Why should you care?
- Do you like bugs? Unless you’re an entomologist, we’re betting not so much. But that’s who’s going to be hosting a garden party on your face if you allow dirt and debris to collect on your makeup brushes. (Got Beauty) Aside from that dirty brushes can also cause more pimples, wrinkles and uneven makeup application.
- When spending anywhere from $20 to a couple $100 a set you do not want your money to just go in the garbage. You want to protect that investment. Am I right?
- Stressed skin is noticeable. If you are wondering why you are getting frequent skin irritation, pimples and those dreaded wrinkles maybe evaluating the cleanliness of your brush is a start. So, in response to your age-old question, “How often should I clean my makeup brushes?” beauty experts say that, while doing so after every use is probably not realistic, we should shoot for a weekly to biweekly routine. Don’t forget to regularly maintain your sponges, eyelash curlers and other applicators—they need love, too!
How To Do It
It’s not as easy as 1-2-3: it’s easier. It costs next to nothing. If you don’t have any brush cleaner on hand, a mild (preferably unscented) household soap or your shampoo will work.
1. Add a dash to lukewarm water in either the palm of your hand or a shallow bowl and gently swirl your brush bristles around in the mixture until you’ve worked up a light lather.
2. Rinse thoroughly under running water and repeat this process as necessary until water runs clear from your brush bristles.
3. Reshape your bristles as you towel-dry and lay them flat or tilted downward to dry completely so the water does not go into the handle (read: not upright!). If it does get into the base it will start breaking down the adhesive that holds it in place and potentially harboring mildew. Also, your bristles will splay outward, losing their shape you just worked so hard to maintain.