How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes Properly

Cleaning your makeup brushes on a regular basis is an absolute must for reasons beyond basic hygiene. After multiple uses, bristles begin to build up with residual makeup, which makes them less effective when it comes to application and they become a home for bacteria that will take your skin to acne town. Professional makeup artists usually clean their best makeup brushes after every use, but for us at-home users, every week is a good rule of thumb depending on how much you use them. So, consider brush maintenance as part of your Sunday beauty ritual and follow these tips on how to clean makeup brushes the right way.

  • Step 1 You’ll need a brush cleanser like this cult favorite from Cinema Secrets, a textured, brush-cleaning surface like the BrushEgg (an editor favorite at only $8!) and a fresh towel to lay the brushes on to dry. Using a proper brush cleaner instead of a DIY concoction will help with an effective deeper clean that will remove pigment without damaging the fibers of your brushes.
  • Step 2 Add a small dollop of brush cleanser to your BrushEgg, run your brush’s tip under lukewarm water and gently swirl the brush tip on the BrushEgg to work up a lather. The grooves will help release all the buildup quickly while foaming and lathering. Tip: Never turn brushes up vertically — make sure they’re always facing downward — otherwise, water will weaken the glue that holds the bristles together.
  • Step 3 Once all the residue is completely gone, set your brush flat on the towel to dry. Another editor-approved option is to invest in this portable and easy-to-assemble brush tree from Benjabelle to hold all of your brushes upside down as they dry. Either way, you will end up with squeaky clean tools for your beauty arsenal.

 


X