Makeup Brushes don’t stay clean for long if you are using them daily. Years ago, I didn’t even think about washing my makeup brushes–it just wasn’t one of those things that ever crossed my mind. Now, part of getting ready for my week includes washing all of my makeup brushes.
Why you should wash your brushes…
…your makeup brushes collect old makeup (obviously) as well as sebum and oils from your skin, dead skin cells, dust, and dirt, just to name a few things. Washing your brushes regularly helps keep the natural hairs/bristles/synthetic fibers clean and free of things you don’t want to be brushing across your face. Also, besides being a clean thing to do for your skin that helps decrease breakouts, clean brushes allow your makeup products to perform to their full potential (rather than some blend of various powders and products that were never meant to be blended).
I personally wash my makeup brushes weekly, and I have brushes that have been in my collection for upwards of 10 years. A good brush is not going to fall apart in the wash, so to say.
…Brush Brands I use (and of course, wash):
- Morphe Brushes
- Sigma Beauty
- Wet & Wild
- Bare Minerals/ Bare Escentuals
- BH Cosmetics
- Sephora Collection
- Urban Decay
- Anastasia Beverly Hills (included in the ABH eye shadow palettes)
- Japonesque
- Real Techniques
- Eco Tools
- IT Cosmetics
- Sonia Kashuk (Target)
Supplies you will need/want
- A clear plastic storage box
- Baby Shampoo
- Fragrance Free Dove Bar Soap
- Sigma Spa Brush Cleaning Mat $32 Available at Sigma Beauty
- Tea Tree Oil (Essential Oil)
- A soft towel for drying brushes
What you will do…
- Collect your dirty brushes in your plastic storage bin/bo
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- Fill with warm water until your brushes are submerged. (Avoid hot water that can damage synthetic bristles and cause shedding if glue begins melting).
- Add a dime to quarter sized amount of baby shampoo to your container so that brushes are soaking in warm water with baby shampoo.
- Add 3-4 drops of tea tree oil to your mixture. (This is a natural way to help keep bristles from drying out and helps prevent bacteria from accumulating on your brushes).
- Allow brushes to soak for 10-15 minutes. **DO not leave brushes soaking for longer than this time as it can cause permanent damage. Brushes aren’t meant to remain wet for extended periods of time…i/e hours and hours)
- After brushes have soaked, scrub each brush, one at a time, on the Sigma Spa Mat. (The mat has a side for eye brushes and for face brushes). There are different textures on each part of the mat to help clean your brushes.
- Add additional soap to your brushes by rubbing them against your wet Dove Beauty Bar (which will also help show if there is any remaining pigment that needs to be cleaned off your brush).
- Do a final scrub on your Sigma mat
- Rinse brush
- Squeeze excess water from brush
- Pat dry with a soft towel
- Let air dry
Voila, brushes are clean and ready for a week of use!
Let me know what you think of this recipe for cleaning your brushes. I have been cleaning my brushes like this for the past two years and have not had to throw any brushes out from frequent washings. There is something so fancy and nice about having my makeup brushes all clean and tucked away in their little containers. It’s the little things in life, right?
Lots of Love,
Elizabeth
I have never used this method for washing brushes, but it’s simple/genius! Maybe I can start washing my brushes more often. I know my skin would appreciate it! Can’t wait to try. Thanks for the tips!