Watch where you put that brush! A new report finds incredibly disgusting things in the testers at makeup counters

Swabs from 10 stores across two states were sent to the microbiology unit at New York University’s Langone Medical Center, and the findings weren’t pretty. One in five (or 20 per cent!) of makeup samples showed significant growth of mould, yeast or fecal matter—yes, that’s right, fecal matter. The worst offenders were brushes and foundations, but eyeshadows and eyeliners also ranked high on the most germ-filled list.

There are a few precautions you can take when testing makeup—avoid communal brushes, only test sterilized lipsticks and avoid pots of foundation where people can easily dip their fingers into the product. On the plus side, we can’t think of better motivation for always washing your hands!