How To Clean Makeup Brushes

Makeup brushes are an investment and we want to make sure you get all you can from them. One of the best things you can do for your brushes is to clean them - regularly.  Clean them when they are first purchased and clean them on a regular basis to remove:

* Old makeup

* Bacteria

* Oils

* Dirt and Debris

* Dead skin cell

Another benefit of keeping your makeup brushes clean is softness. Makeup buildup on your brushes can make them feel scratchy. Cleaning your brushes on a regular basis will help keep them soft and supple. This is especially great for people with sensitive skin. For those that suffer with acne, you will greatly benefit from keeping your foundation brushes clean at all times. 

How To Clean Your Brushes

First, you want to wet the hairs under the faucet with tepid to warm water with the hairs pointing downwards - this will help prevent any water getting in to the ferrule (metal part) or down in to the handle for brushes that don’t have ferrules.

Next you want to use a mild shampoo, liquid hand soap, pure castile soap or our favorite . Squirt a little soap on your fingers and apply it to the hairs from ferrule to hair tips. Gently squeeze the hairs from ferrule to hair tips over and over adding a little water at a time.  Rinse and repeat until the water runs clear.  Make sure when you are rinsing to keep the brush hairs pointing down.

After your brushes have a good bath, brush them off a little on a clean paper towel and lay them to dry on their side on a paper towel or a regular towel. It is also a good idea to reshape the brush at this point in time to prevent splaying. Lay kabuki’s and any other stand-up brush on their side. Never leave them to dry brush hairs up in a brush holder.  The water can run down in to the ferrule and loosen the glue holding the brush together over time.

Lastly, let brushes dry completely before using.  Dry time will depend on size and brush density.

When To Clean Your Brushes

Foundation Brushes - once a week

Eyeshadow Brushes - 2 - 3 days

Blush Brushes - once a week

Eyeliner Brushes - after every use

Powder and Bronzer Brushes - once a week

To cut down on cleaning time, rotate brushes so you always have a fresh clean one to use. 

Now that your brushes are perfectly clean, we need to focus on another aspect of thoroughly cleaning your brushes…the handle! When you use your makeup brushes you are transferring germs, bacteria and even makeup onto the handles of your brushes. Remember, anything that is on the handle of your brushes is being passed to everything else you touch. 

To clean the handle of your brushes, pour rubbing alcohol onto a paper towel and rub over the handle of your brushes. This will not only clean but disinfect the handles as well. Another great tip to keep your brushes looking great is to apply clear fingernail polish over the numbers or names that are written on the brush. This will keep the name or number of the brushes from eventually wearing off and make the brushes easy to identify.  Some brushes can feel stiff even after washing them. You want your brushes to feel soft and luxurious against your skin. If this is the case, take a small amount of conditioner in your hand and massage it gently into the bristles and rinse in lukewarm water and lay flat to dry. This will give the bristles a soft, velvety feel to them.