Cleaning your makeup brushes can seem like a huge chore but dirty brushes are the perfect breeding ground for harmful bacteria – bacteria that can cause acne, allergic reactions or chalazia (which is a large bump under your eye). It is recommended that you wash your brushes about once every three uses or once a week, however, a recent survey found that 39% of women clean theirs less than once a month and 22% admitted to never cleaning their makeup tools at all! You should make the process part of your weekly beauty or skincare routine to ensure you keep on top of it.
The main reasons you should clean your makeup brushes
Dirty makeup brushes can cause acne and breakouts and minor skin irritations, but they can also cause some more serious issues for your skin. Through using your brushes, they accumulate sebum, pollution, dust, impurities, and dead skin cells that can include harmful bacteria like streptococcus, E. Coli. And staphylococcus. The more often you clean them the less build up of product and grime you will have to wash off.
Clean brushes make for a better application. If your foundation brush is clogged up with old product build-up then it is going to after the shape and consistency of the brush, and it is not going to provide the kind of finish that you want. Dirty brushes can also affect your ability to blend your makeup properly and impacts how it picks up and lays down pigment.
Good makeup brushes are not cheap, taking proper care of them will make them last longer and ensure you as much use out of them as you can. Keeping them clean will also help maintain the high quality of the bristles.
Things to avoid
Do not submerge or soak them in water. Soaking them in water can damage and dissolve the glue between the bristles and the handle, this will cause the brush to shed and thin out.
Do not use hot or boiling water. This can also affect the glue and cause it to break down, leading to shedding.
Incorrect drying methods. Leave your brushes to air dry, lay them flat over the sink or at a downward angle – the best method is to hang them up with the bristles pointing downwards. Make sure you give yourself enough time for them to dry before you use them again.
Falling behind on your routine. You should clean your brushes weekly, if you do not use them every day then you should wash them every three uses. Get into the habit of cleaning your brushes regularly and make it part of your routine, maybe include it in your list of weekly household chores.
What you should do
Use a mix of antibacterial soap or shampoo and lukewarm water.
Rinse them with clean water and gently squeeze out the water.
Reshape your brushes before laying them out to dry.
Spread the brushes out so they can dry properly.
Or you can invest in an electric brush cleaner and dryer.