YOUR DIRTY, DIRTY PHONE

Hi everyone,

These days, our phones go everywhere with us – the bedroom, the bathroom, the classroom, the nightclub, the grocery store, the gym, and just about everywhere else. Think about all those places for a minute… and then think about how these phones aren’t just attached to our wrists; they’re attached to our faces. *Shudders*

Because of all of the environments and germs that they are exposed to, our phones accumulate a lot of germs. Add in the fact that we use our hands to operate them and it’s one big, nasty germfest. Now think about how every time you talk on one of them, you’re pressing these substances against your beautiful, delicate skin. Unless you’re using an earpiece or speaker, you’ve basically just applied a film of filth on your face. Yuck!

It’s obvious, then, that phones can pose a very real problem for your skin. This isn’t news to anyone, but it’s a really good reminder… Our parents and grandparents probably never thought to associate phone-care with skincare! Now, though, you gotta. Here are some tips on how to wipe that baby down and help reduce breakouts on your face:

• Before you do anything, it’s safest to turn off your phone, remove any case, and take out the battery if you can. Do your research and check out what the manufacturer recommends. The Internet is a gold mine too! Here’s a useful article with some more info.
• If your phone has buttons, you can use a dry q-tip to first get any dust out from in between the buttons.
• If you have a plastic phone backing and/or a screen protector on the front of your phone, you can use alcohol or a disinfectant on a soft cloth to gently wipe it down. Use as little as possible and check up on what’s recommended for your model beforehand. (Apple actually recommends that you just use a lint-free cloth to remove any oils and substances on the surface.)