Yikes! Testing makeup at counters can give you herpes and pink eye

Yesterday, I went to Macy's Clinique counter and the salesperson wanted to show me some new eye shadows. She applied two shades, one with a brush and one with a q-tip. She then put on some eye liner. Woke up the next morning with PINK EYE! This story is so real, please be careful.
After calling the Macy's manager the next morning she said this has "never" happened before and she wished me well.
Don't do it, it is a expensive lesson learned.
Melissa

I'm a "fanatic" about germs in general. (Shaking hands before eating at restaurants, etc.) I always carry small disposable packaged wipes with me.

Oh please. Anyone with any common sense knows that. I can't believe makeup counters still have these testers.

If you MUST try before you buy- ALWAYS test it on the back of your hand! Never "double dip" with a Q-tip, and wash your hands as soon as possible afterward. You still get a good idea of what you're buying and you don't risk getting an infectious disease.

Sun2Go, I did confront that to the woman at Sephora. She asked me if I was the makeup police, then cursed at me. And as I said, when I reported it to the manager at the store, she told me to contact corporate offices and "get out of my store." The corporate offices (because I did file a complaint with them and the Dept. of Health) said they'd look into it, but I doubt that they did.

i have worked at a makeup counter and have used the makeup there for over 10 years and have never ONCE had a problem. but then again i have always been a freak about keeping all the testers clean and cleaning them before and after someone picks them up. being a mgr. i cut off all the wands so no one can use them too and they have to ask for an applicator. i always do it for the customer too to make sure no double dipping. and i dont leave the tester brushes out so people can freely use them...look for a counter like that. MAC is no better than any other counter. it depends on the management and how they run it.

wow.....how disgusting to even think about using those testers!!!!

Two comments, germaphobes drive me crazy. The less exposure people have to common germs the less resistance (antibodies) people develop to fight diseases, ever heard of resistant bacteria? Second never use testers on your face. You can still get a sense of the colors if you try them on the hand or inner arm, and still be safe.

MAC, is probably the only safe make-up counter. They give you a tester for each product. Let me know if that's no good either.

This is so truee. Im a Cosmetologist & i've heard of many things concerning these types of things..makeup is so tempting especially if its put out to the public to use!

The only way to contract herpes is through contact from a sore to your mucous membrane (i.e. kissing, sex, etc.).

i never thought about that before but i do my own makeup anyway and i dont share so its no problem

This reminds me of that Kashi commercial where the woman puts her finger in the bowl of chocolate. Very gross!

Did anyone really need to be told this? Even if people are provided with disposable brushes or q tips, I would think that of course someone is going to stick their finger in, double dip the brush, etc.

I usually test make-up on the side of my hand and then wipe it off. Is that bad too? Lol.

I always wondered about the makeup artist's stuff. They uses brushes (clean?) on their clients, then dip them back into the makeup. How contaminated are their products? If they use an eyeshadow brush on me then load it up with more color from the container, then touch my skin again.....

Only use the hard products like packed/ caked eyeshadow & packed/ caked lipstick, scrape of the first few layers with a disposable mini spatula & discard first & then you should be fine. Don't use anything loose or creamy that you have to dip into.

Dahhhh! with everyone 'sharing' and God knows what each person has as far as Germs, diseases, etc on them to within them...It has been repeated for a long time now, to NOT SHARE ANY PERSONALLY USED ITEMS SUCH AS MAKE UP...The aggravation of knowing that so many do not LISTEN and the ones who automatically make better choices either by their persoanl experience or read in books in order to live a better life how the stupid ones tend to drain the people who do study and do their HOMEWORK in order to make better choices in life.

You couldn't pay me to use those testers. Disgusting.

Ahdiah, exactly! If you've ever seen a woman come out of a restroom stall, touch her face and fix her hair, then leave without washing her hands? You know better or you're kind of stupid. Even better is when they "rinse" their hands for 2 seconds and leave, as though it's magic water and a magic paper towel. Ewww! Those are the same women who try makeup without using the individual testers, because they don't care. I watched a woman wipe her kid's mouth, then pick up a tester lipstick without missing a beat. I'm not a germaphobe by any means, but come on, common sense and good hygiene isn't too much to ask.

wow.....how disgusting to even think about using those testers!!!!