How To Clean Makeup Brushes
Now if you are anything like me, I didn't start
experimenting with eye shadows and contouring until only a few years ago. I was
always a 'slap it on and blend with the fingers' kind of gal. But the more I
got my makeup professionally done for photoshoots and events, the more I wanted
to recreate the stunning eye makeup looks created for me.
So I went out and invested in some makeup brushes. I was
always in awe of the line up of makeup brushes my makeup artist would lay out -
a far cry from the rubbery sponge eye shadow applicators I was used to playing
with. I was enjoying learning about all these new makeup techniques and feeling
pro AF with all the tools and brushes I now used to apply my makeup. But this
also just added to something to be cleaned - just like hair brushes and tools.
There are multiple methods on how to clean your makeup
brushes and I will step you through 3 different products in this blog.
Why Clean Makeup Brushes?
But first, why do you have to clean your makeup
brushes?
The American Academy of Dermatology (AAD)
suggests we wash our makeup brushes every week or so:
"Dirty makeup brushes can cause an infection, such as a
fungal infection, E. coli, or a staph infection, which can be
very serious.To protect your skin and kill any harmful bacteria that lingers in
your makeup brushes, it’s a good idea to wash your brushes every 7 to 10
days."
Of course, this all depends on how often you are using your
makeup brushes, how many brushes you have, and the type of makeup application
you are doing. For instance, if you only have one eye shadow crease brush and
you like to switch it up with vibrant colours regularly, then you may have to
wash this brush after every use. Conversely, if you have a full line up of
multiple crease brushes, you can use a fresh brush each time and clean them all
together when you have run out of clean brushes.
Warm, Soapy Water
The AAD instructs that the easiest way to clean your makeup brushes is use the warm, soapy method:
- Rinse
the tips of your brushes under lukewarm, running water to remove residual
makeup. Only rinse the tip, as submerging the whole brush head will
eventually dissolve the glue that connects the brush head to the handle.
- Fill
a bowl with lukewarm water and a tablespoon of either gentle shampoo or
clarifying shampoo. Using plain soap and water can dry out the
bristles.
- Swirl
each brush tip in the bowl. For a good lather, you can also massage
each brush tip in the palm of your hand.
- Rinse
the brush tips under running water.
- Continue
shampooing and rinsing each brush until the water runs clear from the
brush.
- Squeeze
out excess moisture with a clean, dry paper towel.
- Lay
your brushes flat to dry on a towel with the tips hanging off the edge of
the counter. Do not dry your brushes upright in a container, as this will
cause the water to run down the brushes, loosening the glue that connects
the brush head with the handle.
This is a great basic method that doesn't require you to
purchase any extra products, however, I have found that it isn't the most
effective way to clean some types of brushes, remove stubborn makeup and
uses a lot of water.
Spray Brush Cleaner
There are many makeup brush cleaner products on the market
and most come in a spray application form. Of course, not all products are made
equal in this category but I have had some success with the Mecca Cosmetica Brush Cleaner and the Brush Clean and Condition from
Designer Makeup Tools.
- Spray
brush cleaner directly onto bristles
- Gentle
rub the bristles back and forth on a paper towel, removing the makeup and
until bristles are clean.
- No
rinsing required - repeat if necessary.
I use this method as a 'lazy clean' option, I find that it is not as efficient on heavily pigmented products, but it does the trick if you are in a pinch or need to quickly clean a brush to keep using.
Cinema Secrets Brush Cleaner
This is one of those 'once you try it you never go back'
products. I call this method the Ultra Brush Cleanse. I was first put onto
the Cinema Secrets Brush
Cleaner product from my regular team mate and makeup artist Tina
Sparks (sometimes I step in to lend a hand when we are styling bridal
parties and quickly clean her brushes between bridesmaids while my ladies are
sitting in their curl sets).
This product is rather unique in its chemistry in that it relies on the capillary action of the brush bristles to absorb the cleaning solution. You can purchase a 'cleansing tin' with the solution, but I use just a small glass. It also comes in a spray form similar to the above method, but you instead spray a patch of the solution onto a paper towel and wipe the brushes over it.
- Pour
a small amount of Brush Cleaner Solution into tin. This product evaporates
fast so only pour out enough to a depth of 1/4 of the height your brush
bristles.
- Dip
brush tip into liquid and remove immediately to avoid over
saturation. Bristles will draw liquid up into brush and dissolve
away makeup. For large fluffy or dense brushes, only dip 10% of
brush tip and hold vertically for 5 seconds so liquid moves down into
base.
- Wipe
brush clean on paper towel by brushing back and forth.
- Shape
brushes and allow to air dry completely before use (which is only a matter
of minutes).
Now the first time I used this product on some of my makeup
brushes I was actually shocked to learn the true colour of the brush bristles!
The other above mentioned methods can remove the makeup from your bristles but
this is the only method and product (that I have used anyways) that actually
cleanses the bristles and removes even the most residual of makeup.
True story: I got lazy for a bit and did the quick 'spray
and wipe' method for a few of my eye makeup brushes, then did a deep clean with
the Cinema Secrets Brush
Cleaner and got a full rainbow of eye shadows come out on my paper
towel from the past half a dozen uses!
Now, here is a little frugal tip I have for the order you
clean your makeup brushes using the Cinema Secrets product. This stuff is not
super cheap, but a little does go a long way, and to help it go further, I
organise my brushes from cleanest to dirtiest. I clean the 'cleaner' or light
makeup coloured brushes first and then finish with the saturated bristles. If
you clean them in the opposite order (or with no order and just grabbing a
brush as you see it) you will find that the cleaning solution will get cloudy
quickly and may transfer some of the darker and bright pigments onto your
lighter used brushes. I also find that it is best to do one small pour for the
smaller brushes, and then a slightly larger pour for the bigger powder brushes
as these will soak up more of the solution.
So, be honest - how clean are your makeup brushes? Which is
your go-to cleaning method? Let me know if you are a Cinema Secrets lover as
well!
Renae xo
I get most of my makeup brushes (and the Cinema
Secrets) from Designer Makeup Tools,
a great local Sunshine Coast small business - they have an extensive range of
makeup artist quality brushes. I also have a few of their single eye shadows which I have
created into my own custom eye shadow palettes.