What's The One Step That Might Be Missing from Your Makeup Routine? 

If you're into makeup, cleaning your brushes is usually a given. But most of us don't think about sanitizing the products themselves, a step that can make makeup last longer and ensure it's safe to use. That’s why BeautySoClean is one of our most essential kit components (now available on Beautylish!).

Founder Nancy Crossley, who was a makeup artist for 25 years, grew frustrated with the fact that there wasn’t a safe way to sanitize her products while on the job. So she made it her mission to invent a solution, and she did. BeautySoClean's wipes and spray sanitizer keep cosmetics clean, and help to reduce the risk of getting an eye or skin irritation. We chatted with Crossley to find out more about how the products work and why they've become a pro must-have.

Before starting BeautySoClean, while you were working as a makeup artist, was there anything you tried to do to keep your products clean?

I’m almost embarrassed to tell you, but I used mouthwash on my lipsticks. I was concerned that IPA alcohol would destroy the makeup and change the formulas. Plus, I didn’t like the idea of using a cleaning product that might not be safe, especially on my clients. Back then the brush cleansers we used were harsh, and I often found they'd irritate the skin—primarily on the jaw line—to the point where many of my celebrity clients were breaking out. Many of these products still exist on the market, and while they have that “wow” factor, melting red lipstick off in a second, I don’t believe they're safe for the skin. Our brush cleanser is unique because it’s formulated with natural ingredients, non-irritating, and dermatologist-tested.

The products contain alcohol; why not just use pure alcohol or alcohol diluted with water?

Pure alcohol can dry out powder or cream cosmetics and may actually alter the pigment in lipsticks. After a lot testing, we formulated BeautySoClean with just the right balance of alcohol and emollients. So, unlike alcohol, it won't dry out products, alter their formula, or their pigments, and at the same time. Think: if you cleaned your hands with alcohol instead of hand sanitizer, for example, they'd get pretty dry and chapped.

BeautySoClean's sanitizer wipes and mist have similar ingredients, but are designed for use on different products. Could someone use the spray on their lipsticks and eyeliners if they wanted to? 

That's always an option, but it's not nearly as effective as the wipes. Our main concern with cream-based cosmetics such as mascara, lipstick, and pencils is that their sticky surface collects residue like dead skin, food particles, and dust. So with one wipe across, you are able to remove that initial surface layer and sanitize the product all in one go.

The mist is meant for powder-based products. Does this include loose powder?

It does! My trick is to shake a little bit of the powder onto a tissue or paper towel and give it a spritz, and voila!

How many times a week do you recommend people sanitize their makeup? Should makeup artists do so more often?

We recommend you sanitize you makeup as often as possible, but at the very least, every other day. And for makeup artists, if they do the sanitizing step in front of their clients, it gives customers that higher-level of service and peace of mind.

Any scientific tidbits you can tell us about how clean a product is before and after use?

BeautySoClean has been tested on lip glosses, lipsticks, cosmetic pencils, concealers, and blushes. Samples of each, before sanitizing, were streaked on one side of an agar plate (a petri dish with a growth medium). Then, each product was sprayed with BeautySoClean, and a second sample was taken from each and streaked on the opposite side of the plate. Staphylococcus Aureus (aka staph infection), Pseudomonas Aeruginosa, or E.coli (all bacteria that can contribute to skin and eye irritations) were found to be present on the products prior to using BeautySoClean. But after the treatment (spraying BeautySoClean and waiting 10 seconds, the time it takes the product to work), there was no bacterial growth observed on the treated samples. 

What's next for Beauty So Clean? Any new products in the works?

We’ve just come out with a scented cake pop brush cleanser that smells delicious! We're always working on new scents for the cleansers.

_How do you keep your makeup clean and safe? Share in the comments. _