Before buying a cosmetic product, most of us tend to swoop down on the counter at the store where we get to try on the testers. However, after we have tied them out, more often than not we end up feeling guilty for three reasons, two of them being that the tester didn’t match out skin tone or texture and we couldn’t apply it well. However, what we overlook is the question as to how hygienic the tester really is.

• Be safe, try personal: Popular stores would be ready to prepare personal testers for their customers, especially for products such as lipsticks, going in from dipping and spraying the shade with alcohol. Alcohol Sanitizer wipes are also available these days, with which one could scrape off the top most layer of the product, the used part, and use the unused one below. Trying products with disposable or brushes is also recommended. Sharpening the top layer is also good enough as all the contamination are deposited on the surface layer.

• Don’t try anything open: Don’t try anything or everything that comes in an open pot or jar. Most people out of fascination dip their own fingers into the product and try it out on their faces, such as face lotions, lip gloss or loose powdered eye shadow. Disposable cotton bud or pads are good to go.

• The trying areas: For the cheeks products like foundation, blush or face glitter, always use the back of your palm as the testing place and now your cheeks or the jawline. Don’t try any eye makeup either, such as pencil eyeliners or kajal – use the back of your hand for that too. This area also helps you identify how soft the bristles are by just drawing fine lines on your skin. If you really want to try on eye products, sanitize the tip with clinical alcohol. Unless and until the sale staff offers you clean fresh sample testers, do not indulge in putting anything on your face. Chances of infections such as zits is very high.

• Days of the week: Try visiting cosmetic stores on weekdays because weekends are too crowded for the staff to be paying complete attention to what kind of testers they’re giving you.

Be smart and follow these tips to stay safe from infections from testers.