How to PROPERLY Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Photo Courtesy of Sigma Beauty

Any makeup junkie/geek/addict you talk to will tell you that they have a MILLION makeup brushes from every brand known to man.  I'm no exception because I have MAC brushes, Sigma brushes, Bare Escentuals brushes, Prescriptives (remember them?) brushes, Chanel brushes, Bobbi Brown brushes...need I go on.  I love them all for different reasons but as many of you know, my favorite are my Sigma brushes.  They're simply the best.  But, no matter what brand of brushes you own, you have to take care of them.  So I thought I'd share with you MY method for keeping your makeup brushes in tip top shape!

If you’re like me, you invested a substantial amount of money for high-quality makeup brushes. I personally use brushes by Sigma because they're a great value and high quality. To ensure a long life for your makeup brushes, you have to take care of them. I want to share with you my technique for caring for my brushes.

When you first buy your brushes it is recommended that you wash them with a gentle soap.  I use baby shampoo because it's mild and inexpensive.  To remove bacteria and prevent breakouts and other icky skin issues, you want to  make sure you KEEP them clean.  On a daily basis, I use a brush cleanser to spot clean my brushes.  Then on a weekly basis, I wash them thoroughly with baby shampoo.

Daily Cleansing

When cleansing brushes on a daily basis, you want a process that will not be time consuming and will allow the brushes to dry quickly.

Start with a good brush cleanser. I prefer MAC’s Brush Cleanser because I feel it works the best.

1. 1.   After makeup application is complete, you should spot clean your brushes before the next use.
2. 2.   Take a paper towel or washcloth and pour some brush cleanser directly on the towel. Just a small amount, maybe a tablespoon at the most.
3. 3.   Take your brush and swirl it around in the cleanser on the towel. This works best with the smaller eye makeup brushes.
4. 4.   For larger brushes, pour a small amount of cleanser in a bowl (again about a tablespoon) and swirl brush in the cleanser, then swirl on the towel and set in brush holder to dry.
5. 5.   Move to a dry spot on the towel and swirl off the dirt and excess cleanser.
6. 6.   Place in your brush holder with brush end up and allow to dry.  Rinsing is not necessary as this cleanser is also a disinfectant and will not harm the brushes or cause skin irritation.

Weekly Cleansing

1. 1.   Use a very mild, gentle baby shampoo to cleanser your brushes weekly. I DO NOT recommend using a dish soap because they are very drying and full of chemicals that could break down your brushes.
2. 2.   Put some baby shampoo in the bottom of a small bowl and pour in some warm water.
3. 3.   Swirl your brushes in the soapy water gently until it appears most of the dirt and makeup has been removed. If the brush is really dirty, like a foundation brush, I may put a little extra soap in the palm of my hand and swirl in around in my palm until it comes clean.
4. 4.   Rinse under clean running water and set out to dry. (See drying instructions below).

Drying Your Brushes PROPERLY

After cleansing and rinsing your brushes you want to make sure they dry properly. I recommend investing in a drying mat like the one below from Sigma:

If you don’t own a drying system follow these steps:

1. 1.   Make sure you use a towel to remove most of the water from the bristles.
2. 2.   Reshape the bristles to their original shape (or as close the the original shape as you can get while they’re wet).
3. 3.   Lay on a counter or ledge with the brush end hanging over the side. This will allow airflow all around and will ensure they dry thoroughly and don’t lose the shape.
4. 4.   Allow to dry overnight or for at least 8 – 10 hours.

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