How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes: A Step-By-Step Guide

When was the last time you cleaned your makeup brushes? Maybe you’ve never washed them? Well, if you’ve noticed your skin hating you lately, not washing your brushes  could be the reason why. But fear not, because things are about to change. In this guide, we’ll teach you how to clean your makeup brushes and sponges properly – spoiler alert: it’s actually really simple!

Why Clean Your Makeup Brushes?

From acne breakouts and fungal infections to irritation and dermatitis, dirty makeup brushes will wreak havoc on your skin. The bristles of your makeup brushes can end up a breeding ground for bacteria if not cleaned regularly! You can read about Spectrum Collections co-founder Hannah Pycroft’s top tips here in the Daily Mirror. 

Aside from causing breakouts, having dirty makeup brushes can cause damage to your tools too. Makeup build-up can harden the bristles and ultimately make them weak, causing them to bend out of shape, break and even shed.

Leftover pigment on your brushes won’t help when it comes to applying your makeup either. You’ll find it difficult to blend your products – not to mention you’ll be mixing different colors on the brush too!

So we think the real question is – why wouldn’t you want to clean your makeup brushes?!

How Often Should I Clean My Makeup Brushes?

Ideally, you should clean your makeup brushes after each use – this is the best way to prevent breakouts and keep your tools in tip-top condition. However, it might not be realistic for most of us to clean them every time we use them (unless you’re a makeup artist, of course!)

So we’d suggest washing your brushes once a week. This is regular enough to stop makeup build-up from becoming embedded in the bristles – causing bacteria growth and damage to your brushes too. Of course, the more often you clean them though, the better.

What Can I Use to Clean My Makeup Brushes?

Thankfully, you can give your makeup brushes a good clean with items you probably already have at home.

Makeup brush cleanser – Specially-formulated cleansers and brush soaps are the best solution for removing even the most stubborn makeup (think long-stay foundations and deeply-pigmented eyeshadows). They’re even packed with ingredients that care for and protect your brushes too.

Brush towel – Ditch the paper towels and dry your brushes effortlessly with a brush towel. Your brushes neatly slot into the elasticated loops to air dry, ready to use next time.

How to Clean Makeup Brushes at Home?

Step 1: Dampen the brush in a bowl of warm water or run it under the tap. Be careful not to soak the ferrule (the metal part that connects the bristles to the handle), as this can cause your brush to shed over time.

Step 2: Take your favorite makeup brush cleaner and gently massage the brush in the palm of your hand. If using one of our Spectrum brush soaps, swirl the brush into the tin and then work the bristles into the silicone mat.

Step 3: Rinse your brush under the tap.

Step 4: You may need to repeat steps 2–3 if your brush hasn’t been cleaned for a while or has been used to apply heavy-duty makeup.

Step 5: Gently squeeze out any excess water.

Step 6: Lay your brush flat to dry. We recommend popping them into your brush towel to air dry. Then you can roll it up to store or transport your brushes with ease. 

BRUSH CLEANING HACK: Use brushes of the same size and clean them altogether to save time. Watch our Brush Cleaning tutorial.

How Do I Clean My Makeup Sponges?

Cleaning your makeup sponges is just as easy (and important!) as cleaning your brushes.

Step 1: Dampen your sponge by holding it under running water.

Step 2: Take your brush cleanser of choice and squeeze some directly onto the sponge. If you’re using soap, push the sponge into the bar to work up a lather.

Step 3: Gently massage the sponge with your fingers, squeezing the sponge and creating a lather as you go.

Step 4: Rinse the sponge under running water, continuing to squeeze to rinse all the soap away. 

You can also soak your sponge in a mix of warm water and brush cleanser to remove stubborn makeup and stains. Just rinse and squeeze out all of the soap when you’re finished.

The Bottom Line

Cleaning your makeup brushes is super easy, and doesn’t need to take more than a few minutes a week. Plus, we think it’s a small price to pay to keep bacteria, breakouts and irritation at bay! While we’ve got you, why not put a recurring reminder on your phone right now, so you never forget to give your tools a good soaping again?! You could even include it in your Sunday reset routine to get you ready for the week ahead?