How To Clean Makeup Brushes
Full Disclosure. I’m terrible about cleaning my makeup brushes. I think they suggest you clean makeup brushes weekly. I probably don’t even do it monthly….but I do do it. Sometimes! Just keepin it real here!
I used to use my shampoo, and a few times I bought products specifically designed to clean makeup brushes, but now I use castile soap – yep, basic, inexpensive, sustainable castile soap!
And if you love makeup, you have to read about the cleanest makeup foundation!
CONTENTS
Cleaning Makeup Brushes
Wet Brushes
First, you’ll need to wet the bristles. Hold brushes upright over your hand near the water. Let the water fall into your cupped hand to wet the brushes. I use cold to lukewarm water.
Add the Soap
In the palm of your hand or on a brush cleaning pad (I love mine), add a few drops of castile soap. Over the sink, rub bristles of brushes (1-3 depending on size) in the soap. Try to get soap all over bristles and then gently use fingers to disperse soap and release makeup.
For dirtier brushes, you can rinse with water and repeat process.
Rinse Brushes
Rinse bristles and gently squeeze out excess water. The color of the water when rinsing will help you to know if they need a deep clean (i.e. repeat the last step until it runs clear).
Dry Brushes
Dry brushes by laying them on their side to dry. I hang the bristles over the sink edge, so the bristles aren’t touching any surface.
Let brushes dry completely. You can gently rub brush head on the back of your hand to feel if they’re dry. Bigger, denser brushes take longer to dry. And you shouldn’t use the brushes until they’re completely dry.
What to Clean makeup Brushes With Cleaner
Castile Soap
I’ve purchased the brush cleaners and never found them to be all that amazing. instead, I use unscented castile soap and its perfect!
Castile soap is a vegetable-based soap (originally from the Castile region of Spain). The most well known brand (at least to me) is Dr. Bronner’s. There are just short of a million great things to tell you about the company, but you can read all about why their soap is good for you and good for the world here.
For my first bottle, I selected the unscented bottle, but they have ten scents. With such a huge bottle, unscented is the most versatile (you can add essential oils to it for other purposes)!
How Often to Clean Makeup Brushes
The answer depends on how often you use your makeup brushes. If you use them every day, you should be washing them at least once per week. If you tend to have oily skin, however, you’ll want to wash them even more frequently.
If you use your makeup brushes occasionally, then wash them every 4-6 uses and you’ll be golden.
If you’re wondering why you should clean your brushes (weekly)…it’s because of all the gunk and oils (from your face) that collect on the brush. If you’re swiping, dabbing, and fanning your face everyday, that’s seven days of “stuff.”
How to Dry Makeup Brushes
Towel Dry Just the Handles
I use a towel to dry the brush handles, but I don’t use a towel to dry the brushes themselves – it’s another place to pick up germs!
Lay Brushes off Counter
I lay my brushes flat over the edge of the sink or off the counter edge somewhere. The brush head shouldn’t be touching anything, so it can dry evenly (more quickly) and so it doesn’t pick up any germs from the counter itself. You don’t want to dry the brushes, handles down because they water can seep down into the handle, causing a potential for mold!
How To Clean MakeUp Brushes
Learn how to clean makeup brushes to keep them free of bacteria and buildup!
Materials
- gentle soap (like castile soap)
- glass or small bowl
- water
Tools
- Dirty makeup Brushes
Instructions
- Fill a bowl or glass with about 2″ of cold, room-temperature water. Put brushes in water, swish around to get water between bristles.
In the palm of your hand, add a few drops of castile soap. Over the sink, rub bristles of brushes (1-3 depending on size) in the soap. Try to get soap all over bristles and then gently use fingers to disperse soap and release makeup. *For dirtier brushes, you can rinse with cool water and repeat process.*
Rinse bristles and gently squeeze out excess water. Lay brushes on side to dry. I hang the bristles over the sink edge.- Let brushes dry completely. After a few hours, gently wipe brushes in palm of your hand to check that they're dry.
Rinse bristles and gently squeeze out excess water. Lay brushes on side to dry. I hang the bristles over the sink edge.Recommended Products
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Clean Skincare
I’m a bit of a clean skincare fanatic, but it’s been a lot of learning. If you want to make it easy? My Low Stress Guide to Low Tox Living has specific items swaps for everything from cleaning products to personal care items for men and women.
If you’re starting fresh on creating your routine, you’ll want to figure out what your skin type is. From there, it’s important to get the most out of your skincare routine. What order should I do my skincare? Here is my AM skincare routine but find what works best for you. A few places to get started…
What are Skin Toners For?
Benefits of Facial Serums
The Best Skin Brightening Products
Best Facial Oil
The Best Exfoliating Mask
Best Natural Retinol Options
The two brands I recommend the most for complete clean skincare are Crunchi and Counter. Read the first of my Crunchi reviews (as well as my Crunchi makeup review) and then discover the best Counter products.
Still unsure? Take this skincare quiz.
