Thursday, February 21, 2013

How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Okay ladies, how many of you clean your makeup brushes? I'm not talking about spot-cleaning, I'm talking about a deep cleanse. Do you know how much gunk and bacteria gets on your brushes when they're being used and even when they're just sitting there? A ton! If you've never deep cleansed your brushes (and I know of a few close friends of mine who haven't, who are my inspiration for this post!) don't worry, it's cheap and easy like Lindsay Lohan.

First, you will need 4 things. #1 Some toilet paper, #2 A sink, #3 Baby Shampoo and #4 Olive Oil.
Take a few squares of toilet paper and pour a couple of teaspoons (or more, depending on how big the brush is) of olive oil on it. Swirl your brush in it, get both sides, as if you're painting. Do this with each one and place them off to the side. The olive oil helps to break down the makeup and bring out the color as well as condition the brush bristles and keep them from drying out. At the end of it all, you should have a bunch of used tissue that looks like this:

Gross hey? Next step: pour a couple of teaspoons (or more) of baby shampoo onto your hand. Swirl the brush in your hand as you run it under lukewarm water until all the color and soap is out. Make sure the brush is pointing downward, you don't want water backing up unto the metal shaft, that can cause it to rust and could ruin the brush. Do this with each one and then lay your brushes on a towel, with the tops hanging over it so they can air-dry. Leave them to dry overnight and in the morning your brushes will be clean and soft and feel amazing on your face! They will also last much, much longer than if you didn't clean them.

If you use your makeup brushes frequently during the week, I suggest deep cleansing them once a week or once every two weeks. If you use them sparingly then once a month should be good. To spot-clean I use MAC's brush cleanser which is a great product.

And that's it! Easy? I think so!




14 comments:

Natalie said...

Your post comes at the perfect time! I was thinking last night that I really need to wash my brushes. I've never used olive oil before, though! It sounds like a great idea. I don't have baby shampoo, so I'm just going to use a bar of soap (it's a light, non-creamy soap).
Thanks for the post! I can't believe how much comes out of brushes. Gross!

Unknown said...

funny - i washed all my brushes over the weekend :o)

Closet Fashionista said...

I definitely need to wash mine...but I am always so lazy. Perhaps this weekend, ha ha
http://www.closet-fashionista.com

love jenny xoxo said...

great tip! I always washed mine with face soap, but definitely trying this!
{love jenny xoxo}

Courtney Erin said...

Your cleaning regime is so much evolved than mine (just shampoo)...I should probably step my cleaning practices up a notch!

Courtney - http://sartorialsidelines.com

Melanie Liliana said...

OOO I like this! I usually just wash them with baby shampoo! It's actually crazy how much bacteria is on them! They feel so nice after theyve been cleaned! xo

JennaStevie said...

I was actually just thinking i needed to give my brushes a thorough scrubbing!! I dropped by blush brush in something and it gave me a rash one time, so important to clean those brushes!
xJennaD

A Fine Balance said...

I would have never thought to use olive oil! love the idea!
PS I have a giveaway happening right now! hope you'll enter SO Fresh and So Clean Giveaway

J. said...

I just washed my brushes last weekend, but did not know the olive oil trick!!!! SOOOO helpful! Thanks Marie!
GREAT POST!!!!!
:) J.

Ariel said...

that is what I do too! nothing works better and feels better than a deep clean on the makeup brushes!

-ariel* xoxo
www.chiclookxo.com

Kerri said...

I have never used olive oil...but u inspired me. I'm gonna clean my brushes tomorrow ur way. I Di it, but not often enough. Thx for the reminder. Oh, and yes, I did like the Zevia! The blue can much better than the maroon dr. Zevia one I thought. Great alternative to dirt come for sure...how come no one ever told me about it!!!

Kerri said...

Diet coke was corrected to DIRT....hmmmm

Petite Adventures said...

This post comes at the perfect time because I was just looking for a new way to clean my brushes. Can't wait to try out your tips this weekend!

Kate xo petite-adventures.blogspot.ca

Unknown said...

Super important! I often have to remind my friends to wash their brushes, especially when they come to me saying they are breaking out and don't know why! That is my first question. "When did you wash your brushes?".

Great post Marie!

Kendra
www.beautybykendrac.com

 
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