Careful, Ladies: Your Makeup May Cause Meningitis!

Ladies, read this article before reaching out for your favorite lipstick or mascara and have these facts in mind!

If you’re using your makeup for a longer period, you need to throw it away as expired makeup increases the risk of blood poisoning, infections and even gastroenteritis! According to a study, a quarter of the women examined confirmed that they use their mascara for as long as a year, disregarding the medical claims that it must be changed every 3 months. About 20% of women also use a year-old facial cleaners which is double of the recommended usage time.

One in every six women admitted they use 3-year old lipsticks, which is about 2 years more than the recommended usage time. The study was conducted on 5000 women by scientists from the London Metropolitan University, and revealed that popular cosmetics contain a high level of dangerous bacteria, while cosmetics with expired dates had an even higher level of the same bacteria!

The study examined five of the most popular cosmetic brands with expired dates – the products were found to contain lethal bacteria such as enterococcus faecalis (one of the main causes of meningitis). There were also antibiotic-resistant bacteria present as well as acne-causing bacteria.

Paul Matewele, a microbiologist from the same university, confirmed the shocking results. “Every piece of expired makeup such as face powder, lip gloss and lipstick were positive for enterococcus faecalis. This is a lethal bacterium which causes meningitis and septicemia and is one of the leading causes of death in infants.”

So the next time you’re thinking of using that nice old lipstick, you better throw it out and get a new one.