Clean your makeup brushes like a professional. Find out what you need to do here.
One of the major beauty sins is something I’m sure we are all guilty of, including myself…neglecting your makeup brushes and failing to wash them regularly. Here are some quick tips to get your beauty tools in tip top shape, looking brand new again and most importantly germ free! As always I am a huge fan of at home DIY beauty fixes and inexpensive solutions, you should have most of these ingredients at home and can easily substitute one for the other. There are various methods and various solutions you can use to wash your make-up brushes in, so experiment and see what you like best!
1) Pre-wash
This is an additional preparation step for a deeper cleanse for make-up brushes however you will still have to supplement and give the make-up brushes a further wash. Pour a small dollop of olive oil onto a paper towel and rub the make-up brush into the olive oil and swirl the brush out onto the paper towel (you will see a lot of product being released). Keep swirling the brush in and out of the olive oil until the swirls run clean and are not leaving any product residue anymore. Try to swirl the brush in a figure of 8, this will help in loosening the product stuck in the bristles. The olive method works well in preparing the brushes for a deeper clean as it loosens a lot of waxy, cream based, gel-ish type of products. Therefore it’s perfect to add this step in for eyeliner brushes and other brushes with which you apply waxy, cream based, gel-ish type of products. If you don’t have olive oil on hand you can substitute by using make-up remover, my make-up remover of choice which works a charm as a substitute is Johnson’s 3 in 1 Make-up Removing Lotion. Instead of pouring the olive oil onto a paper towel, as an alternative you could also pour a small dollop of olive oil into a small plate and carry out the same steps above of utilising the swirling method. If you want some extra strength cleaning and anti-bacterial oomph for neglected make-up brushes a good option is to then swirl your make-up brushes in a little bit of Dettol or Savlon diluted in water for a minute or two. Don’t worry the make-up brushes will not maintain the smell of the Dettol/Savlon solution as you are still going to thoroughly rinse them after the Dettol/Savlon swirl and then further wash them in your choice of solution.
2)Washing
To follow the olive oil preparation step, you can choose between a number of different wash solutions for your make-up brushes. I personally favour using a teaspoon of baby shampoo mixed (or normal mild shampoo if you don’t have baby shampoo) into a cup full of warm water. You can elect to use the swirling method, by either dipping the brushes into the solution and swirling the brush in the palm of your hand or swirling the brush on a small plate. Another method would be to dip the brush into the solution and gently rub/massage the bristles while immersed in the solution between your fingers to get rid of the excess product. Once you feel the brushes are adequately cleaned you can rinse the make-up brushes under warm water, the brushes are rinsed clean when the water runs clear.
You can also mix the following things separately (same quantities as listed above) with water to provide a good washing solution for your make-up brushes: mild liquid soap, mild unscented bar soap, dishwashing liquid (yes, Sunlight Liquid would work a treat!) or vinegar.
3)Finishing & Drying
I tend to pamper my make-up brushes once they are washed and looking brand spanking new by applying some hair conditioner to the bristles thus countering any drying effect any of the washing products may have had on them. I apply a tiny amount of hair conditioner to the bristles and leave in for 30 seconds-1 minute; I then thoroughly rinse the hair conditioner out under warm water. I then shape the make-up brush bristles into the correct shape and leave to air dry laying flat on a towel with the heads of the make-up brushes hanging slightly over the edge of the counter.
I recommend washing your make-up brushes every 2-3 weeks depending on use and an easy way to keep your make-up brushes clean in the interim between washes is to keep wet-wipes handy and brush off product as and when you are applying your make-up. Your makeup brushes are sure to have a long life span if given enough TLC and regular washing!
Article by: Renee http://www.beautybulletin.com/blog-directory/our-bloggers/the-lite-side-of-life
Read about choosing the right makeup brushes.