Last year, I used to write another blog all about makeup. Here’s one of my favourite posts, about something that many of us (myself included) neglect. Clean your makeup brushes, ladies!
———————————————————————————————-
Perhaps one of the most important things I learnt in Makeup School was the importance of cleaning my makeup brushes.
Source: Beauty Diva
Every morning our brushes were checked, and if even a speckle of powder dust was hidden in the bristles, we were banned from using that brush for the rest of the day – we had to make do without!
Needless to say, I managed to develop a great habit of cleaning my makeup brushes. Every night without fail, I would shampoo and condition my collection of 20+ brushes and leave them to dry in the hot water cupboard for the next morning.
Why is it important to clean your makeup brushes?
- Hygiene – Over time your brushes build up with product and other bits & pieces that attract bacteria, dead skin cells, oil and other nasties. The last thing you want to be doing is slathering your face with bacteria every morning, right? This can cause breakouts and skin/eye infections. Ick.
- Quality of your Makeup – When your brushes are clean, makeup will glide onto your skin much better. If there is product build up in your brushes it becomes cloggy and you may have trouble achieving a smooth finish.
- Brushes last longer – If you care for your makeup brushes they will last longer. This applies to keeping them clean! I was also taught to condition my brushes (the ones that are made with natural hair) to keep them in tip-top shape.
- Makes you feel good! – There’s something so satisfying about applying makeup with a sparkling clean makeup brush. It feels fabulous on your skin!
How often should I wash my makeup brushes?
At Makeup School we had to clean them every single day because we were using them on different peoples’ skin all the time. Depending on how many brushes you use, this can be very time consuming – it used to take me a good half hour after every single day!
For personal brushes, a general rule of thumb is about once a week, if you are using them regularly. Clean them on a lazy Sunday afternoon, stick ‘em somewhere warm and dry overnight, and they’ll be fresh and ready to go for Monday morning.
How do I wash my makeup brushes?
Step 1 – Shampoo/soap
Rinse all of your brushes under warm (not hot!) water. Wash and rinse one at a time using shampoo for natural hair bristles and a cake of soap for synthetic bristles . I find that using a cake of soap removes the product from my synthetic brushes a lot more easily than using shampoo or liquid soap. However, I don’t like to use soap on my natural hair brushes because I find it a bit harsh.
Step 2 – Conditioner
This step only needs to happen for brushes with natural bristles. After rinsing them of the shampoo, rub a little conditioner into the brush – a pea-sized amount should do (you don’t need a lot).
I like to leave the conditioner on the brush for a while before rinsing it off, for maybe 5 or 10 minutes. Akin to a mini hair treatment, if you will.
Step 3 – Remove excess moisture
When you have rinsed your brushes of conditioner, gently pat dry on a handtowel. Do NOT ruffle the bristles – be as gentle as you can. Lay the brushes out flat on the handtowel, the brush end hanging slightly over the edge for the most efficient drying.
In warmer months, you should be fine leaving your brushes out in the kitchen to dry. When it’s cooler, a hot water cupboard will effectively speed up the drying process.
If you haven’t cleaned your makeup brushes in a while, I challenge you to do it today! Taking just 10 minutes of your day to clean them will do wonders for your skin, and makeup application.
Your skin (and brushes) will love you for it!
Do you wash your makeup brushes regularly?
Xx Christie
