4 Reasons Why You Shouldn’t Share Your Makeup With Anyone—Not Even Your Bridesmaids!

The virtue of sharing? Sure. Just not in the world of beauty, though. If you've been borrowing your bestie's mascara, and swapping your lash curler all these years, here's a cue to STOP. Take it from us: These minor—unknowingly harmless—errors could cost you in the long run. 

The regular practice of trading makeup can do some serious damage to your skin, like for real (think pink eye, herpes, bacterial infections, and a lot more you don't want to know about). Below, two experts reveal a few of the many reasons why you should avoid sharing makeup—basically, any beauty product—with others. 

A Breeding Ground For Bacteria

You should clean your makeup brushes and sponges at least once every two weeks. Do you? Let's say you do. Do you know if your friend does? The point we're trying to make is that you can never know how another person stores their makeup. "While the product might appear to be visibly clean, if stored in warm and moist conditions, or left open for a long time after use, there's a chance that it could have become a breeding ground for bacteria," says Chandni Goyal, Makeup Artist, Anastasia Beverly Hills India. "Using someone else's lipstick, mascara, or kajal can also give you a staph infection, topical dermatitis, cold sores, or any sort of an allergic reaction. Plus, sharing eye makeup, in particular, may lead to conjunctivitis," adds Nidhi Shah, Sr. Product Development Manager, MyGlamm. 

Good Ol' Acne

If your makeup tools become the breeding ground for germs, you know what's to come: ACNE. Chandni puts forth, "Avoid using any makeup product that comes in direct contact with someone’s skin or mucus membranes. For instance, sharing eye makeup can lead to eye warts or red-eye infections. Similarly, lipsticks are the home ground for catching any bacteria or virus a person might be carrying. "Also, if your friend has acne-prone skin, and you use their makeup or applicator, it can spur acne-causing bacteria to contaminate your makeup and grow on your skin as well," adds Nidhi. 

Mould and Fungus Growth

According to Nidhi, apart from dirt and bacteria, unsanitary storage and handling of makeup can cause fungus growth on the surface of the product too. And, sometimes, you may be unable to discern the fungus on the product—often found in the case of mascara, lip gloss, etc. "Unintentionally applying 'fungus'ed' makeup can cause an adverse reaction on the skin." #WorstNightmareComeAlive, tbh. 

And Then, Some More Infections

Let's face it, many of us don't bother with regularly cleaning our makeup tools. Nidhi explains, "This can lead to contamination of your makeup products as well as your skin, spurring skin infections such as topical dermatitis or maybe something worse. As we said, you can never really be sure of how your friends treat their beauty products. So, better to be safe than sorry. Plus, if your friend is a sucker for Ayurvedic stuff, infused with natural ingredients and essential oils, you can't be sure that it'll suit your skin too. Chandni says, "Potted products that require to be applied with your fingertips can also become a carrier of infections. Hands are a carrier of bacteria, and ideally, you should never share such products with anyone."

If your skin has been acting out lately, cut back on trading beauty products for a while and wait to see the difference.