Friday Tip

Dear Constant Reader,

Happy Friday! Here’s your tip:

When at a festival or similar large gathering, wash your hands often.

Burlesque festival season is starting — Vermont is next weekend and The Expo is (*yikes*) about a month away — and I’m going to a SF con this weekend. They’re great places to pick up and spread sickness, so protect yourself and those around you. The best way to do that is to wash your hands frequently, especially before handling food or touching your eyes or mouth, like putting on your makeup.

Make sure you get all the surfaces of your hands soapy and lather for 20 seconds — that’s how long it takes to sing “Happy Birthday” twice — before rinsing. All that handwashing can be drying to your skin, especially in the winter, so I slather on a little lotion while my hands are still slightly damp. Mrs. V and the Bees makes a solid moisturizer that’s nice for keeping in your bag.

Sometimes it’s not possible to actually wash (I remember an airplane bathroom where the sink had no water. Ick.) and that’s when you turn to hand sanitizer. It’s not as effective as a good wash, but it’s so much better than nothing. I love Working Girl from Atomic Cosmetics (I swear, I have no affiliation other than being an utterly satisfied customer), which has moisturizer built in! And you can get it in tiny purse-sized tubes as well as big bottles.

Wishing you health this winter,
M2Like this tip? There are lots more in Miss Mina Murray’s Little Book of Better Burlesque.