cleaning makeup brushes

Obviously we can say to just use makeup brush cleaner and send you on your way. But without knowing the correct ways of cleaning your makeup brushes and why or why not to use certain items on them, you may end up a bit lost. Here we will expand on our initial introduction of cleaning brushes and list some more in-depth and alternative ways to clean your makeup brushes and how to incorporate makeup brush cleaner in these procedures.
Why cleaning makeup brushes?
Why else? Because they are dirty!  Cleaning your makeup brushes is necessary. If you don’t , they will become flawed beyond use and without cleaning out the old makeup it will ruin your new makeup during application. The other reason is for skin health care reasons. Cleaning your brushes keeps germs and other bacteria from forming on them and getting on and into your skin. You want to have the healthiest and best looking skin possible. This isn’t going to happen with dirty makeup brushes. It is probably no surprise that you would need to do this but there, now it is said.
What is a makeup brush made of?
The materials in a brush are defined by its purpose but most of all its quality. If you have a cheap makeup brush it is probably made from plastic or a sponge type material. When you start getting into the professional makeup brushes, they will be made of animal hair, typically sable. High quality brushes consisting of natural hair are used by the pros and can be found at art supply stores if no where else. Other types of animal hair are also used but most importantly you want something that spreads your makeup evenly and without much trouble.
Cleaning makeup brushes gives them a much longer lifespan.
You don’t want to have to keep replacing those nice expensive brushes now do you? Of course not! Cleaning your makeup brushes consistently keeps the bristled from becoming clogged up with residual makeup. You will find that after a few uses they will already began to become less accurate during makeup application and will not give as smooth a layer as they did before. Also, and very importantly, cleaning makeup brushes also gets rid of bacteria that has the potential to harm your skin. Your facial skin is very sensitive and can easily break out or get infected from a bacteria covering your brush. This is also the reason that we advise against sharing makeup brushes with others. You don’t know another person’s hygiene and what is on their face might have a bad reaction once it is on your face. Also, if someone is applying something to your face with their hands, there is no harm in making sure that they are washed. It’s your face after all.
So, how do we wash them?
Here is a step by step guide to cleaning your brushes
1.    After you are finished applying makeup, use a makeup brush cleaner. Either spray the brush and gently wipe off the excess or poor some into a paper towel and wipe the brush with that. If you don’t have any cleaner a baby wipe will do. Doing this will help the buildup and you won’t have to wash them as often.
2.    Once every week or 2, fill you will want to fill up your sink or a large bowl with a few inches of warm water. You can add more water if you have a large selection of brushes to clean. Put a tiny bit of antibacterial shampoo and mix it up in the water. Be sure the shampoo is not a combination of shampoo and conditioner.
3.    Dip the bristles into the water. Be sure to only get the bristles wet and not the base as overtime you can harm the handle and the adhesive holding it together. After dipping in the water, use your fingers or the palm of your hand and lather up the bristles. Rinse off the shampoo under the water thoroughly. Repeat as necessary.
4.    After it is clean to your satisfaction, gently pat the brush in a towel to get only the excess water. Reshape the bristles appropriately so they dry correctly and then lay them out to dry. This will generally take a while to dry so be sure to do this the night before you need to use them.
That’s all there is to it. There are other methods using different cleaning liquids. Rubbing alcohol is one but that can be a bit abrasive to the bristles and will dry them out, but its your call. Our advice is if it’s something you wouldn’t put on your face or hair, don’t use it. Also, an anti-bacterial face wash can be used instead of shampoo.
Bonus Info
- When washing, only get the bristles wet, try to keep everything else as dry as you can.
- If you cannot get the brushes clean after many repeats of this method, the brush might be a lost cause. Time to replace.
- Tea tree oil is a good addition as it is anti-bacterial and anti-fungal as well as being all natural.
- Make sure you have enough time to let the brushes dry before your next use. Do not try to use a wet brush.