When To Clean Makeup Brushes
Posted on August 07 2020
You might already know that you’re supposed to clean your makeup brushes. But do you know when you need to clean them? It’s all very well giving them a run under the tap once a month, but this activity won’t be effective at properly cleaning your makeup brushes. In fact, one study has shown that as many as 61% of women clean their brushes less than once a month or not at all. And that 19% would rather just buy new brushes than clean their existing ones.
So, to make cleaning your make-up brushes easier, here’s what you need to do and why:
Keep bacteria at bay
Clean makeup brushes will help prevent acne break-outs and the spread of bacteria. This is especially important if you and your friends share each other’s makeup brushes.
A study in December 2019 found that 79-90% of all cosmetic products tested were contaminated with nasty bacteria, some included E-coli! And who wants that on their skin?
This is why your makeup brushes need a little pampering! As well as knowing how to clean your everyday essential makeup brushes, you need to know how often.
Deep cleaning vs regular cleaning
Your makeup brush set will need a deep clean at least once a month and regular cleans in between to avoid the build-up of makeup products in the bristles and to reduce and prevent the growth of bacteria. If you are an MUA (Makeup Artist) you should clean brushes between every client to stop the spread of bacteria and contra-indications (i.e. acne, cold-sores, etc).
When should you clean different makeup brushes?
Your essential makeup brushes will include face brushes for your makeup base: concealer, foundation and powder. Foundation brushes should be deep cleaned once a fortnight. You can also spray the end of bristles with a Brush Cleaner and then wipe them over kitchen roll to clean brushes before use every 2-3 days. You’ll start noticing makeup building up between bristles and around the metal where the bristles meet the handle. Synthetic makeup brushes will start to look clumpy and this will affect makeup coverage making your base streaky. No-one wants to look like a zebra! If your brushes start to look clumpy, you have left it too long between cleaning days.
When to clean eye and eyebrow brushes?
For eyeshadow brushes including brow brushes, you will start to notice powder build-up between bristles. You might not think eyeshadow brushes need as much attention because they don’t become as clumpy as foundation brushes, but there is still bacteria to be found around the eyes and also, a regular end-of-bristle spritz with Brush Cleaner with will remove excess makeup. Regular eyeshadow brush cleaning means makeup application is easier. And of course, you should give your eyeshadow brushes a deep clean every 3-4 weeks.
Do lip makeup brushes need cleaning?
Last but by no means least, lipstick brushes may have tiny little heads, but they need just as much as attention as their large foundation-brush counterparts because germs easily move between our mouths and lips. Lipstick brushes need a Brush Cleaner spritz and wipe over kitchen roll every 3 days (or sooner if you’re changing colour) and a deep clean every fortnight.
If your synthetic makeup brushes are starting to shed or smell they should be replaced immediately. Given the right TLC, your professional quality makeup brushes can list years!
And remember, the more you look after your brushes, the better your makeup finish. Both you and your brushes will be absolutely polished! There is no need to throw away high quality brushes when cleaning can be made easy.
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