This one seems to be a no brainer but it’s interesting to see that most people don’t really get around to cleaning their makeup brushes at home. I teach in-person and virtual makeup lessons, and this is the one thing I see with almost all of my clients.
Clean brushes and tools play a big part in ensuring your skin doesn't break out also in keeping your makeup clean. When you dip dirty brushes and tools into your makeup (even powders) you are introducing bacteria which will eventually reach your skin, resulting in acne, rashes and in some cases even pink eye.
How often should you clean your makeup brushes?
So how often should you be cleaning/washing your brushes and tools like beauty sponges and lash curlers? Ideally once a week, if that is hard for you consider buying multiple brushes so it’s not a weekly chore. This is how I ended up with over 250 brushes which yes, I don’t have to wash weekly but when I do, it takes me a whole day maybe even 2 -3 days to wash and dry. As makeup artists, we cannot use the same brushes on multiple clients.
You can extend the usage of these brushes by using an alcohol-based cleanser. My favorite is this one because it cleans out all the creamy and liquid products from the brushes.
I like to put it in a spray bottle and saturate the brush and then rub the product out on a clean towel. But mind you this just removes the product from the brushes, it does not really clean it. Unfortunately, you will still have to wash your brushes with soap and water.
I have it in a spray bottle here
I use the brush cleanser as my first cleanse for my foundation brushes, liquid/cream blush, bronzer, contour brushes, eyeliner brush and mascara wands (if you use a separate one). I like to put on my favorite show or a watercolor painting video while I do it.
I don’t usually use the brush cleanser on brushes that have only been used in powders and wash those directly with a brush soap because alcohol will ultimately wear out your brushes and if your brushes are natural hair brushes these will wear out even faster.
Choosing soap to clean your makeup brushes at home
Now, there are a few factors when you wash brushes. The soap you use has to be one that will effectively remove all the product from the brush. Baby soap is meant to be mild, and no stripping so stick to a soap that is meant for brushes.
I like this Sonia Roselli Tiger's Eye Brush Soap because it cleans effectively and is in a cake form so is easier to travel with and lasts much longer.
Again, with brushes that have been used with creams and liquids, you want to double cleanse with the soap so you can thoroughly clean. It's important to use lukewarm water to wash brushes because cold water will congeal the oils in those brushes and hot water will spoil the bristles.
At all times keep your wet brush pointing downwards, this is because the bristles are glued into the ferrule i.e. the metal part of the brush. If not, the water will seep into the glue and eventually the bristles will loosen and start shedding.
Once you rinse the brushes you want to gently squeeze out the water from the bristles, the brush still facing downwards. Reshape the brush and lay it on a towel placed on a flat surface.
For tweezers and lash curlers, I like to use a nail brush and some soap, scrub clean and these are good to go.
As for beauty sponges and powder puffs, these should ideally be washed after each use. You can always wash your sponge soon after you finish your makeup and store it in one of these to dry them out. For the puffs have 2 of them handy and use the alternatively.
These need to be switched out every 3-6 months depending on usage or as the people at Beautyblender say change your sponge with the seasons. If you have brushes that haven't been washed for a while, the bristles get coated with makeup, not only creams but powders too. Dirty brushes lead to 'hard pan' the oily dark layer on your powder products which makes it hard to pick up product.
To ensure longevity of your tools, try and keep them separate from your makeup. Makeup bags eventually get grimy, and this will ruin your brushes and tools.
By regularly cleaning your tools, you not only prolong their lifespan but also prevent any potential contamination that could affect the final result. Remember, clean tools = flawless application.
Related blog posts:
My favorite, long lasting makeup brushes
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