We clean our face morning and night, but do you think to clean your makeup brushes too? This is such an important step in every clean beauty routine for multiple reasons. It’s a simple thing to do and I will explain the quick step by step process, but first let’s chat about why you need to be adding this to your list of healthy habits.
Most of us women use makeup brushes everyday to apply our foundations and powders, and over time those brushes can get thick with dust, excess makeup, oils, and dead skin cells from our faces. Gross, right?! I know, I’m not painting a very pretty picture of getting glammed up am I? But hang with me for a second.
All of that ickiness I just mentioned is a breeding ground for bacteria, and that bacteria when mixed with those old oils and dead skin cells can clog pores and exacerbate acne issues. It can leave your skin looking dull and lifeless. And even if you have a fantastic skin care routine, if you don’t clean your brushes, that routine will feel like two steps forward and one step back. Any makeup artist will tell you that the best canvas for beautiful makeup is clear skin. So why not do everything you can to keep that canvas looking great!
Brushes, when cleaned regularly, will also last longer and do their job better for you. Brushes are meant to blend the product into your skin evenly, but if they are caked with oils and old makeup they can’t do that effectively. You’re also not getting the benefits of the true color of the product because it’s being subtly mixed with all of the other colors you used in the past.
Are you convinced yet?
It’s easy to keep your brushes looking ship shape and here is a quick step-by-step process to get you started. This is what you will need:
- Warm water
- A gentle soap or shampoo (There are specific cleansers for brushes out there, but I use my Beautycounter Daily Shampoo)
- Clean towel
First begin by running your brush under warm water. Then gently massage the bristles with a little bit of gentle shampoo or soap. I like to put a dollop of shampoo in the palm of my hand and swirl the brush in my palm. Continue to massage the bristles and run them under the warm water to rinse out the product. This may need to be repeated a few times until you see your brush is completely clean.
Then, I lightly squeeze the excess water out of the brush with my hand and tap out any remaining water.
This next step is very important. I have found that laying my brushes flat on a clean towel to dry is better than standing them upright in a cup. Certain brushes keep their bristles held into the handle with glue and letting water stand at this junction point weakens the glue and the bristles will potentially fall out over time.
Lastly, once the brushes are completely dry, I fluff the bristles with my fingers and they are good as new!
A good habit to get into is cleaning your brushes once a week. Set a day that is “brush cleaning day” and wash them quickly as you’re getting ready for bed. They will dry overnight and be ready for the next morning!
And a good makeup brush makes ALL the difference when applying your makeup.
