New Year Clean Makeup Brushes
Nothing beats that fluffy brush feeling. In fact, we’ll take your freshly washed sheets and raise you a set of perfectly cleansed makeup brushes.
And that’s not just because a clean brush feels (really) great on the skin, or that we’re (sorta) obsessed with all things brush care.
Clean makeup brushes also have a huge impact on the application process. The better the tool, the better your makeup look will be.
Whether you’re a beauty beginner or a professional MUA, taking a little time out from your week to cleanse your tools is essential.
But before you pick up the ol’ dish gloves, it’s important to know how to look after your brushes properly. Read our simple guide for everything you need to know about looking after your brushes.
Why is it important to clean your makeup brushes?
Hey, we’re all guilty of making plans to wash our brushes, just to procrastinate by watching another episode of Gilmore Girls. And unless you know why it’s so important to keep them sanitised, it’s easy to leave it weeks (or even months) before finally getting your rinse on.
Regular brush cleansing offers a whole lot of beauty benefits, including:
- Removes old product residue.
- Banishes bad (read: gross) bacteria.
- Promotes a flawless makeup application.
- Protects your skin from breakouts.
- Maintains the condition of your brushes, so they can work harder and last way longer.
What’s the best way to clean makeup brushes?
You’ll be glad to know this part is super simple! In just five easy steps, you can achieve clean brush perfection.
Step 1: Wet the bristles
Using lukewarm water, wet the bristles of your brush liberally. Just make sure not to put the whole thing in water, as this can lead to damage.
Step 2: Sanitise with a (brush friendly) soap
Next, swirl the bristles in our Vegan Makeup Brush soap until generously covered. We love our bergamot and pink grapefruit makeup brush soap for a little something extra.
Step 3: Lather up
To make your wash work harder, lather the brush into our silicone mat. You want to make sure there’s no product left in the bristles - so be thorough!
Step 4: Rinse and repeat
Your brush is now ready to be rinsed. You might need to do this a couple of times to ensure there’s no sticky residue remaining.
Step 5: Leave to dry
Grab a towel and *gently* squeeze excess water from the bristles, then reshape into their original form. Lay them down on a flat surface to completely dry.
Or even better, hang them to dry on the microfibre towel in our Makeup Brush Cleaning Launderette Bundle. The handy metal hooks allow you to hang the towel up so easily! Job’s a good ‘un.
How often should you clean your brushes?
We recommend cleaning your brushes once every 1-2 weeks. We know this sounds kinda like a lot, but once you get into the flow, you’ll be surprised how therapeutic and quick it can be.
Just think of it as an act of self care: looking after your brushes will empower you to serve pro MUA-worthy looks, day after day.
When should you throw makeup away?
Now you’ve got your brush washing on lock, it’s a good time to also check your makeup bag. Holding onto old products (as pretty or sentimental as they might be) is a hard ‘no’ for skin hygiene - but some do last longer than others.
As a rule of thumb, here’s the lifespan of a few staple products once opened:
Eyeliners: 3-6 months
Mascara: 4-6 months
Foundations: 12-18 months
Lipsticks: 1-2 years
Powders: 2 years
Your best bet is to check the label on each product - and if you’re still not sure, just throw it out.
We know it’s hard when you’re attached to a particularly sparkly eyeshadow palette, but it’s also an excuse to buy a new one. Silver linings, right?
Happy brushing! <3
