How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes
Hi loves! Serious question - how often do you clean your makeup brushes? I know that life can get hectic day in and day out and it often falls to the bottom of the to-do list (I've been guilty of this in the past). However, cleaning your makeup brushes is key to a healthy and flawless makeup application. The bristles of makeup brushes are porous and are prone to oil, dirt, and even bacteria build-up which means clogged pores and nasty breakouts - ewww. Plus, makeup brushes are not cheap, so in order to protect your investment, it's important to keep them clean and healthy. Here's how I keep my makeup brushes clean and sanitized.
Daily: Keep your brushes clean on a daily basis with a good brush cleaner (I love and use Cinema Secret's Brush Cleaner). Preferably, after every makeup application, whenever that is for you, pour the brush cleaner into a small shallow dish, enough to dip one quarter of the way up the brush bristles. Dip brush tip into liquid and remove immediately, the capillary action will draw liquid up into bristles. Wipe clean on paper towel, repeat as necessary. Shape brushes and allow to air dry completely before use. The CS brush cleaner dries up in less than 10 minutes which is another reason why I love it - it's perfect and ideal for cleaning on the go and in between clients if you're in the industry.
Weekly: The brushes are up for a deep cleaning after a week (considering they've been used daily). Otherwise, I would wait until they've been used for about 8 days. Unlike the daily cleaning method above, the brushes will take a few hours to a day to completely dry after a deep cleaning. So, plan to wash them after you've used them that day.
You need:
• A shallow dish or palm of your hand
• Gentle soap (I love and use Dr. Bronner's Castile Liquid Soap) or baby shampoo)
• Your sink
• A towel or paper towels
Instructions:
- Run your brushes under lukewarm water, rinsing out all of the makeup residue. Note: Rinse only the bristles and avoid the above the metal part as well as the wood handle as this will ruin the brush.
- Fill the shallow dish with lukewarm water and a squirt of the soap/shampoo, and gently swirl your brush tip in the water. If you need to, you can also swirl the brush in the palm of your hand to work up a lather.
- Rinse the bristles thoroughly until the water runs clear. Repeat as necessary.
- With your index finger and thumb, pull the brush through the fingers while applying gentle pressure to remove excess water and reshaping the bristles back to their original shape as you go.
- Lay your brushes flat on a towel to dry. Note: Never dry your brushes in an upright position as this will loosen the glue that binds the brushes and lead to hair loss.
And that's it! Wasn't that quick, easy and so necessary? Your skin will thank you next time you apply your makeup with clean brushes. If I learned anything in cosmetology school, it would have to be sanitation and how to properly clean the tools of the trade. I hope you guys learned one or two things from this post. Let me know your thoughts in the comments below.
xo, Salpie