Sharing beauty products with friends or family can seem harmless, particularly when the item appears clean. But dermatologists and professional makeup artists say appearances can be misleading when products or tools come into contact with multiple people.

The concern is less about whether a product looks fresh and more about where it has been, what it has touched and whether it can be properly cleaned between uses.

Products that come into direct contact with the eyes, lips or broken skin deserve particular attention. Certain beauty tools can also become a pathway for transferring microorganisms from one person to another.

That doesn’t mean every item in a makeup bag has to be kept completely off-limits. However, understanding which products carry greater concerns can help people make smarter choices when getting ready with friends or family.

Keep eye and lip products personal

Mascara, liquid eyeliner, lipstick and lip gloss are among the products experts say are better kept for individual use.

Anything that touches the eyes or lips can potentially pick up microorganisms from the skin or mucous membranes. Reusing those products between people creates another opportunity for them to be transferred.

The same principle applies to beauty tools. Makeup brushes, cosmetic sponges, tweezers, razors and dermaplaning equipment should not be passed between people unless they have been appropriately cleaned or disinfected.

The issue becomes particularly important with tools that can come into contact with small cuts or irritated areas of skin.

Skincare products need attention, too

Makeup isn’t the only category that can become problematic.

Skincare products housed in jars or containers that require fingers to scoop out the formula can also be exposed to microorganisms. Every time someone touches the product, material from their hands can potentially make its way into the container.

Products with applicators that touch the face and are then returned to the original container present a similar concern.

For that reason, skincare products that can be dispensed without touching the remaining formula are generally easier to keep clean when more than one person needs to use them.

Store testers can also require caution. Products that have been handled by numerous shoppers may have been exposed to many different hands and applicators.

Why sharing can create problems

The skin naturally carries microorganisms, including bacteria. Those organisms aren’t automatically a cause for concern, but transferring them between people can create opportunities for unwanted reactions or infections.

The potential concerns vary depending on the product and how it is used.

For example, sharing a lip product with someone who has an active cold sore can create a pathway for transmission. Razors can also be problematic because they may cause tiny breaks in the skin, potentially allowing microorganisms to enter.

Beauty tools such as brushes, cosmetic puffs and sponges can collect oils and other material from the skin. If those tools aren’t cleaned properly, they may contribute to irritation or blemishes and can also carry microorganisms between users.

There are safer ways to share some products

If sharing is necessary, the way a product is dispensed can make a difference.

For liquid or cream formulas, one approach is to remove the desired amount from the original container and place it onto a clean palette or other suitable surface. Each person can then use a fresh applicator rather than repeatedly touching the original product.

Powder products can similarly be handled with clean tools. Removing surface material when appropriate and using a separate, clean brush or applicator for each person can reduce direct contact between users.

The same basic principle applies to skincare. Rather than repeatedly putting fingers into a jar, a clean spatula can be used to remove the amount needed for each person.

Clean hands remain important, too. Thorough handwashing before handling beauty products can help reduce the amount of material transferred into or onto them.

Some products are better replaced

There are situations in which cleaning isn’t a practical solution.

Products designed for direct contact with the eyes and lips are particularly difficult to share safely because their applicators can repeatedly return to the original container after touching a person’s skin.

If a previously used lip product must be shared, one professional approach involves removing the exposed surface and disinfecting the remaining product with an appropriate method before allowing another person to use it. However, this does not make every shared beauty product risk free.

Used applicators should also never be returned to a product after touching another person’s skin.

Ultimately, if there isn’t a reliable way to keep a beauty product or tool clean between users, keeping it personal is the simplest option.

A beauty product may look perfectly fine on the outside, but cleanliness isn’t always visible. Taking a few extra precautions can help keep makeup bags and skincare routines safer for everyone.