The only way you should be cleaning your makeup brushes

This is such an important topic, I can’t believe I haven’t shared it here on the blog! I recently got a request from one of my lovely subscribers, Sonia Guzman, to share my tips on how I clean my makeup brushes. Thanks for the request Sonia! Cleaning your brushes is key, since brushes hold a lot of bacteria and build up. Clean brushes are an easy way to make sure that your complexion stays clear and fresh, while dirty brushes can lead to breakouts. I try and keep my brushes as clean as possible, especially since I like to switch between products and palettes. Here are my tips for cleaning makeup brushes —I’ve broken this how-to into three sections for face brushes, eye brushes, and beauty blenders.

Face Brushes

If you use your face brushes every day, you should wash them at least once a week. I sometimes even wash them twice! These are the most important brushes to clean, since you use them on your face and they can spread oil and bacteria on your skin. To wash my face brushes I like to use a gentle shampoo that doesn’t have a lot of harsh chemicals, (baby shampoo works great) and a Sigma Brush Cleaning Glove (you can use the code SIMPLYSONA for a 10% discount).  First run water over the brush, making sure to point the bristles with the flow of the water. Put some soap on the glove and work the bristles in a circular motion over several times. Next, rinse the brushes under water and lay them flat on a towel to dry overnight.

1. Apply a gentle cleanser to brush glove.
2. Work product into brush bristles.
3. Run the brush over glove in circular motions.
4. Rinse brush under water until all product has been removed then lay brush flat to dry.

Eye Brushes

If you use the same shadows everyday, wash your eye brushes once a week. But if you like to switch shadows and palettes, obviously you should wash them in between to prevent unwanted color mixing. My eyes tend to be sensitive, and clean brushes prevent any irritation from bacteria or old makeup residue. To wash my eye brushes, I use a cleansing solution (I recommend Cinema Secret Brush Cleaner). Put a bit of solution in a small bowl and swirl brushes in the cleanser. Next, swipe your brushes back and forth on a towel to get rid of all leftover makeup. Rinse with water to remove any extra residue and lay flat to dry overnight.

1. Pour cleansing solution into a small bowl.
2. Dip brush into cleanser until bristles are saturated.
3. Run the brush along a cloth until all product has been removed from bristles.
4. Rinse brushes with water then lay flat to dry.

Beauty Blenders

I wash my beauty blenders after every use. You can buy a special solution, but I prefer to use regular dish soap. To wash my beauty blender, I first wet it and use a pump of dish soap. Massage the dish soap into the sponge and run under water to rinse, repeating until all the makeup is gone from the beauty blender.

1. Apply dish soap to palm of hand.
2. Work soap into beauty blender.
3. Apply water and massage soap into sponge. Run under water to rinse.
4. Repeat until sponge is clean. Lay flat to dry.

I hope you guys got some good tips for washing your brushes! If you want to see what my 9 Must Have Makeup Brushes are, check out my absolute favorites here! Let me know if you have any requests for future posts in the comments below.