It’s one of our favorite tools that we use to make ourselves beautiful. But what about afterward, when we are done using them, do we clean makeup brushes? Majority of the women rarely clean them, and the ones who do clean don’t know the proper way of doing so.
Not cleaning your brushes might not only be unhealthy for your skin but also harmful to your brushes. Learn how to clean your brushes properly so that they may keep looking and functioning like new makeup brushes. Keep reading to find out the proper ways of cleaning your makeup brushes and enlighten yourself with why it is important to do so.
Best ways to clean makeup brushes
Your makeup brushes constantly come in contact with various surfaces. Your face, counter, products, dust, are among the few things they come in contact with; not to forget the bacteria! You need to make sure your brushes are getting the right type of cleaning and that too, regularly. Below are a few methods of cleaning your makeup brushes, depending on the type of cleaning required.
Deep cleaning
- Start out by using a makeup brush cleanser or shampoo, and lather in your hand.
- Wet your brush and gently swirl the makeup brush on the palm of your hands and once you feel that the bristles are fully coated, work your way down to your fingers and make sure all the buildup is out.
- Rinse away the cleanser or shampoo and you will know your brush is clean when the water isn’t discolored anymore.
- Squeeze out any excess water and a towel to speed up the drying process.
- Remember to shape the brush before you set them for drying. Having the brush hairs tilted is a good idea.
- Always keep the handle of the brush higher than the head of the brush so that water doesn’t seep into the ferrule and handle, resulting in damaging the brush instead.
- It is recommended to deep clean your brushes once a week.
Ribbed silicone mat
You can thoroughly deep clean your brushes by using a ribbed silicone matt. Follow all the instructions for deep cleaning except this time, use the matt instead of your hand to swirl the brush in. Just set the matt in the sink and swirl your brush on it. You will have an enormous amount of buildup washed away. Your makeup brush will definitely feel like a new one and its application will be perfect. Just like your makeup brushes, remember to make sure you also wash the matt after using as you wouldn’t want bacteria to set up.
Spot clean
Spot clean your brushes after each use. You will need makeup remover or spirit along with a cotton pad. Apply some to a cotton pad and swirl your brush into the formula. This will remove whatever’s on the brush along with sanitizing the brush as well.
NOTE: Remember never to submerge your brushes in water because you allow the water to seep up through the brush and this will cause the glue to break down, which will result in the bristles falling out.
5 reasons to clean your makeup brushes
One of the most important steps in your beauty regime should be the cleaning of your makeup tools which are your brushes. There are various reasons for keeping your makeup brushes clean. Below are the top five reasons that will motivate you enough to clean your brushes.
1. By cleaning your brushes regularly, you’re going to remove the built up of the makeup, bacteria and dead skin from the bristles. Dirty brushes aren’t going to distribute the product as well as the clean ones so the application won’t be as good. Dirty brushes accumulate a lot of bacteria so your skin won’t be looking too peachy either.
2. Dirty brushes make the bristles on your brush hard and dry as they become filled with more product and dead skin and oil from your face. Harsh brushes can cause skin irritation and not to mention, severe problems like acne etc.
3. But besides for the skin, that product built up is bad for the brushes as well. All that excess makeup is weighing down the bristles by putting pressure on them and over time it can cause the bristles to snap. So the more you clean your brushes, the longer you will have them for.
4. Dirty brushes accumulate a lot of bacteria as they pick up on dead skin, oil etc. You will be spreading bacteria from your face to your makeup and then face and so on. This can result in skin problems like acne.
5. Dirty makeup brushes are a safe haven for bacteria. Not only is this bacterium harmful to your brushes and your face, but also your expensive makeup products! The bacteria transfer from face to brush, brush to the product, then back to your face. This can rigorously harm your makeup products, resulting in a shorter life. So be sure to keep them on top of your cleaning.
Do you need to clean makeup brushes after every use?
Your makeup brushes are the key to doing flawless makeup. Make sure that these brushes get the same level of attention as much your liner being on point. Because let’s face it, good quality makeup brushes are expensive, and if you want them to last a long time, you need to give them that extra care.
You need to be washing your brushes once a week, but if you are someone who wears a significant amount of makeup every day, make sure that you clean your brushes every day. Experts say “Shampoo your brushes once a month and use a brush cleanser for weekly cleaning”.
The cleaner the brush, the better the application of the makeup will be. Makeup brushes that you use for concealer and foundation need to be cleaned at least once a week, whereas brushes used for your eyes can be cleaned for at least twice a month.
