Beauty Questions

I was reading an article on MSN Lifestyle and there were actually a couple of very good questions so I thought I would share.

Should I toss out my lipstick after having a cold?

No. You can use it safely after having a cold because that virus should die quickly. Plus, it can't reinfect you. "Your body has built up antibodies against the virus," says Neil Schachter, a professor of preventive medicine at the Mount Sinai Medical Center, in New York City. But strep throat is another story. "These bacteria may be able to survive longer," says Schachter. So throw out the lipstick or you may risk reinfection.

Some creams come with a thin plastic lid under the cover. Keep it or toss it?

Keep it, says Mary P. Lupo, a dermatologist in New Orleans. Exposure to light and air breaks down many active ingredients, including vitamin C and retinol, making them inert. Also, store these products in a cool, dark place to help maintain their efficacy.

Is it OK to store sunscreen or a lip balm with SPF in a glove compartment?

No, especially during summer. Once the car heats up in the sun, "high temperatures can cause the sunscreen's active ingredients to degrade right in the container," says Badreshia-Bansal. And the lip balm will melt, to boot. "When you apply a degraded sunscreen or balm to your skin, you're not getting the SPF that's indicated on the bottle," she warns. "In fact, you might be applying nothing more than a thick moisturizer."