9 Secrets from the Makeup Counter

makeup counter germs

Secret no. 7: The counters are germ-infested

If you’ve ever walked right up to the counter, grabbed a lipstick tester, and put it right to your lips, you might want to re-think your method. The testers on the makeup counter are filled with germs and bacteria.

“No matter how many times a day the sales rep cleans them, people love to come stick their dirty fingers in the colors,” says one former Estee Lauder artist. And then there are the makeup brushes. While most makeup artists clean them after each customer, “you should never trust a brush that isn’t yours,” she adds.