Lifestyle

Model's Pic Of Infected Eye Is A Wake-Up Call To Clean Your Makeup Brushes

by Emily Arata

If you're a regular person, being a fashion model might seem like a dream career. In reality, though, it has serious downsides that go along with the glamour.

For Australian model Anthea Page, a four-day stint on the runway rapidly turned into a health nightmare.

In an Instagram post that's rapidly going viral, Page announces she contracted a staph infection after makeup artists used dirty brushes on her face.

Page, who models under Chic Management, wrote:

I'm not going to sit here pretending I don't like modeling or 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.

That's only the beginning of her tale.

What started as a simple mistake became an infection that actually prevents Page from working until it heals. If you're a model, all you have is your face and body. Nobody wants to hire a woman with a swollen eye.

Interestingly, Page isn't the only model speaking up about health scares. Lauren Wasser, who's modeled for Nordstrom and Nike, has received media attention for her efforts to discuss the dangers of Toxic Shock Syndrome.

The danger applies to regular people, too. In 2015, a woman named Jo Gilchrist became paralyzed after borrowing the makeup brush of a girlfriend with MRSA, a specific kind of staph infection. She happened to swipe over a burst pimple, and the bacteria entered her body.

Worried about your makeup brushes? Experts recommend cleansing them every week, if not after every use. Use a gentle shampoo formula and warm water, swirl the brush around in your hand, then rinse and dry flat on a sheet of paper towel.

If you're still worried, purchase a brush-cleaning mat for extra scrubbing power.

If you're reading this, Page, feel better soon.