Blending eyeshadow can be a chore if your brush still has product from your previous application. A dirty makeup brush may be a pain to clean, but it can prevent you from achieving a flawless face.
Unwashed and filthy brushes can affect your makeup application, breed bacteria, and even pose a safety risk for your skin and eyes.
It can be easy to neglect washing and drying your makeup brushes. How can you care for them without spending hours at the sink or emptying your wallet?
How to Wash Makeup Brushes
Dirty makeup brushes are a breeding ground for bacteria, and they can create a muddy effect on the face if they’re too messy. Thankfully, washing them doesn’t have to be a complicated process, and it doesn’t have to break the bank.
1. Wet Brushes
First, wet your makeup brushes under lukewarm water. It will be helpful to avoid hot water because it can loosen the glue that holds the bristles to the handle. A gentle soak will allow the soap to eliminate product build-up effortlessly.
Once all the brushes are wet, it’s time to clean them one by one.
2. Add Soap
What kind of soap can you use to clean brushes? Makeup brands also formulate and produce brush cleansers, but they can cost a pretty penny. However, you can still get your brushes squeaky clean by using an antibacterial soap bar.
Next, you’ll want to add a small amount of soap to your brush and gently work in the product. In addition, you might even see foundation and eyeshadow melt away slowly.
3. Use a Brush Cleaning Pad
You can incorporate a brush pad into your routine during the cleansing step. A brush pad features multiple textured areas that you can swirl the brush on top of to eliminate every bit of product that can easily be missed.
However, this step isn’t always necessary, and your hands work just as well.
4. Rinse
After the brushes have been lathered with your cleanser of choice, it’s time to rinse. You’ll want to rinse your brushes thoroughly under lukewarm water. In addition, keep rinsing the brushes until the water runs clear and all the suds have disappeared.
5. Repeat
You can repeat these steps for brushes with excessive product build-up. For example, if a foundation brush is filthy, you may need to add soap and rinse it more than once.
How to Dry Makeup Brushes
Drying your makeup brushes can be just as important as washing them. For example, you’ll want to avoid setting your brushes upright because it can deteriorate the quality or cause the brushes to fall apart.
Also, when brushes are left to dry upright, the water can seep into the handle and loosen any adhesives. So instead, try letting them dry flat on a counter or upside down.
1. Grab a Towel
First, grab a dish rag or towel that you can lay on top of a counter. You’ll want to pick a spacious area, so all the makeup brushes have room to dry evenly. In addition, the towel will help soak up excess moisture from the brushes.
2. Lay Each Brush Flat
Next, you’ll want to lay each brush down flat and ensure each one has space to dry thoroughly. Brushes that are bunched together will trap water into some bristles and leave you with a damp finish.
Also, laying down the brushes on a flat surface will minimize the chance of water eating away at the glue and allow them to last for longer.
3. Allow Bristles to Hang
Finally, try laying down the brushes slightly over the edge of a countertop. You can allow the brush’s bristles to free-hang while the handle sits firmly on the counter.
Balancing the bristles over the edge will allow them to maintain their shape and dry evenly. Then, you can leave them in that position until all the brushes are dry and ready to use!
