Your makeup brushes are an important part of your daily preparations. Whether you are doing a light look for work, or a full beat before you head out for a night on the town, your makeup brushes make the magic come to life. Taking care of your brushes is the best way to ensure their longevity and that you look flawless each time you leave the house.
Why Should You Clean Your Brushes?
It is always a good idea to clean anything that goes on your face that is not disposable. Makeup brushes are especially important to clean for a few reasons. The first being that if you want your makeup application to look its best, you need to start with fresh tools. No one likes pimples or dark spots, and cleaning your brushes also helps to keep your skin free of blemishes. Bacteria can build up on your brushes, which can create pimples over time. Oil also lingers on brushes, which can clog pores and lead to acne breakouts. Quality makeup brushes are a hefty investment. Anything that you decide to spend a great deal of money on should be properly cared for to increase its longevity.
How Often Should Makeup Brushes Be Cleaned?
It is a good idea to wash your makeup brushes at least once a week, if you happen to use them more heavily, then perhaps more often. For most, even once weekly cleanings seem to get pushed aside for more pressing issues. Once a month is usually how often most people wash their brushes, which is a habit we are going to help you break. Washing and sanitizing your makeup tools is not as difficult as you may think. Simply follow our steps below for a quick clean that will leave your makeup brushes fresh and fluffy.
Makeup Brush Cleaning Guide
- In warm water completely wet the hair of your brushes. It may be tempting to soak your brushes for an extended time period, but this will ruin the texture of your brush hair.
- Using a pea-size drop of brush cleaner, or any mild shampoo, rub your brushes in the palm your hand to immerse the cleanser into the hair. Make sure it reaches the roots of the brush to dislodge any hidden oils or bacteria.
- You can also gently rub your brush against a textured silicone brush pad to remove stubborn pigment.
- Rinse the cleanser and makeup away under warm water until it comes out clean.
- You can repeat as needed until all the pigment has been removed.
Shaping & Drying Your Brushes
Washing your brushes will slightly disfigure their shape, but restoring them is simple.
- With your index finger and thumb, gently squeeze and remove any excess amounts of water. This will also help restore the shape of your bristles.
- Next, place your brushes on a flat surface to dry, or, hang them face down. Avoid leaving your brushes upright while wet as this will slowly degrade the glue that binds them and can lead to a loss of bristle hair.
You may be tempted to use a sterilizer to clean your brushes, but always remember that this will cause permanent damage. There are brush cleaner products that have been created specifically to sanitize and protect makeup brushes. These can be used to remove pigment, kill bacteria, and sanitize your beauty tools without causing damage.
