The number of new COVID-19 cases in Malaysia on Sunday (6 Feb) has crossed 10,000. The last time it crossed this mark was in October last year.

This means that we probably know someone who has succumbed to the illness – or are among those who got it ourselves.

Thankfully most of the new cases were asymptomatic or saw light symptoms, and are resting and recovering well.

And for those of us who have a close contact who’s ill or have succumbed ourselves, we can’t help but wonder: should we throw away beauty products that we’ve used while we were sick and infectious?

We’re talking about makeup and skincare products that come into direct contact with our skin, eyes, and lips, so indeed, this is a valid question.

Do viruses stay on our beauty products?

do you have to toss away your makeup after you fall sick

The hard truth? Yes. Your beauty products can be home to germs, including coronavirus, if you’ve used them while you were ill.

But before you toss everything away, here’s some good news.

Most beauty products are formulated with preservatives. The primary function of these preservatives is to help prevent your products from spoiling quickly, but a good effect from it is also that it can keep viruses on them from growing and spreading.

However, if you’re into preservative-free products, viruses that you’ve exposed these products to can still live and grow on them.

Do I throw away my beauty products if I’ve used them while I was sick?

do you have to throw away your skincare products after you fall sick

The short answer: not really. Phew!

Products that are dispensed without direct contact, such as your foundation (pump), shampoo (pump), and cleanser (squeeze tube) are pretty safe. You may just want to sanitise their surfaces.

But even for products that you dip your finger into or have direct contact with such as lipsticks, moisturisers (in jars), or eyeshadows, you don’t need to toss them out just yet.

This is because there’s a lifespan to viruses; they will die after a period of time, depending on the type of surfaces.

According to studies, COVID-19 virus lasts anything from nine days (on metal surfaces) to four hours (on copper surfaces).

If you want to be safe, let your beauty products sit out for around 10 days before using them again. There’s a high chance germs would have disappeared by then.

But if can’t wait to start using your products again, consider going over them with a sanitising spray with high alcohol content or rubbing alcohol if you can.

Note that there’s an exception.

Products with wand applicators and sponges, which soak up products and bodily fluids, are hard to be cleaned thoroughly. As such, you may want to toss them out if you’re worried about a re-infection.

This being said, pathology studies show that chances of re-infection by the same virus variant is low when you’ve been exposed to it before. So exercise your own discretion when making the decision on whether to toss or not!

Other tips to keeping yourself virus-safe when using beauty products

use products that don't have direct contact

  • Everything we’ve shared above is only okay if you’re using the products yourself. Never ever share your beauty products with another person, even if you’ve sanitised them, or you may risk infecting them with whatever viruses you had.
  • To preserve the longevity of your products while preventing the introduction of viruses to them, opt for products that don’t require as much contact or use spatulas and single-use applicators to pick up your product.
  • Clean your products, applicators, brushes, and sponges regularly. Set a schedule so you’ll remember.
  • Never use your products past their expiry dates. Past their best-by dates, preservatives the products are formulated with are no longer effective against germs and there’s a higher chance for them to proliferate in your products.

Related: How to clean your makeup brushes