How often do you clean your makeup brushes? Probably not as much as you should, I bet. I try to clean mine monthly, if not even more frequently, to ensure there’s no makeup build-up, and keep things fresh.
If you look at that dish, you can see just how quickly foundation builds up in one brush. Can you believe all that was once in my foundation brush? Not nice!
As a little recommendation, you should clean your brushes regularly to prevent bacterial growth and any other strange bits and bobs getting in there. Right now, I’m storing my brushes on a washcloth in open-air, so a dust mote or two often float in there – if you do this too, definitely make sure to clean them regularly! One day I’ll have a beautiful set of makeup drawers, one day…
So, to keep things clean, here’s my natural brush cleaner ‘recipe’ that you can do at home to make sure your brushes stay clean and in shape.
HOW TO CLEAN YOUR BRUSHES NATURALLY
You’ll need:1 tbsp castile soap or a natural washing up liquid
1 tsp olive oil or argan oil
2 tbsp warm tapwater
1 dish
- Add your soap and olive oil into a dish, and add a splash of warm water
- Now mix together using your first brush – the solution should get bubbly and creamy pretty quickly, while your brush will be thick with soapy liquid
- Go through your brushes, mixing into the liquid thoroughly but not too roughly so as to protect the bristles
- Change your solution if necessary – I only have four brushes in my makeup bag, but if you have more I’d suggest cleaning out and starting again
- Now that your brushes are all soapy, run them under warm water while circling them against the palm of your hand – this will get out all the soapy solution
- Now pad your brushes dry on a towel, using the flat sides only to do this
- If you have the ability to hang your brushes upside down, do this – it’s the best way to let them dry while maintaining their shape
- If not, place flat on a towel and leave to air dry for around 12 hours – this varies per brush
- Note: never leave to dry standing up, as this ruins the bristles!
