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Testing makeup at Sephora before you buy it sounds like a brilliant idea, but the results of a new experiment will make you think twice before applying products.
TikToker @howdirtyis wipe off lipsticks, blushes, eyeshadows, concealers, multi-sticks and mascaras to see if they have invisible bacteria in them – and the results will haunt you.
To his surprise, the blushes, eyeshadows and multi-sticks were the only products that produced microbes after samples were incubated for several days.
However, the other products grew bacteria that can cause staph infections, urinary tract infections, respiratory disease and pneumonia.
However, the latest experiment found no bacteria lurking on Sephora’s lipstick testers.
TikToker @howdirtyis swept lipsticks, blushes, eyeshadows, concealers, multi-sticks, and mascaras to see if they had invisible bacteria in them.
DailyMail.com has reached out to Sephora for comment.
The TikToker experimented on the makeup testers at the request of another user.
He wiped off several products of each type of makeup, which were then placed in petri dishes and incubated for a few days.
The samples of lipstick, concealer and mascara came out completely clean, but the other group with bacteria was teeming with microbes.
The infected scales had hundreds of tiny dots and smears of colonies hiding on the used makeup.
Sephora offers pads and Q-tips to consumers who want to test makeup on display, but many people use their fingers instead or apply the makeup directly to their face.
Amira Saskia, a social media executive based in London, made headlines in 2022 when videos showed her using public testers to prepare for a night out.
The 18-year-old was seen applying makeup directly to her face and dipping the brushes back into the publicly available product.
The samples of lipstick, concealer and mascara came out completely clean, but the other group with bacteria was teeming with microbes
The TikToker wiped several blush pallets for the experiment and found them to be filled with bacteria
And this included lip liner, mascara, concealer and blush.
Users were quick to share their concerns and many seemed very concerned about the possible consequences.
“Omg those testers…I pray for your skin,” commented one viewer. [sic]
Another person added, “This is unhygienic.”
“It gives pink eyes and cold sores lol,” someone else wrote. [sic]
And it’s safe to say that Saskia isn’t alone in applying the public testers directly to their faces.
The recent experiment shows how gross some products are, suggesting it’s a good idea not to try them before buying.
The bacteria can grow because people reapply Q-tips and pads to makeup after it touches their skin.
Dr Tami Buss Cassis, a dermatologist, told New beauty that staphylococcal bacteria and fungi are typically found on testers.
Staphylococcus bacteria are the leading cause of skin and soft tissue infections that lead to boils.
“While most staph infections are not serious, S. aureus can cause serious infections, such as bloodstream infections, pneumonia, or bone and joint infections,” the Minnesota Department of Health stated.
The recent experiment shows how gross some products are, suggesting it’s a good idea not to try them before buying
Amira Saskia, a social media executive based in London, made headlines in 2022 when videos showed her using public testers to prepare for a night out. The 18-year-old was seen applying makeup directly to her face and dipping the brushes back into the publicly available product
“If you need to test, make sure the tester is sealed, use an individual single-use applicator and put it on the back of your hand,” Cassis said.
“The best option is to buy a new tube and just know what the store’s return policy is. At the very least, consider the cost of a doctor’s visit and medications the next time you step into the trial counter.”
There are ways to use makeup safely, such as misting lipstick with alcohol spray and then wiping it off with a tissue.
You can take a tissue and wipe the whole palette can to remove an entire layer of product. And then you can use a cotton swab to swatch on the back of your hand.
Another experiment with makeup testers in 2017 was conducted by Rossen Reports and NBC News’ TODAY, who took samples from Sephora, Ulta, and Macy’s makeup testers to a certified microbiology lab — and the results were disturbing.
Makeup from all three stores tested positive for Staphylococcus aureus.
Samples also came back with E. coli and Klebsiella pneumoniae, bacteria found in the intestinal tract.
“You could literally apply and smear someone else’s stool directly on your lips,” New York City-based dermatologist Whitney Bowe told TODAY correspondent Jeff Rossen.