The label of Dr Bronner’s Liquid Soaps states that “cleanliness is next to Godliness”. In the case of makeup brushes, this is absolutely true! Last week I was reminded of this – I had been having a bit of trouble applying mineral makeup as smoothly as usual and I realised that there was a build up of oil on my brush. It had been about 6 months since I last gave it a good clean! And so I did and I now have no problems with smooth makeup application.

Taking care of your makeup brushes makes sense for two key reasons:

  • It stops the transfer of dirt, oil and bacteria back onto your skin when you apply makeup. This is particularly important if you are prone to acne or congestion as the oil is going to worsen congestion and the bacteria increases the potential for further acne breakouts.
  • Your brush will last longer. The build up of oil and dirt will shorten the life of your brush as well as making it less effective as a makeup tool.

Below is a really easy way to keep your brushes clean:

Wet your brush carefully ensuring you don’t run water directly up into the ferrule (the bit that joins the handle to the brush hairs) as over time it may weaken the join. Rub the hairs over a cake of natural soap building up foam. Alternatively you can put a little natural shampoo in the cup of your hand and later. Keep massaging the bristles in the cup of your hand and then rinse with cold or luke-warm water. Ensure that you rinse all traces of soap and that the water runs clear. Repeat if necessary.

If you are worried about bacteria use vinegar. While the vinegar may not wash your brush as effectively, it is a natural disinfectant so will help to kill off any bacterial. Following the soap wash dip your brush in a mix of 1/3 vinegar to 2/3rds water. Leave for 10 seconds and then rinse off with running water.

Drying your brushes
Firstly get rid of the excess water by gently squeezing the bristles from base to tip. Then put your brush upright in a glass so that it can air dry. Please don’t use a hair drier as this may damage the hairs and the glue. Also try to avoid laying your brush down, particularly with hair brushes as they will flatten and dry that way. I always wash mine overnight or after I have applied my makeup in the morning. It is always dry by morning.

How often should you wash your brush?
If you have normal to dry skin, washing once a month is fine. Even with normal to oily skin, this should be frequent enough. Just to be sure monitor the bristles and if they look or feel oily, give it a quick rinse. If you have acne, more frequent washing is ideal to minimise the spread of bacteria. Fortnightly or even weekly if you have active breakouts is a good time frame. The same routine can be applied to any sponges or other make up tools you use regularly.

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