Christina Chitwood

Look Like a Celebrity Without Breaking the Bank

How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes

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Are you having trouble with skin breakouts? Do you get eye infections? Those are a couple of the problems that can come from dirty makeup brushes.

But wait a minute! What is a dirty makeup brush? People might have different thoughts as to whether their makeup brushes are dirty. For some, they might not have cleaned them for six months or longer. For some it might be a couple months. For some, it might be a week.

Here I’m going to give you some tips on how to clean your makeup brushes so that your skin can look and feel healthier and you can say goodbye to makeup-brush-caused eye infections.

Are your makeup brushes dirty?

Makeup brushes need to be cleaned regularly. Ideally, they should be cleaned every day or after each makeup application. However, it may difficult to fit this into your daily schedule. If you can’t do it daily, every 2-3 days will help. I wouldn’t advise going for more than a week, though. Another tip to use in addition to the amount of time spent: if you can see makeup on your brush, it would be a good idea to clean it off.

What should you use to clean your makeup brushes?

Here are some products you can use to clean your makeup brushes:

  • Shampoo and conditioner. Shampoo often. Depending on your brush type, you can help your brushes last longer by conditioning them once every two weeks to a month.
  • Soap or shower gel
  • Makeup brush cleaners that you can purchase
  • There are other products you can use. If you’re using something already that works for you, stick with it.

How should you clean your makeup brushes?

There are many different ways to clean your makeup brushes. Here are a few:

  • Fill your sink with warm water and pour your product in the sink. This works best with the shampoo/conditioner, shower gel, or soap. Place all the makeup brushes you’re wanting to wash in the soapy water. Let them soak for about a minute. Take one or two brushes out at a time. Depending on how dirty your makeup brushes are, you may want to put some of the product you’re using in your hand and swirl the makeup brush(es) in it. Then rinse the soapy brushes under warm water.
  • Put makeup-brush cleaner or water with soap product in a cup or glass and swirl the makeup brush in the product. Rinse under warm water if you used a soap product.
  • When cleaning your makeup brushes with a makeup-brush cleaner, water usually isn’t required. You can clean the brushes by putting the cleaner in the glass (as above) without adding water. Another way would be to pour the makeup-brush cleaner directly onto the brush or onto a tissue and wipe the makeup brush on a tissue to remove any excess makeup. With the makeup-brush cleaner, you don’t rinse your brushes afterward. Note: If you use makeup-brush cleaners, it’s best to wash the brushes using water and soap product every so often (approximately once every 4-5 uses of makeup cleaner).

How should you dry your makeup brushes?

  • Gently squeeze the water out of your makeup brushes using a clean tissue or cloth of some sort.
  • Make sure you lay your brushes flat to dry on a towel. If they are vertical when drying, the water can loosen the glue bond in the brush handle and make the handle come apart from the brush.
  • Depending on what sort of climate you live in, it may be a good idea to place your brushes near a radiator to ensure they dry before your next use.
  • If you are using a makeup-brush cleaner, dry each brush with a tissue. Then wait a couple of minutes or until the brush is dry before using the brush to apply makeup or before touching your makeup brush to your skin.

These are not hard and fast rules. They are just some tips to give you ideas of ways to keep your makeup brushes clean and your skin looking fresh and healthy.

I’d love to hear if you use any of these tips already, are trying them, or have something different that works for you! 🙂

 Photo Credit: Photo by Simon “Kelp” Keeping at Flickr Creative Commons.

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  1. I’ve got additional information about this. I never heard before that Depending on what sort of climate I live in, I can place brushes near a radiator to ensure they dry before my next use. Thank you for giving me an idea.

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  7. Wow,this is really nice article on the post you.also you have mentioned on the topic “How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes” this really awesome blog right now!I think that will very helpful everybody.I agree with your blog.thanks guys

  8. ive been working as a makeup artist for a year. i always throw my brushed away when it gets too dirty. After reading this post, i think it should be the time to save up some cost ^_^ Thank you for the article its really really useful

  11. I would like to thank you for posting such an useful blog. It seems to be very useful for now and always in the future. The time spend usefully will never go wrong and will unveil new informations undoubtadely. Hence, this would be useful for all when things take us to reach our knowledge to one extent..

  13. Great tips on cleaning make-up brushes. I am nuts about gel nail polish and was wondering if you have any recommendations regarding cleaning the manicure tools of the trade for hygienic purposes?
    Looking forward to your response.

  16. It’s super important to have a proper cleaning routine for your makeup brushes. A lot of people either get lazy with it or just don’t have the time, but if you don’t take the time to do it you will risk bacteria build up. This is a great article!! 🙂

  17. To cleaning makeup brushes is very important.you suggest very good information to clean brush.thanx for this sharing.

  26. It’s quite necessary to clean up the makeup brushes as it may cause some serious problem if use them again without proper cleaning either own skin or someone else. So, your tips to clean the makeup brushes are valuable and good.