How to Clean Makeup Brushes at Home

Make brushes need regular cleaning and it is necessary as they will contact our skin and cause deformities if dirty. There are ample make up brushes and all of them have a specific function. Since their size and patterns are different, also where they are used is different so they need to be cleaned accordingly.

Maintaining the quality and life of makeup brushes is important as finding the best quality takes time and money. And we don’t have to spend every few months on them. Just keep a check on how to clean makeup brushes at home, and follow it every week.

Washing makeup brushes must be a regular part of our beauty routine. If we don’t want the dirt and grimes to come near our face, we must not let our make up brushes have them either. Dirty makeup brushes may lead to clogging of pores and pesky breakouts too. We already know the different kinds of makeup brushes now, and to keep all brushes fixed for their respective use can help in quicker cleaning

Ways To Clean Makeup Brushes At Home:

1- For daily cleaning use good quality makeup brush cleaner spray:

This is daily shallow cleaning and it just removes excess of any cosmetic. This step must be just a spray of the cleaner on your brush everytime you use them. Allow the brush to dry after spray and only then keep it back in the makeup kit. You may also bad the brush on a wet tissue additionally if you see too much of cosmetics on it

2- For weekly deep cleaning use the below steps:

A- Take a bowl and put some lukewarm water
B- Now put the brush in it for 5 minutes
C- Take baby shampoo and put a drop on your palm
D- Take the brush and allow bristles to be rubbed such that they froth
E- Keep moving them in a circular motion and gently press the center parts too
F- Now under running tap water, put the bristles of the brush
G- Use your fingers to clean the shampoo and dirt froth from the brush
H- Dry the brush by wiping it with a paper napkin
I- Allow it to dry and only then put it back in make up kit

[Read: DIY French manicure at home]

3- For slightly soiled make-up brushes:

The makeup brushes which are used for dry powder can be done easily, but for those where gel or cream is used will need more time and effort.

Procedure:

A- For brushes used for dry makeup: Take a small bowl and fill it with cold water. Now put a few drops of lemon juice and add little baby shampoo to it. Gently swirl and let the bristles be dipped in the solution for 15 minutes. After which use your fingers to froth and wash it with running tap water. Allow it to dry and then put it back make up kit

B- For Brushes used for cream or gel based cosmetics: Take a small bowl and fill it with water. Now put salt and lemon drops in the water and add a few drops on body wash. Put the brush in water solution and swirl it to form froth. Use gentle dabs let the brush sit in this for half an hour. Now using a paper napkin clean the bristles and again dip them back in the solution. Repeat until the greasy oily colors disappear from the bristles.

4- For heavily soiled makeup brushes:

For heaving soiled makeup brushes use apple cider vinegar. Take one big bowl cold water and add one teaspoon on apple cider vinegar to it. Now soak the soiled brush in this water and leave it for 15 minutes. After that, take the brush and put a drop of baby shampoo on your palm and let the swirl the brush to form froth. Then add a drop of dish washing liquid (only mild ones) for more dirty patches. Gently swirl and wash it with running tap water after 2 minutes. Then dry it and rearrange and reshape the bristles to put back in makeup vanity.

Apple cider vinegar is an amazing and miraculous solvent. It can also be used for skin tone and radiance.

5- Use lemon drops and salt in apple cider vinegar for disinfecting the brush:

Just a dip once every fortnight in the solution made with apple cider vinegar, water, lemon juice and salt and wash it immediately in tap water to disinfect your makeup brush. Do not add concentrated apple cider vinegar as it may cause harsh damages to your makeup brush.

6- Use mild dish soap mixed with lemon juice for bad odor from makeup brushes:

When you smell unpleasant odor from makeup brushes just wash them with dish washing soap mixed with lemon juice and let it dry. Do not soak it for long in this solution and caustic soda in soap may damage bristles of the brush.

7- For bristles which have dried out and misaligned use a drop of olive oil and let it dry

Precautions to keep your makeup brushes clean and fine for long:

1. Keep separate brushes for dark colored cosmetics and light colored ones.
2. Do not use one color over the other with the same brush as it may smudge or discolor the cosmetics.
3. Do not use hair dryer to dry the bristles of makeup brush as the heat may damage the brush
4. Never use hot water to wash your brushes and hot water damages bristles
5. Never use an iron or hair straightener to reshape the brush as bristles get damaged easily.
6. Use your fingers to reshape the brushes after wash or use, and try wet fingers to keep them in good shape
7. Never share makeup brushes as they may cause infection

[Read: Eye makeup tip for beginners]

Conclusion:

The above compilation on How to clean makeup brushes at home is based on readings and experiences over time. Though it looks simple but makeup brushes also need proper cleaning and care since they come in contact with most vulnerable areas of our face and skin. There are ample skin related allergies which come up due to infections from using dirty makeup brushes.

Be careful about the makeup brushes odor and softness. If a makeup brush stays dry and deformed, its time to change it rather than inviting acne or pimples. Share ahead and keep writing us, we love hearing from you!

Minu Manisha