How to Clean your Makeup Brushes!!!

I get asked about this all the time, so I thought I'll write up a blog with a step by step direction along with some tips & advice.....

First I just want to say that I cannot stress how important it is to wash your makeup brushes on a regular basis. The amount of bacteria that can build up is one of the main causes for those little horrible and unnecessary break outs we get :( You have to remember that we use our brushes everyday, or more than once a week at least.... that same brush is being dipped, dabbed in the same product every time (i.e foundations) and if your not washing those brushes the bacteria is not only building up on the brush but on the makeup products you use too. Makeup is also about good hygiene.... and if you want to achieve that flawless look then you need to make sure you're tools are at their best too.

Before I start with the step by step directions here's a little information on one of the products I use....

Extra Virgin Olive Oil.....

Extra Virgin Olive Oil

Extra Virgin Olive Oil is the pure oil obtained from the fruit of olive trees. It has 101 uses, which I wont be listing here, don't worry lol... but just for those who want to know, here's what I use it for:

• Body oil - great for dry Skin
• Hair oil - leave in over night, after a good wash you hair will be silky smooth
• Tame Frizzy Hair - use a pea size amount, spread all over the palms of you hands and then lightly spread on dried/styled hair...
• Makeup remover - use a damp kitchen towel/tissue/cotton pad, pour a few drops, spread around the damp product and wipe off makeup (good money saver than them expensive face wipes)
• Makeup Brush Cleaner (see below)
• Nail Cuticles
• I don't cook but I'm sure my mother uses it in her cooking too

So you kind of get the idea that olive oil really can be used for a lot of beauty regimes and is a money saver ;) It can be found at local supermarkets, pharmacies...

On with the brush cleaning.... here's what you will need

Dirty brushes, Shampoo, Oil & Tissue

1. Kitchen tissue/towel - to clean the brushes on
2. Dirty Make up Brushes - obviously
3. Olive oil (you can try another, I have also used Johnson's Baby Oil) - helps deep clean the brushes and remove any dirt and remaining colour 
4. & Shampoo - just like your own hair, you want to have you brushes smelling and feeling fresh and like new....and to also get the oil out :)

Thats all you'll need.....

Step 1:
For this step you need the below....

Makeup Brush & Tissue

This step demonstrates how to break down the colour from your makeup brush and really clean out the bristles. The point of deep cleaning your brushes is to ensure that the bristles are cleaned within and all the colour left inside the brush, which you cant see, is cleaned out also.
Here's how I clean mine....

Cleaning the brushes in Olive Oil

I've found that pouring the oil out on to a flat surface works better than having to pour it bit by bit on the tissue, so once I've poured about 2 tables spoons (depending on how many brushes you have to clean), I take my dirty brush and dab it in the oil so that the bristle are just lightly coated. Please be sure not to soak you brushes in the oil as it will be harder to wash out.
Next with the tissue placed in the palm of my hand, I work the brush in a gentle, circular motion to start breaking down any colour on the brush.

If you feel like there is more colour still left in the brush you can redo this step.
Both the above brushes have been cleaned twice in the oil step.
The darker  patch is the first round were a lot of the colour broke out.
 

Here's another brush with a lot of pigmented colour...

I love cleaning brushes that have a lot of colour on them :)

And here's what my tissue looked like at the end....

I used the one tissue for all my brushes, no point wasting stuff.......

However if your brush has only been used the once with a light colour for example a translucent powder, you can skip this step and go straight on the next step, the shampoo.

Step 2:


Again just the like the oil step, you want to find a flat surface near a tap to pour your shampoo on... I prefer this then having to pour it out bit by bit onto my hand each time.

Shampoo step...

Don't be afraid to coat the brush here with the shampoo as this will clean out the oil from the previous step as well has any dirt and colour still left in the brush.

Cleaning the brushes in the shampoo

To clean the brush you want to follow the circular motion from before, you can also squeeze the foam from the shampoo and just like you own hair I guess, run your fingers through the bristle...if that makes sense :/
Then hold the brush under running cold water until the water runs clear. Be sure not to hold your brush upright through out this step as you do not want water to sink in to the body of the brush and also remember when washing the brush we do not want water to go beyond the metal part which holds all the bristles together. If you do this you will ruin your brushes and they will slowly fall apart. Lastly, squeeze out all the water left in the brush and be sure to shape you brush while its still damp.

I had to wash this brush twice till the foam was white and clear of colour

Step 3:
Once you've finished with all your makeup brushes, all you need to do is lay them out to dry.

Cleaned, shaped and ready to dry :)

I lay mine flat on its side to dry with the bristle part on a tissue...... and that's about it :)

Its as easy as that, and if it means you'll have clean tools and less germs then believe me its worth doing!

Quick note, you can also use a brush cleanser to do a quick clean of you brushes, specially when you need to use a brush for more then one colour during one look. I use the below cleanser in the same circular motion on a tissue, but this time I pour a little of the product on the tissue first.

M.A.C Brush Cleanser £8.50

Hope you enjoyed this Blog post x