Brush Cleaning 101

Oh, thank you thank you makeup brushes. In return, it's time to take care and clean you because you are probably dirty and full of bacteria. 

Here are two ways to clean your makeup brushes:

Heavy Duty

1. Use a professional brush cleaning spray from a your local or online beauty supply
2. Start with your foundation and cream blush brushes (these have the most product residue and need the most attention)
3. Spray solution directly on the brush heads and soak the bristles completely
4. Rub the brush head back and forth over a paper towel or tissue repeatedly until there is no more product coming off
5. Spray the rest of your brushes one at a time (i.e. eyeliner, lip, eyebrow brushes)

Gentle D.I.Y.

1. Pour a tablespoon of any baby or organic shampoo into a small bowl
2. Add warm water from your faucet so it gets nice and bubbly
3. One at a time, dip your used brushes into the solution, gently swirling them across the bottom of the bowl to release the product. Keep the brushes in the water as you add each new one.
4. After washing, let the brushes have a quick soak for 5-10 seconds, no more and no less
5. One by one, hold each brush under cold water to rinse any remaining product and seal the hairs
6. Re-mold each brush if necessary by pressing the hairs between your fingers until it’s back to its original shape

Drying Station

Do not dry your brushes in an upright position because the water settles into the glue that’s holding the bristles together at the base of each brush head and starts breaking down the glue over time, causing the hairs to come off when you swipe the brush against your face. So you can either lay your brushes flat or even better, make this quick little drying station in two steps!

1. Grab a hand towel, a paper towel or a dinner napkin. Fold it in half three times, to make it smaller and to create a “crease,” then unfold it once. Where your crease was, slide anything cylinder shaped under it to create the base of your see-saw.
2. Balance each brush across the crease so that the brush head is pointing down, but not touching the napkin. Now let them dry completely for a few hours (or overnight).

photo + info credit: thebeautydepartment.com