Do You Participate in Makeup Swaps?

January 6, 2010

As simply modern as it may seem to us today, the Internet actually offers us one of the oldest forms of product trading known to mankind — the bartering system. On Makeupalley's popular swap pages, for instance, there are more than 307,000 items up for the taking. You can even join and explore items up for trading at The Makeup Swap Shoppe group in our BellaSugar Community.

While online makeup swaps are nothing new, and they've proven to be very popular over the years, how do you feel about swapping your cosmetics with strangers? Get my tips for successful swapping and then tell us your opinions on beauty bartering.

Source: Getty

17 Comments

Curvatude 3 years 19 weeks

i think its a great concept but i am just too anal for it..

thenekoling 3 years 19 weeks

as long as i can trust them that it's clean, then sure!

GummiBears 3 years 19 weeks

I have swapped a couple of skincare products and I didn't get any rashes, but most of the containers were in pumps or something hygienic.

andrennabird 3 years 19 weeks

On Makeupalley the swappers are very aware of sanitizing techniques, and the website is great for product reviews.

Allytta 3 years 19 weeks

btw ladies, a lot of products there are unused, and people have rating system, so if someone ever send something bad the whole community will know about it. there's loads of sample size products on there and make-up obsessed exchange only for their wishlist items. which usually means they have loads and loads of make up (just see their make up collection on youtube) and there's a lot of thing repeating themselves as girls forgot they already have that in their collection or they just realise there's no way they gonna use that colour once they get home. so they swap. unclench, bacteria control :)

Allytta 3 years 19 weeks

i did this. i swapped guerlain mascara for philosophy purity cleanser.

Yogaforlife 3 years 19 weeks

I can't even let a relative or friend use my makeup, definitely not swapping with a stranger.

supercoolnat 3 years 19 weeks

Nope, too much of an eww factor for me. Even if certain products might be relatively safe to re-use, it still weirds me out. I can stick used clothes in the laundry, and I can wipe down the used coffee table that I recently bought, but nothing can clean a pot of eyeshadow enough to make up for the fact that someone else's brush or finger was in there.

kitseyboo 3 years 19 weeks

GROSS!!!!!!!!!!

kitseyboo 3 years 19 weeks

GROSS!!!!!!!!!!

tarak 3 years 19 weeks

I understand about the bacteria, but would the same sterilization rules apply to viruses?

HoneyBrown1976 3 years 19 weeks

Ew. No

HoneyBrown1976 3 years 19 weeks

Ew. No

doctordonna 3 years 19 weeks

See above. I agree that some products should not be swapped -- mascara, eyeliner, lipglosses that have wands because they can't be sanitzed. MUAers are very careful with their stashes and sanitize everything carefully before sending to ensure things are clean. For example, I dip lipsticks into rubbing alcohol which kills bacteria, and I also wipe down the case with alcohol. Powder products don't harbour bacteria. :)

3 years 19 weeks

It's not hygienic though.. NO WAY!

doctordonna 3 years 19 weeks

Jess, I used to be the same way but I did my research. While wet products like mascara, lipgloss, etc are impossible to santize, powder products like eyeshadow and blush don't harbour bacteria -- they can stay fresh/useable for years before going bad. :)

jessvogel85 3 years 19 weeks

I feel like I would get some wierd skin or eye infection. You can't trust people these days!

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17 Comments

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