How To Clean Your Make Up Brushes - The Ultimate Guide

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When Was The Last Time You Cleaned Your Make Up Brushes?

An interesting question when you really ask yourself when the last time you washed your make up brushes. Its not really something we think about often and weeks turn into months and for some of us it could even be years.

If your brushes are so matted with make up they barely feel like a brush any more, it sounds like you need to follow my step by step guide on how to get the best results. If your anything like me you’ll have certain brushes that your make up routine just isn’t the same without, a certain brush that just makes you have a good make up day even if you’ve had it since you were 16.

Its understandable cleaning brushes is such a boring chore and usually means your brushes are out of action for around 2 days (drying time), however I cant stress enough from a hygiene point how important it is to keep your brushes clean and sterilised.

The Importance Of Keeping Your Brushes Clean

So apart from the obvious hygiene issues that dirty brushes cause, it really is unhealthy to not clean your make up brushes regularly. built up make up can cause acne, infections and even cold sores. 

‘‘As a professional make up artist, I am fanatic about cleaning my brushes between every client and use a surgical steriliser throughout my appointments to make sure to keep germs away’’ - Zowie Pointing

Dermatologists believe dirt can accelerate ageing in the skin too! Even though there is no experiments on this carried out, some professionals have said in theory dirt within brushes can break down collagen and elastin in the skin and oxidative skin stress from free radicals – all of which are factors in premature skin ageing.

Are Dirty Brushes bad For Your Skin?

Lets face it a dirty brush isnt going to kill you, but it will increase your chances of breakouts, acne and infections if you have an open wound or spot. Dirt and grease from brushes can sit in the skin, block your pores and essentially cause you to have a bad make up day every day, this accumitvely means wasting more make up and time trying to create a flawless finish. Over time they will dry your skin out making it feel dull and grimy.

As a make up artist it is essential to clean your equipment between every client no matter how busy you get. Cross contamination is a major health and safety breach as it can cause your clients to develop infections and even diseases if brushes are used on someone and crossed over to another.

Cold sores could be spread so I personally dont carry out the service on anyone who appears to have this.

So this bit is disgusting and not for the faint hearted. If this doesnt make you want to go and buy brand new brushes I dont know what will.

Under a microscope, there can be seen remains of mites on your brushes. I know, I did say it was disgusting.

Most of us have these tiny creatures, about a third of a millimetre long, residing at the base of our eyelashes and nose hairs, living off old skin cells and sebum. They're generally considered harmless, but they may be implicated in acne.

Also, invisible to the naked eye, is bacteria such as staphylococcus, streptococcus and e-coli, as well as fungi.  It sounds scary but, "the majority of these are not harmful if you have balanced skin with its natural protective acid mantle intact.

Sooo yeh... Clean ya brushes!

The Truth About Beauty Blenders

Despite the hype with sponges and beauty blenders from beauty influencers and make up artists over the years I personally have been dubious about them. I feel a fluffy brush and the right finishing product gets better results for flawless make up. From a point of view I honestly cant see how you can ever keep a sponge clean, after washing the dried make up is unable to escape causing further rotted water to breed more germs. if your going to use these id recommend disposable sponges and binning after a couple of uses.

A Step by Step Guide - How To Clean Your Make Up Brushes

Stuff you need:

• Dirty Brushes

• Glass bowl of warm water

• Baby shampoo OR DU Care Cleansing Balm (buy below)

• Silicone Pad

• Towel

Step 1: First of all get your brushes and soak them in luke warm water.

Step 2: Get each brush and work shampoo using circular motions using your silicone pad, the ridges in the pad help to lift dirty and grease removing old make up.

Step 3: Rinse using clean warm water ensuring all soap is out. I love baby shampoo as its gentle enough to not ruin your bristles but removes dirt and grease perfectly.

Pro Tip: ALWAYS leave your brushes to dry bristles facing downwards, this stops the water leaking into the handle which rots the inside glue and ruins the whole brush.

As an alternative you can use STYLPRO Electric Makeup Brush Cleaner and Dryer Machine this nifty device cleans and drys your brushes all in one!