Makeup testers and applicators in department stores are filled with bacteria, mould and fecal matter, according to an American breakfast television show.
In an undercover assignment, Good Morning America tested the safety of shared makeup testers which are replaced by beauty counters, on average, about once a year. Samples were taken from ten stores across two American states, using sterile swabs and undercover cameras, which were then tested in New York University’s Microbiology department.
The results showed which germs are shared between people when they test the same eyeshadow, foundations and lipsticks as hundreds, even thousands of strangers. One out of every five samples (20 per cent) revealed significant growth of mould, yeast, or fecal matter.
Brushes and foundations were the worst offenders, and makeup experts suggest consumers test these on the neck rather than the face. Allure editor-in-chief, Linda Wells, said: “To me, makeup testers are like petri dishes, I would not want to go near one. There are better ways to do it.”