How Do I Clean My Makeup Brushes?

It doesn't matter if you are a professional makeup artist, or just love to slay your own face: learning how to clean your makeup brushes properly is vital!

Dirty makeup brushes don't only just hinder your makeup application, they can also contribute to bacterial infections on the skin, and in the eyes. Meaning not cleaning them isn't just unhygienic, it is actually dangerous to your health. 

Many of us, don't really know how to clean our makeup brushes properly. This can mean our makeup brushes aren't sanitary, but also you can shorten the lifespan of the makeup brushes. Even the most robustly made makeup brushes can fall apart with improper care. The bristles of the brushes becoming rough, bent or falling out: are all common complaints. 

With out tips below, you will learn how to clean your makeup brushes properly, but also to prolong the life of them. 

How often should I clean my makeup brushes?

If you are worried that you should be shampooing and washing your brushes after every use, then don't fear! The recommendation is that for your personal makeup brushes, a thorough clean once a week is usually more than enough to keep bacteria and grime away. 

If you want to give them a little cleanse in-between. There is another cleaning method we would recommend: spot cleaning. Spot cleaning professional makeup artists use when dipping into different colours and from product to product. It is a method that sanitises the brushes without getting them wet and needing to wait for them to dry.

How do I spot clean my makeup brushes?

To spot clean your makeup brushes, without getting them wet, you are going to need an alcohol based cleaner. The favourite among the Jolie Beauty artists, is IsoClean. 

IsoClean dries extremely quickly because of its alcohol base. Completely removing all traces of makeup and dirt from the brushes. Including any harmful bacteria build up. It also allows you to quickly change colours if you are doing colourful eyeshadow looks and want to reuse the same makeup brush.

How do I deep clean my makeup brushes?

As handy as spot cleaning is. Every makeup brush will need a thorough wash eventually. Deep cleaning your makeup brushes is vital to keeping them in great condition. However, it is also where many people ruin their brushes by using incorrect cleansing methods. 

What should I use to deep clean my makeup brushes?

Let's begin with what you will need to clean your brushes. You may jump to thinking that you need a special makeup brush shampoo. Of course, this is a great option, but you can definitely find things around the house that you can use.  Some makeup artist favourites include:

- A gentle bar of soap. Make sure it is pH balanced and nothing that will strip the hairs too much.

- A gentle facial cleanser is also a great option. You can also guarantee this won't cause a reaction on your face as it's a product your skin is familiar with.

A textured makeup brush cleaning mat or small silicone cleaner, can help give you something to rub the brushes against. This helps to quickly loosen some of the makeup from the brush.

What should I never do when cleaning my makeup brushes? 

DON'T submerge the whole brush into water. You should be concentrating all the water and moisture onto the tip of the brush only. Soaking makeup brushes can cause water to get into the ferrule. This water will loosen the glue attaching the brush bristles, and also causing a breeding ground for bacteria. Moisture in the ferrule of the brush might not be able to dry properly, this could even lead to mould!

How do dry and store my makeup brushes after cleaning them?

To keep your makeup brushes in tip top condition it is important to follow some guidelines whilst drying them.

• Dry your makeup brushes by air-drying them, don't use heat such as a blow dryer on them. This might affect the glue in the ferrule and lead to loose brush hairs.
  
  
• Gently squeeze out as much excess water as you can from the bristles of the brush. Using a cloth, towel or piece of kitchen roll. 
  
  
• Gently reshape the damp brushes so all the hairs are lying in shape.
  
  
• Lay the brush heads on the edge of a table, so that the air can get to the whole brush tip, 360 degrees around the makeup brush.

DON'T store the damp brushes upright. The remaining water may run into the ferrule and affect the glue. It also might stay damp in the ferrule for longer causing a breeding zone for bacteria and even mould!

We hope that these tips have really helped you to care and clean your makeup brushes properly. After all, better makeup tools always means a better  makeup result!