
How To Wash Your Make Up Brushes (And Not Have To Wait Days For Them To Dry)
With Christmas and New Years Parties I must admit that my make up brushes have taken a beating in the last few weeks. They have been covered and recovered in foundation, eyeshadows, lip shades, concealer and then packed into a tight make up bag. As well as been the cause of many tanned coloured stains on my pouches and table tops!
If you are anything like me than washing your brushes is not something you enjoy. The process of takes time and waiting for them to dry properly before using them again can be excruciating.
Putting that aside, it is essential that your brushes are washed regularly and properly. Besides the obvious reasons of hygiene, reusing dirty brushes can make your make up look amateur, no matter how skilled you are. And don’t forget the damage it can cause to your brushes! ( which must I say, they are pretty expensive so you don’t want to have to keep buying them).
So I thought i would share with you my cleaning routine which has been a game changer for me and my brushes.
When to wash
I try to wash my brushes at least one a week. Especially my foundation and concealer brushes. As they tend to have the most residue on them, making them a breeding ground for bacteria. I make it a Sunday ritual along with my weekly face mask and exfoliation.
How to wash
Using my finger tips and nails to get deep into the bristles. I dab a drop of shampoo with some water and gently clean in between the bristles. Depending on how dirty the brushes are, I usually repeat this process until the water runs clear and the brush starts to go back to its natural colour.
Drying them
Once the brush is properly clean, it is time to dry them. Since finding this method, this is my favourite part of the process. I used to hate drying them as it would 1. take ages for them to dry and 2. Risk damaging them if not done properly.
Using a hair tie, I tie the brushes bristles down on to my towel rack. This allows them to drip dry without any water seeping into the glue at the base and potentially damaging it. A bonus is that my towel rack is heated so it dries faster and evenly, and are usually ready to go the next morning.
Quick Tip : If you wear a full face of make up almost every day then washing once a week may not be enough. So I bought an anti-bacterial daily brush spray that i use throughout the week. Just spray it over the bristles and wipe with a tissue. This should ensure that there is not too much residue sitting on your brush for a week!
There you have it. I hope this helps!!
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Life with Larissa
I had no idea that improperly drying could damage the brushes. That’s definitely good knowledge to know for those who wear makeup. And I love that you wash your brushes once a week – that’s awesome!
Kylie Abreu
Yes the water can make the glue dissolve
hal
great advice! at the spa I work at they use some kind of fast drying spray in between clients to sanitize their brushes & it smells just like an old school strawberry shortcake doll to me lol
Kylie Abreu
Thank you! Oh I love the smell of strawberry shortcake
Patricia G.
Great advice! Just one note: Where do you get the hooks to clip on the brushes to your towel rack? If I use makeup (which is kind of rare, but still…), I will be sure to follow your advice…and get those hooks so the brushes can dry properly too.
Kylie Abreu
Hi, I use normal elastic hair ties x
My name is Sophia.
I…..don’t wash as often as I should. Not even close. I will be doing it this week!
Kylie Abreu
I think a lot of us are guilty of this, thats why I made it a ritual
Dani
That drying tip is so smart! I’ll have to try it.
mapsandmonograms
These are great tips! Brushes are so delicate, it’s easy to damage them.