When it comes to makeup, there’s one thing you just can’t afford to overlook. Yes, applying the right shade of foundation or knowing how to draw winged eyeliners is important. But today, we’re beaming the stage light on clean makeup brushes because the importance of hygiene in makeup cannot be overlooked.
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Before now, cleaning your makeup brushes may have been stressful but they will no longer be by the time you’re done with this article.
Use Soap and Water
Just like washing your hands, your brushes deserve a good wash. After all that foundation, primer and blush they’ve danced around in, they should be washed.
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Pour soap into a can of water and swirl your brush around it till the dirt washes off. You can use your hands too. After that, rinse under running water and shake the water off. Lay it flat on a clean towel and leave it to dry.
Use Baby Shampoo
Baby Shampoo is extremely gentle and will be good for your brushes. You can pour it in a can of warm water or on your palms. Dip just the bristles of the brush into the soapy water and swirl your brush around to remove all the dirt.
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Rinse the brush under running water, and remember to keep the bristles face-down, so water doesn’t run into the handles.
Use Olive Oil
Sometimes, your makeup products can get very sticky and hard to clean with just soap and water or shampoo. But olive oil can help with that stickiness.
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On a plate, mix a drop of olive oil and soap and swirl your brush around the plate. Rinse off in running water and watch all the sticky makeup residue fall off. Use a towel to pat it dry and lay it flat on a towel to dry fully.
Vinegar Mix
Vinegar has always been the hero when it comes to cleaning. So, for a thorough clean, mix vinegar in a bowl with water. The mix should be mostly water, with just a few drops of vinegar.
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Dip the bristles of your brush in the mix and when you’re done, rinse off in running water. Rinse properly so the brush does not retain the smell of the vinegar. Dry with a towel first, then lay it to dry fully.
Use Tea Tree Oil
Just like vinegar, this is also a cleaning hero, but not so popular. It’s really good at removing germs and making things smell fresh. So, mix some drops in a bowl of water, swirling your brush bristles around.
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When you’re done, rinse with running water to wash away the oil. Pat the brush dry with a towel and lay it down on a towel also to dry properly.
Be Careful with the Handles
As you’ve seen in the hacks above, the handles of the brushes are not a part of any cleaning that’s done on your makeup brush. You are to wash and rinse only the bristles. Make sure the handle is dry at all times, and ensure that soap or water does not touch it.
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If the handle gets wet, it can get loose or even break and will damage your makeup brush.
Reshape The Brushes
When you wash your brushes, the bristles are prone to getting de-shaped and looking all messy. This happens especially after shaking water off it. After patting dry, use your fingers to gently comb and smoothen the bristles back to position.
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It’s important to take the bristles back to the shape they were when you bought them. This will make them last longer and ensure smooth application of your products when used. After that, lay it to dry.
Dry Them The Right Way
When you’ve given your brushes a wash and they’re squeaky clean, you have to dry them the right way. So, find a clean spot, spread a dry towel, and lay your brushes flat on it.
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Don’t cluster them together. Space them out so they can breathe. Leave them to dry and check on them at intervals.
Use A Clean Towel
We’ve talked about drying your brushes with a towel and laying them flat on a towel. Now, your towel has to be clean. If not, you’ve wasted your time washing your brushes.
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Wash your towels and disinfect them before washing your brushes. You have to be sure that you’re not removing dirt and germs while washing the brushes, only to reintroduce them to them again when they meet the towel.
Use Disinfectant Wipes
In case you don’t want to do the deep cleaning with soap and water, you can use disinfectant wipes to clean your brushes.
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Open the wipes flat and gently rub the bristles back and forth on the wipes. Make sure not to rub too hard, so the bristles don’t come off. Lay the brush on a clean towel to dry when you’re done. You don’t need to rinse.
Use A Silicone Brush Cleaning Mat
This mat has roughage on it and has a rubbery material. To use, mix soap and water in a bowl, dip the bristles of your brush in the mix, and bring it out. You don’t have to swirl them around, just get them wet.
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Now, take your wet brush and gently rub it back and forth over the mat. The roughage will help to remove the makeup from the brush. Rinse in running water and lay on a towel to dry.
