Cleaning your brushes regularly is a must (read here why), but doing it the wrong way can significantly decrease the performance and durability of your makeup brushes. The good news is that cleaning your makeup brushes can be less of a boring chore than it sounds! So grab your phone, put on Netflix, your feel good playlist or your favourite podcast, and follow the following steps to get your brushes squeaky clean again:
- Wet the bristles with lukewarm water to wash away all the obvious excess residual makeup
- Place a drop of makeup brush cleanser or gentle soap on a textured surface. This could be either the palm of your hand or a mat if you have one at hand
- Gently massage the tips of the bristles on the textured surface following the shape of the tool. Domed or round brushes should be cleaned in circular motion, while flatter brushes should be dragged from side to side
- Rinse the bristles again and squeeze out the excess moisture with a clean towel
- Now to the most important step: reshape the bristles of the brush with your hand! If you skip this step, the brushes will be drying in a different shape from their original one and chances are your next makeup look will be far from flawless
- Dry the brushes with the bristles hanging over the edge of the counter so they get 360-degree air circulation. Don’t leave them drying on a flat surface as it might cause one side to become flat
INSIDER TIPS AND TRICKS TO PROLONG THE LIFE OF YOUR BRUSHES
- If you do not have a brush cleanser at hand, there are great alternatives using everyday products. For animal hair brushes, use gentle shampoo and for synthetic brushes, use dishwasher soap to remove the oils and dirt
- The ferrule (metal bit between the bristles and the handle) should be kept as much as possible dry during the wash. The ferrule contains the glue that holds the bristles together, and aggressive soap or chemicals can cause the bristles to start shedding. Needless to say, don’t wash your brushes vertically or put them up straight after your wash to avoid water dripping into the ferrule
- If possible, use a soft towel instead of paper towel when squeezing out excess moisture. Paper towels or tissues can leave behind fibers that make following applications less even
- Checking the shape of the ferrule is also a great trick to determine how you should be massaging your brush: if it's round the brush should be cleaned in a circular motion and if it’s flat, you should drag it from side to side
- Beauty sponges should also be washed weekly, but as a sponge literally absorbs the dirt, bacteria and residual makeup, it is recommended to buy new ones every 2 to 3 months
There you have it, no more excuses now to not regularly clean your makeup brushes like a boss!
