long is obviously going to accumulate bacteria, so it's better to keep track of how long you've had something and know when it's time to clean it or buy a new one. Easy peasy!
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