If there’s one major downfall in my makeup routine it’s that I’m horrible at remembering to clean my makeup brushes. Gross, I know. Recently though I’ve been noticing my skin breaking out a lot more than usual and after spending a lot of time looking in the mirror and growing increasingly irritated I thought that maybe it was time to do something about it. Obviously I can’t change certain things like genetics (thanks mom) and weather which play a part in all of this but there are some pretty simple things I can do to keep blemishes at bay. One of them being cleaning my makeup brushes regularly, so I thought I’d share with you my routine of doing so.
First things First..
You’ll need:
- All of your makeup brushes
- Shampoo (Try Johnsons Baby Shampoo) OR anti-bacterial dish soap
- Olive Oil (so the bristles won’t over dry)
- A small bowl to mix the two
- Towel for drying
The Cleaning Process..
- Mix shampoo and olive together in the small bowl. I don’t really measure this out, besides it kind of depends on how many brushes you’re cleaning. I usually do a mixture of about 3/4 soap and the rest olive oil, you don’t want oily residue left over.
- Dip each brush into your mixture and use the back of your hand and/or palm to do a gentle “painting” back and forth motion. Don’t be too rough or smoosh the brush into your hand because this will loosen up the hairs.
- Rinse brushes under warm water but DO NOT get the whole brush wet. Getting water into the upper part of the brush (where the bristles are attached) will loosen the glue and cause the hairs to fall out.
- I usually gently slide my fingers over the brush hairs so that the extra dirt and grime slides out, but don’t pull too hard.
- VOILA! Clean brushes
The Drying Process..
When drying your brushes lay them flat on a towel and let them dry overnight or for a few hours while you’re out and about during the day. Don’t dry them standing up because again water will leak into the area that’s keeping your brush hairs in place and loosen them. Another trick I’ve seen from Youtuber Michelle Phan is using brush protectors and placing them in a glass upside down so that the least amount of water possible is left behind.
How Often Should You Clean Your Brushes?..
You should be cleaning your brushes after each use, especially those used for powder, concealer or foundation. But in reality who has time for all that. From what I’ve gathered once a week is pretty sufficient but if you do have time, which you should try to make some if you’re having problems with breakouts, you can quickly wipe your brushes with a wet wipe or a facial cleansing towelette.
Alternatives..
Of course if you’re in a hurry this deep cleansing method isn’t the route to go. Luckily there are tons of brush cleaners on the market that are alcohol based so your brushes will be dry within minutes, however they can be a bit pricey. I personally stick to this method alone and haven’t tried any of the others so I have no recommendations in that department. There are also brush cleaning sprays you can buy which act like disinfectants in between deep cleaning sessions.
xx,
Mariana
I am going to try this to clean my brushes! I really need to clean them soon =(
Yea, I really need to get into the habit of doing it more often, just one of those small things I hate doing.