JazzyC wrote:
so when i hire a MUA, do i just ask her if her items are new or if they have been clean?? but how do i know if she's telling the truth??

=/

Check references with others she/he has worked with.  Ask them about the MUA's hygiene habits at the shoot.

Check references with others she/he has worked with.  Ask them about the MUA's hygiene habits at the shoot.

Thanks! I will do that

Meredith wrote:
I was once at a photoshoot in Texas for a formalwear catalog and the makeup artist was REUSING the false eyelashes on all the models.  She told all the models to remove the lashes so that she could use them again on the models all week.  Luckily I had my own stock of lashes - sometimes it's better to pay a little to save your health!

there are safe ways to sanitize lashes for re-use.  Mink lashes  and other high end lashes that run 100.00 to 500.00+ definitely get re-used in my kit. But almost ALL strip lashes can be sanitized. Make-up remover removes the adhesive and a soak in 70-90% alcohol followed by a good hair conditioner leaves the lashes ready for the next use.

also for the mascara/lip brushes... i do not buy disposable brushes, it is environmentally unfriendly.  Crown Brushes (CrownBrush.com) sells  professional lip brushes and mascara wands for under $2 each i have at least 10 of each and after the job I clean them like I do every other brush in my kit.

Jessika Dorian wrote:
In a way, I think they're kinda cute

+1 on the cuteness!! HAHAHA!!!

Totally gross. I've had some help with makeup jobs and had someone assist me. She kept blowing on her brush and reusing the same mascara wands. I took her aside and asked her for her general rule of sanitation... she said she didn't have one.

One fault of my own was I didn't test her first before I had her show up to help me. I changed that quickly...

I had her stop and asked her to wait and watch. I'm a stickler with sanitation... my profile even has a summary on what I do... this is one pet peeve is that I can't STAND when I see MUAs not following the right procedures in keeping their kits clean.

Jessica-Elizabeth wrote:
Oh wow.
My story:
I figure skate for ice shows, and backstage everyone has to do makeup fast and quickly. The girls share EVERTHING. You name it, glitter eyeliner, lipstick, lipgloss, mascara from the tube, brushes etc. Even worse they put things down on the benches. Benches in dirty hockey locker rooms that smell of sweat. And even on the floor!!!
It disgusted me. Mostly when they would use the same Q-Tip to put petroleum jelly on their teeth and just pass it around to other girls.. ick.

I'd Flip if an MUA ever did anything like lick her brushes then try to use them on me! ew!

Yeah, it is gross.  I would not subject to my kids in this situation.  Having said that, unless someone is immuno-compromised, the chance getting sick is unlikely.

Jessica-Elizabeth wrote:
Oh wow.
My story:
I figure skate for ice shows, and backstage everyone has to do makeup fast and quickly. The girls share EVERTHING. You name it, glitter eyeliner, lipstick, lipgloss, mascara from the tube, brushes etc. Even worse they put things down on the benches. Benches in dirty hockey locker rooms that smell of sweat. And even on the floor!!!
It disgusted me. Mostly when they would use the same Q-Tip to put petroleum jelly on their teeth and just pass it around to other girls.. ick.

I'd Flip if an MUA ever did anything like lick her brushes then try to use them on me! ew!

IN HS my friends and I shared everything.  Mascara, lipstick/gloss, powder, drinks, shoes, bras, pens we'd chewed on, socks, swimsuits for gymclass... you name it, we shared it.  Back then (OMG, I make myself sound so OLD!) we didn't think anything of sharing, let alone what the other person had done with it before we got it. 

Now?  I don't even like sharing shoes, and the thought of sharing lipstick with even my MOM icks me out.  Big part of that is 'cause of what I've learned here, believe it or not!

Though, hubby and I share a Burt's Bees lip balm.  Of course, I'm not sure that really matters being that we kiss on a regular basis.  'N stuff. 

Bonne Nuit wrote:
Did a show a while back with about 10 other models.

I swear, everyone was horny as hell

Ashley Elizabeth wrote:
What in the world???  LMAO

+1  LOL!!! That's a first!

SoAddicted wrote:
When I 1st began modeling I had a makup artist lick his liner brush to give me a more presice line on my eye lid. I smacked the brush right out of his hand and told him NO you will not ut that in my eye.

Good for you!

MacLeod Designs wrote:
OH WOW,

i saw an MUA at my friends school (going to school for makeup) she had this HUGE kit,

as she was doing my friends makeup i watched her follow every sanitary rule i have ever heard of, mascara wands only dipping once, not blowing, scraping powders, cleaning brushes EVERYTHING

then about an hour later she gets a call from someone and she has to go out she goes into her kit to do her makeup and uses the same mascara but she uses the wand, then double dips, blows on her brushes , uses gloss right out of the bottle

its like in front of peopl and on others she was great but then you see that and wonder, even though she ACTED sanitary all her products were contaminated from her doing that how ever many times before that....

makes no sense to me!

Doing the right thing when no one is watching IS hard.

Narni Fulford wrote:
Clearly licking brushes and blowing powder from models' faces is disgusting and unprofessional, but think about it; when a hairdresser cuts your hir, do you see them wash the scissors between clients? Do they sanitise the styling irons between each client with alcohol wipes and antibac spray and then oil them? I've been to numerous top end salons; none of them have done so - it doesn't really bother me. These things can be taken a little too far; bacteria and microorganisms will never go away fullstop. Even if we could make them, then every time we got exposed to one small strain of a common cold we'd react violently and become ill because we'd have no immunity.

Out of interest - how do you make a mascara single use? Just buy a bunch of mascara wands? Just curious

xx

I think it's different with hair. A lot a bacteria/diseases/infections are transmitted through bodily fluids. This includes saliva and fluids in and around the eye. I had glandula fever when I was a teenager, and I had to be very careful not to share anything so as not to make anyone else sick. Other risks include getting colds, flus, coldsores (which are incurable to my knowlegde... are they the herpes virus?) conjunctivitis... we cannot risk giving models any of these through our equipment and practices or they can lose work due to illness, and/or sue us. Sure, bacteria will never go away, but these are industry standards in hygene and if we can prevent someone getting sick, shouldn't we?

Narni Fulford wrote:
Out of interest - how do you make a mascara single use? Just buy a bunch of mascara wands? Just curious

xx

That's what disposable mascara wands are for.

DavisWebb wrote:
Hey KJ! Long time no talk to...good to see you on here!

Okay my story. I was working on a theatre production of Crazy for You, at 6 week run. One of my actors complained I had given her a lip infection. There was a nasty open sore on her lip (foreshadowing, take note)... She went to my makeup Key and started bitchin..."he gave me a sore, he gave me an infection, he, he, he.." My key was furious with her and said "honey, if you are gonna hurl accusations at my team, you better be able to back it up". I was thinking, how can that happen? I soak my brushes in 2 different alcohol solutions, its impossible. But I am also thinking nothing is impossible.

So the key insists she go get it checked out at the doctor.

She comes back sheepishly and reports that the sore was HERPES! She got it from having an affair with the male lead during that show.

Vindicated, amused and relieved..we carried on with the production.

Well, yes, cold sore is a variety of herpes.

JackH wrote:

That's what disposable mascara wands are for.

Say you have a brand new mascara that you are going to use on 3 models: you use an individual disposable mascara wand for each girl. So you dip wand number 1 into the tube for use on model number 1, and dip it in again to do the other eye or to apply a second coat etc. Now despite using a brand new wand for model number 2, the fact that the wand from the first girl has been dipped back into the tube means that any nasties from her will be inside the tube, and thus applied to everyone else. I still don't get it :S maybe I'm being stupid...

Narni Fulford wrote:

Say you have a brand new mascara that you are going to use on 3 models: you use an individual disposable mascara wand for each girl. So you dip wand number 1 into the tube for use on model number 1, and dip it in again to do the other eye or to apply a second coat etc. Now despite using a brand new wand for model number 2, the fact that the wand from the first girl has been dipped back into the tube means that any nasties from her will be inside the tube, and thus applied to everyone else. I still don't get it :S maybe I'm being stupid...

You don't re-dip.  Ever.  If you need more product for the same model, you use a brand new wand and dip THAT into the mascara tube.

Narni Fulford wrote:
Say you have a brand new mascara that you are going to use on 3 models: you use an individual disposable mascara wand for each girl. So you dip wand number 1 into the tube for use on model number 1, and dip it in again to do the other eye or to apply a second coat etc. Now despite using a brand new wand for model number 2, the fact that the wand from the first girl has been dipped back into the tube means that any nasties from her will be inside the tube, and thus applied to everyone else. I still don't get it :S maybe I'm being stupid...

Fairly simple. Every dip is a new wand. Doesn't matter if you use one or one-hundred wands on a model.

Yes, it may seem wasteful.
But consider the time, resources, chemicals and materials required to make and bottle all that sanitizing liquid.
Now, consider the time and resources required to make a disposable wand.

I would not be surprised if a VERY SIMILAR quantity the Earth's resources are consumed by simply grabbing a new disposable as opposed to properly sterilizing a disposable.

EDIT:

Also, tossing a disposable in the trash demonstrates to models and crew exactly where YOUR standard of hygiene is. As opposed to, I don't know, hoarding away used wands in a baggie or something?

Narni Fulford wrote:
I'm wondering if the answer is to buy a couple fo high quality durable wands and sanatise after each girl. It just seems so wasteful. :s

No, that is not the answer unless you plan on giving them the mascara after you double dip.  Like the person said above you: YOU DON'T EVER DOUBLE DIP.  You use ONE wand for each eye, so that means, two wands for each person.  You are not listening to what people have already said & are hijacking this thread.  Please stop.

Yes, you could use wands that can be cleaned, but you DO NOT dip it back into the mascara EVER (until you properly clean it)!!!

Narni Fulford wrote:
I'm wondering if the answer is to buy a couple fo high quality durable wands and sanatise after each girl. It just seems so wasteful. :s

I have been seriously debating purchasing a cake mascara and small stiff fanbrush to potentially alleviate that disposables  issue in most scenarios.. but I'm not sure how well it will work anyone have any suggestions? Are cakes better?

Angelah_ wrote:
GROSS!  The only time I reuse fake lashes is when they are on myself.  Hell, I've used one pair over 15 times already, hahah.  But to switch them from girl to girl is so disgusting.

that is gross

i  could buy eyeleshes from .99-1.99 at my beauty store
id rather spend a few bucks than risk eye infection

of course though they aint no mink ;p

Roshar wrote:
One time a model was being so rude to me- so I spit on her face and said "Dont worry, thats how you set the makeup"

just kidding.

Although one time I was talking and accidntly spit my mint onto the models hair. That was embarssing.

hahaha

Narni Fulford wrote:
I'm wondering if the answer is to buy a couple fo high quality durable wands and sanatise after each girl. It just seems so wasteful. :s

You've been told the solution to this several times in this thread. One model: two mascara wands. Two wands go in the garbage. Hell, I don't care if you need to dip in the tube 4 times. That's 4 mascara wands. They sell disposable mascara wands in bulk packages that are very cheap. I'd rather be "wasteful" than possibly be responsible for spreading around diseases. I've heard of a makeup artist doing a prestigious fashion show and getting kicked out for almost applying mascara directly from the built in wand.

Sanitizing a mascara wand isn't going to work. They have a zillion more nooks and crannies than any other brush, and there's no way you're going to be able to properly clean it. Have you ever tried getting all the mascara out of a mascara wand? It never stops coming off.

Lisa Berczel wrote:

Fairly simple. Every dip is a new wand. Doesn't matter if you use one or one-hundred wands on a model.

Yes, it may seem wasteful.
But consider the time, resources, chemicals and materials required to make and bottle all that sanitizing liquid.
Now, consider the time and resources required to make a disposable wand.

I would not be surprised if a VERY SIMILAR quantity the Earth's resources are consumed by simply grabbing a new disposable as opposed to properly sterilizing a disposable.

EDIT:

Also, tossing a disposable in the trash demonstrates to models and crew exactly where YOUR standard of hygiene is. As opposed to, I don't know, hoarding away used wands in a baggie or something?

+100

FaceAndBodyPainting wrote:
People whom re use their glitter tattoos and pro shields, including the ones that have been on the genital area on the grounds that they are still sticky and still usable. YUCK

Face painters and body painter whom don't change their water between each and every child...

If their kit isnt clean send them home without pay, this is what your are paying professionals for, or at least tell them, show them if you think they will listen and learn.

Am tripping and yes I know this particular post is old BUT I recently started face painting and the person from whom I buy my products claim you can't pass anything with their products.  You don't have to change the water between children, just use it to rewet the brush.  BUT I am thinking, what about the brush or sponge, can't it carry germs?  The answer from them has been that they have tested the product and nope, it can't.  You can't get sick from their makeup even if you use the same brushes on different kids.  They just recommend using the same brush or sponge for the same color.  If this so true, why don't they make pro makeup out of this stuff?  Anyway I'm not all that confident, I still definitely use qtips when painting kids lips and around eyes!  The jury is still out on not being able to contanimate the product!  I bring in a plastic koolaid/tea pitcher with the spout and tons of plastic cups.  I bring an empty cup to pour dirty water into.  I also have tons of brushes and will spray them with alcohol if I have to reuse and throughly rinse.  Those freaking sometimes snotty nose kids come so fast I can see how face painting can be unsanitary, very difficult to have enough new brushes and sponges, change water between kids, plus not enough time to sanitize everything throughly. I will not work on children that are visibly sick OR will use cotton balls and qtips on them.  Face Painting is in a totally different realm and I wish I could find reasonable good disposable paint brushes.  For the time being, I just stock up on paint brushes at the art store or even walmart.

That said, some people have no regard for being sanitary and some try everything in our power to be as sanitary as possible.  I slap hands for touching stuff in my kit.  If you touch it, you BUY it.  I refuse to be reponsible for any eye or lip issues people get from nasty makeup by not playing a part in it.

And yeah Qosmedix.com and Kosmetech.com are great resources, you just have to by in bulk.  Glad passing the information along has helped many.  The Beauty Book/Industry Source and Universal Companies are great if you are licensed.  Sally's is pretty good if you aren't.  Anisa International manufactures a good portion of the brushes in existence and you can buy from them.  I used to be a buyer and they were one of my vendors.  I know they were manufacturing Stila and Maybelline brushes back then.  They sent me some as well as others in a care package when I quit my job with the bubble bath company.

Lea Halliwell wrote:

No, that is not the answer unless you plan on giving them the mascara after you double dip.  Like the person said above you: YOU DON'T EVER DOUBLE DIP.  You use ONE wand for each eye, so that means, two wands for each person.  You are not listening to what people have already said & are hijacking this thread.  Please stop.

Yes, you could use wands that can be cleaned, but you DO NOT dip it back into the mascara EVER (until you properly clean it)!!!

Same concept with lip gloss applicators and eye shadow applicators.  Fresh applicator for EVERY dip regardless the product type.  Some "MUA's" use a disposable applicator for every model by not every dip.  Sometimes I use fresh cotton balls to pick up powder product and reuse the disposable on the SAME model to keep down cost. Cotton balls do a pretty good job of picking up product and use can rub te disposable on it to coat with product. I go through tons of applicators but hey I would rather people see a trash can full of them than an eye or lip infection the next day.  They gravitate to me when I am on set with other muas and they see this.  People do like to see a level of cleanliness.

Just because it's a powder doesn't mean it can't be contanimated, just maybe a little harder but if you double dipping applicators into it, you adding to the problem.  I try not to spray my powders with alcohol too much because it can damage some of them.  Use fresh applicators ALL the time.

My gross story: Watching other "mua's" constantly double dip and blow on brushes during fashion show backstage makeup.  I think it is the time when some maus can be pretty gross and not care or realize it because they are working on so many models so quickly.  I would rather work on less being sanitary than risk spreading infection trying to crank them out.  Watching an mua lick an eyeliner brush, dip it into eye liner and proceed to line the model's eye grossed me out!  Watching the models pass around lip gloss and mascara grosses me out!  AND THE Worst, an mua licked, no SUCKED on the eyeshadow brush (not disposable) to wet it then placed it in the eyeshadow and was about to apply it to the model.  The model looked horrified and could not speak, I COULD NOT let it happen so I was like, hey girl I've got some disposables and a spray bottle of water you are welcome to use to cut down on time.  I also have some alcohol that you can use to spray down ur palettes.  I know they are wearing me out like they wearing you out. The model looked at me with a slight sigh of relief. Even my assistants know don't double dip, suck, lick or blow on anything!

I always tell the coordinator to have the model's purchase and bring their own mascara and clear lip gloss. I always have plenty but it let's them know there is a level of hygienic practices expected. Sometimes I even tell them to bring their own base products to cut down on time.  If it matches I use it, if not I match it.  If it's grimey, I won't use it and will inform the model that that little sponge that comes in the compact is a DISPOSABLE!

Dena J wrote:
I've worked for other makeup companies, and while none were as bad as Clinique in the nastiness department, they still weren't as clean as they could/should be.  This is why I tell everyone I know, never EVER have your makeup done at a counter or store.  You don't know what is going on between the trifling customers who touch in the makeup and the trifling employees who don't clean up after them.

Ditto I have told so many people this!  People play in that makeup all day.  If I go to the makeup counter to try out new makeup.  I wipe it out with a tissue first, sanitize the back of my hand or finger (for lip color), apply it then throughly sanitize the area afterwords. Counter girls and guys are notorious for double dipping.  Don't know if they don't care, aren't educated or don't realize what they just did.  All of them aren't like that BUT all it takes is one person.... customer or employee and the product is contaminated!

I've seen some pretty disgusting things and cosmetic counter.  One time I watch a girl comment that the product was too dry.  She hocked and spit into the product then proceeded to apply it with her finger as her friend did the same.  The she said "oh, I was supposed to use one of those spongy things" and grabbed a disposable shadow brush.  I was so disgusted and made it a point to go tell an employee what I witnessed so they could handle it.  The employee was like "It happens all the time, we will clean it up before we leave for the day."  I gave her a look and she then said "You know what, I'll go get it right now and throw it away.  You did just say she spit in the product and we PROBABLY don't want to risk what she might have being passed."  I just shook my head but stood back to see if she removed it or wiped it out.  Luckily she removed it and tossed it in the trash.  I watched as she popped in a fresh replacement.  I so shy from cosmetic counters for that reason.