10 Toiletries You Should *Definitely* Keep to Yourself
Summer means sharing lots of things: delish BBQ recipes, laughs, memories, toothbrushes… wait, what? With all of summer’s camping trips and beach getaways, someone’s bound to forget some key part of their summer makeup essentials or grooming routine (well, define “key” — we can’t live without brow gel) and ask if they can borrow yours. It may not seem like such a big deal, but some things are especially unsanitary to share (and some things you should really just toss by the end of the summer, anyway). Here’s a list of 10 things you should send your friends packing to the nearest CVS for the next time someone tries to claim “sharesies.”
1. Mascara and lipstick: One eye infection or cold sore, and that red lip and cat-eye combo goes from gorgeous to gross. Lots of makeup has preservatives, which can cut down on bacterial growth, but better safe than sorry.
2. Bar soap: It’s soap! It can’t get dirty! Right? Wrong. Since soap doesn’t usually dry all the way between uses, it’s a breeding ground for potential bacteria, infection and yeast to be transferred from person to person.
3. Antiperspirant: Unlike deodorants, antiperspirants don’t have any germ or stink-killing properties. But that doesn’t mean one’s better than the other for communal use — unless you’re not grossed out by the prospect of swiping on somebody else’s hairs and skin cells.
4. Towels: That soft, fluffy towel you keep passing around at the beach could also pass along anything from gonorrhea to pink eye, especially if it’s wet. Ooof. We’ll give you a second to recover from that one.
5. Nail clippers and files: Keep your home manicure to yourself. Your friend might be begging for a quick polish change, but when nail tools aren’t sterilized between users (you wouldn’t go to a salon that doesn’t do it, right?) they could spread things like hepatitis C, staph infection and warts.
6. Pumice stones: The same goes for sharing any pedicure supplies. No one wants rough, cracked heels at the beach — but you definitely don’t want someone else’s exfoliated skin cells transferring things like plantar warts. Yikes.
8. Loofahs: The exfoliating powers of loofahs are also the reason you should hate the idea of someone using yours: Fungi and viruses from dead skin cells can grow and spread through the fibers, since it never really fully dries. You could pass on (or get passed back) things like nail fungi or your friend’s bacne.
8. Razors: We don’t care how badly your bestie needs to shave her legs. Sharing razors can contribute to the spread of scary stuff like hepatitis B, hep C and HIV. But even if your friend has been tested, you’re both still at risk for transferring fungal and bacterial infections. This one is a solid “no.”
9. Tweezers: Your friend’s unibrow might be as painful for you to look at as it is embarrassing for her, but tweezers are another thing on the “don’t share” list when it comes to things like ingrown hairs. Just plucking from the surface is fine, but anything deeper could mean transferring blood-borne diseases.
10. Jar creams and moisturizers: Pump products are always your best bet for sanitary self-care, whether you’re sharing or not, but it’s especially important with multiple users. Multiple hands dipping into the pot means multiple sources of contamination. Gross.
How do you keep things clean during the summer? Share your tips with us by tweeting @BritandCo!
(Photos via Getty)