You start your morning by applying your makeup on your lovely clean face ... If you haven’t cleaned your brushes recently, then your brushes are not only putting on new makeup, but also old makeup, dirt, oil, dead skin, and bacteria.

When you use your brushes, bits of makeup, oil, dirt, and even bacteria can get trapped in the bristles, and it’s then left to fester in the brush after use. Also, if you then drop them on the floor, leave them on the side or drop them in your makeup bag they are then picking up any bacteria etc from other surfaces. The next time you go to use it, the same thing happens, except the bacteria that has festered from the time before, it now ALSO on your skin. It’s a vicious circle.

 
So while it might seem basic, skipping this step can lead to clogged pores and spots. Most makeup counters including MAC sell brush cleaner or you can clean your brushes using gentle shampoo. Always avoiding getting the part of the brush where handle meets the head wet, as this can loosen the glue over time.

To clean your brushes with soap/shampoo or washing up liquid:

1. Running the bristles of the brushes under lukewarm water, rinsing out all of the residual makeup.
2. Dip the bristles of the brush into a bowl with lukewarm water and a squirt of shampoo.
3. Rinse the brush tip under running water once again.
4. Repeat steps two and three until the water runs clear from the brush,
5. Wipe the bristles of the brush on a clean cloth or kitchen towel, reshaping the bristles as you go.
6. Lay your brushes flat on a cloth to dry.

To clean your brushes with a alcohol based dry brush cleaner:
(Either put into a spray bottle or put a small amount into a dish.)

1. Apply the cleaner to the bristles of the brush
2. Wipe the bristles on a tissue
3. Repeat until clean

 
And now you have lovely clean makeup brushes ready to use again – which will also improve the lifespan of your brushes. If you do store your brushes loose in your makeup bag placing a clean tissue loosely over the bristles to help them stay in shape and keep them clean.

Now you have clean brushes, its time to tackle the rest of your makeup bag! Why not book a makeup lesson? Click here for details