Top Tips for Cleaning Your Makeup Tools

Most of us are guilty of allowing powder and cream formulas to accumulate on our makeup brushes for weeks or using many colors without washing in between. But experts say that in order to avoid bacterial development, acne, and other unpleasant skin problems, it's imperative to spend at least a few minutes each week clearing the grime out. Therefore, we’ll walk you through how to clean your makeup tools effectively, so keep reading.

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How often should you clean your makeup brushes?

The brushes should ideally be cleaned every time you use them, but that may be a significant hardship for most of us." What you can get away with is as follows:

1-2 times per week for brushes used with powders. For powder cosmetic brushes, such as those used for blush and bronzer, once or twice a week is probably enough.

Daily for brushes used with creams or liquids. Brushes containing liquid foundations, concealers, and eyeshadows should be cleaned frequently as they are more likely to harbor bacteria that can potentially cause illnesses.

Daily for sponges. Your makeup sponge and beauty blenders should be cleaned after each use since they can house bacteria much more easily than brushes because they are used wet and remain wet for a long time after usage.

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What should you use to wash your makeup brushes?

1. Baby shampoos are often used to clean brushes and are pretty effective. These gentle formulations are especially recommended by experts for cleaning natural fiber brushes.

2. Dish soap works well for thoroughly cleaning beauty blenders and makeup sponges so that oil-based foundations and concealers may be rapidly dissolved.

3. Cleansing mats with a texture that fits in the palm of your hand and are simple to use. Small mats that include cleaning soap are ideal because they are sufficient to complete the task well and don't need additional storage.

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How to clean your makeup brushes?

1. Wet the bristles

Clean the bristles with water. Avoid collecting water over the brush's handle because this might cause the adhesive to deteriorate over time, causing the bristles to fall out and, in the end, ruin the brush.

2. Gently rub the soap in

Swish your brush across your palm in gentle circular motions after applying your favorite cleanser to your hand, being careful to saturate the brush completely. At this stage, a brush-cleaning mat will be helpful.

3. Clean it off

Rinse the soap and product out of the brush when it is foamy. If the water doesn't run clean, try again, making sure the water doesn't go on the handle of your brush this time.

4. Remove the water by squeezing

To remove extra water, gently massage the bristles with your fingers. Don't pull too firmly though.

5. Allow it to dry

Overnight, place the brush or brushes flat on a towel. In the morning, you can use them once more.

How to clean your makeup sponges?

1. Wet your sponge

Run warm water over the sponge. Make sure to thoroughly soak it.

2. Lather

Work any product off of the sponge with your fingertips after adding a couple of drops of light soap or gentle shampoo. If you haven't cleaned your sponge in a while, you might need to repeat this process several times.

3. Rinse

Rinse the sponge in clear water for as long as possible. To get all the suds out of the sponge, squeeze frequently.

4. Dry

Dry off with a clean towel after ringing out the extra water. If you prefer to use the sponge damp, go ahead and do so. Otherwise, let it air dry.

5. Repeat after three to four uses

Ensure that you clean your makeup sponges after each usage or if there isn't a clean, unused section left. After each usage, rinse the sponge with warm water to help keep the bacteria at bay and maintain the sponge's cleanliness.

6. Inspect mold

If you never let your sponge dry, mold may have already started to form on it. Cut open the sponge to check for any growth if you have any suspicions that this might be the case. If you discover mold within, dispose of the sponge right away. You can keep using the sponge pieces if they seem clean and mold-free.

Main image credit: @huda