Best Makeup Brush Cleaner
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!
CONTENTS
Cleaning MakeUp Brushes
Is there a right way to spell makeup? Is the “u” capitalized? Are there two words? I’ve even seen it with a hyphen…I don’t think that’s it. Alas, thankfully spelling (or grammar with that hyphen) isn’t required to clean your dang brushes!
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.”
Since few of us are cleaning them that often…well, it’s gross!
What is Castile Soap?
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 (the most common size I’ve seen at stores), I felt unscented was best.
They do sell the castile soap in 2, 4, 8, 16, and this 32 oz. sizes. I think I’ll try the scented versions in the smaller sizes or get it from my refill store!
How to Clean Brushes?
So this part is super fast and simple…Fill a bowl or glass with about 2″ of cold, room-temperature water. Put brushes in water, swish around to get water between bristles.
For most brushes, I clean them in my hand 2-3 at a time. The larger kabuki brush (that I use for setting powder), I do that one on its own.
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.
And there you have it. That fast, easy, and sustainable way to clean makeup brushes!
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’re really starting fresh, 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. 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 Beautycounter. Read my Crunchi review (as well as my Crunchi makeup review) and then discover the best Beautycounter products.
Still unsure? Take this skincare quiz.