How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes

If you wear makeup, there’s a good chance you use makeup brushes.

The world of makeup brushes is a little bit overwhelming. There’s different shapes, sizes, textures, styles… but no matter what kind of brush you use they all have one thing in common: YOU NEED TO CLEAN THEM.

I’m not the best at remembering either, don’t worry. Ideally, you should clean your brushes as often as you use them. While I think that’s a little unrealistic… it proves the point that you shouldn’t go months without washing them. Just think about all that gross grimy bacteria and germs that just sit on your brushes, and then spread allll over your face. Gross.

So consider this your friendly reminder to wash your brushes tonight! Here’s how to properly clean your makeup brushes:

There are two really great ways to go about this, but they all have the same techniques. You can either use a cleanser specifically made for cleaning brushes, like this one or this one– or, like me, you can use baby shampoo! (I have a lot of it on hand, nowadays!) Basically you want something very gentle, but still cleansing.

1.  Wet your brushes under lukewarm/warm water. Make sure to ALWAYS keep your brushes facing downward! That way water doesn’t get into the brush itself and loosen the glue holding the bristles in place!
2.  Squeeze a quarter size amount of baby shampoo or brush cleanser into the palm of your hand.
3.  Gently swirl your brush around in the cleanser for about 30 seconds or so. You can see the makeup melting off! If you’re feeling fancy, you can invest in a cleaning mat or cleaning glove to really get those brushes clean!
4.  Rinse the soap from the brushes under warm for around 30 seconds, or until the water runs clear.
5.  Repeat the process until all of your brushes are clean! Pro Tip: I like leaving my brushes in chic, empty candle jars like this Diptyque one.

Now, when it comes to drying your brushes, always make sure to keep them facing down as much as possible. Pat them dry with a paper towel, then them out to dry overnight! Try to dry them brush part down because you want the water to completely dry or it will attract bacteria. You can always roll up a washcloth and prop them at an angle, or you can buy a drying rack specifically for your brushes!

Be honest, when was the last time you washed your makeup brushes? Let me know in the comments below!