Most of the time, many women do not realize the importance of keeping makeup brushes clean before using. Makeup brushes are exposed to the makeup residue, dirt, dead skin cells, oil and other germs. Overusing makeup brushes without cleaning them can spread bacteria that can harm your clear skin. This is indeed vital especially if you possess sensitive skin.
We use several kinds of makeup brushes – brushes for the eyes, for the cheek, for the lips and a lot more. They have different uses but one thing they have in common – they are a breeding ground for bacteria. Every time your brushes touch your skin, you are only transferring these bacteria. That happens when you do not clean your brushes regularly.
To prevent passing bacteria back and forth between your face and your brushes, clean them the right way. This extends the life of your brushes. However, there is no special makeup brush cleanser to keep your brushes clean. You can use gentle shampoo or unscented soap to wash your brushes.
How regular should you clean your makeup brushes? It is recommended to clean your brushes at least once a week. If you don’t wear makeup that often, clean your brushes on a monthly basis. Regular cleaning keeps your brushes fresh and feeling like new.
Here are the steps to preserve your makeup brushes clean so you can use them again without worries.
Wet
- Wet the brush fibers with warm water holding them downwards. Avoid holding them upwards. This may allow water to get into the ferrule and loosen the glue holding the brush to the handle. Do not soak makeup brushes in the sink. Too much water can loosen bristles and ruin your brush. Keep both ferrule and the handle of the brush dry.
Lather
- Put a penny-sized amount of brush shampoo. Lather it to the fibers to start washing the makeup out. Avoid from lathering them too intensely to protect the integrity and shape of the tip of the brush.
Rinse
- To rinse, use warm water to wash away the makeup debris and shampoo. Continue rinsing until the water running through the brush fibers gets clear
Re-shape
- Take out the water from the fibers without ringing them. Reshape them to the same form prior to washing.
Dry
- Lay the tip of the brush over the edge of a counter to dry overnight. Doing this allows ventilation from all sides, drying the brush fibers quickly. If ferrule or handle become wet, dry them immediately with a towel.
Use
- If you notice that the brush fibers are dry, you can use them the next day. However, there are brushes that do not dry quickly especially those with densely packed fibers. They may take longer to dry.
Of course, you should not forget cleaning the handles, too. The brush handles are also breeding ground of germs and dirt so they need to be washed. Clean the handles with soapy cloth. You can also put a bit of rubbing alcohol. This makes the handles clean and disinfected in one go.
If you notice that your brushes are getting stiff over time, condition the fibers using a bit of hair conditioner and rinse them with warm water. Dry them flat to bring back the soft, comfy feel that made you buy them in the first place.
If you find the brush fibers shedding out, dispose it. Once the fibers start to fall, your brush will soon become uncomfortable to use. Thus, making it harder to achieve the look you wanted for your face.
Therefore, proper caring of your skin can also be achieved if you know how to take good care of the things you use for the skin, especially makeup brushes. They are essential tools in making you beautiful every single day, so take time in keeping them clean and bacteria-free.
