Advertisement

Model speaks out about the dangers of dirty make-up brushes after contracting serious eye infection

A make-up artist is trying to raise awareness about unhygienic make-up practices in the fashion industry [Photo: Instagram/anthea_page]

Be honest when was the last time you cleaned your make-up brushes? Yep, us too, but did you realise that all sorts of bacteria and other nasties can fester on dirty brushes which can then lead to infection. Yuck!

But one model is using her social media influence to shout about the dangers of make-up artist hygiene practices. Anthea Page has decided to call out professionals in the fashion and beauty industry after she got an eye infection from make-up brushes used backstage at a show.

The model, who’s featured in Harpers Bazaar and Cosmo Bride, contracted a strain of staphylococcus aureus, and claims the infection lead to her being forced to cancel her modelling commitments and take strong antibiotics to rid her of the bacterial infection.

Sharing a picture of her swollen left eye, Anthea decided to pen an open letter to make-up artists to throw light on the importance of regularly cleaning makeup brushes.

“A letter to makeup artists and those getting their makeup done,” she wrote. “I’m not going to sit here pretending I don’t like modelling or it isn’t awesome because it really is and I do almost always have fun on jobs. Models have it good most of the time, especially in Australia however there are health/hygiene risks involved for models and anyone using testers or getting their makeup done people can overlook.”

The model wants people to understand the dangers of unclean make-up brushes [Photo: Instagram/anthea_page]

“I have just been on a fashion show job for the past 4 days and unfortunately even though I had observed unhygienic practices and confronted the qualified artists (who I will not name) I still ended up taking home a nasty eye infection from fashion weekend,” she continued.

Anthea said she felt her safety concerns were overlooked and she felt as if it was part of her job to go along with things despite her hygiene fears.

“My message is not intended to critique the women who I trusted with my eye and skin health but to raise awareness of importance of hygiene practices amongst artists.”

“If you are getting your makeup done or using any testers, check everything has been cleaned to your standard even if someone scoffs at your concerns,” she advised.

Anthea says that this isn’t the first time that she’s fallen ill from a dirty makeup brush and due to the number of times she gets her make-up done, she doubts that it’ll be the last.

[How clean are your make-up brushes? [Photo: kaboompics.com via Pexels]

And it turns out she isn’t the only one who’s contracted eye infections due to unhygienic make-up tools.

After sharing the same message to Facebook, Anthea says others have got in touch to share experiences of battling the same sort of infections caused by using unhygienic make up brushes.

“Got MRSA from having dirty makeup brushes being used on me. Still battling it 5 years on,” one woman wrote.

Other make-up artists also got in touch to thank the model for raising awareness about such an important issue.

“As a makeup artist I totally agree with you! Hygiene always has priority on every makeup!” one woman wrote.

Have you ever contracted an infection from dirty make-up brushes? Let us know @YahooStyleUK

10 clever uses for Vaseline (saving sore lips not included)

Pineapple leather has dropped and it’s a fashion game changer