Sunday 18 May 2014

Makeup Brush Cleaning


It has been said many times that deep cleaning makeup brushes is the bane of any beauty lover's life. I clean mine at least once a week however, finding the best way to get rid of all the grime and makeup has taken a while. Picking up lots of tips and trying a couple of different shampoos has ensured a fail safe routine which I have broken down into steps below. 

Step 1 - Oil 


Olive oil is great to use before washing your brushes to break down the makeup and dirt. Put a spoonful of oil in a small bowl, dip your brush into the oil and swirl it around in the palm of your hand. Squeezing the brush and adding a drop of hot water will dislodge any stubborn makeup. You may need to do this a couple of times.
This is a tip I saw on one of Anna Saccone's vlogs (you really have to check out their vlogs, I am hooked). I decided to try it and it worked so well that it's become a permanent part of my routine. 

Step 2 - Shampoo

When most of the makeup is removed from your brush, dampen one of your hands with warm water and place a blob of your chosen shampoo into your palm. Take your brush with your other hand and swirl it around in the soap until you can see the excess makeup coming loose. Squeeze the brush to release the dirt and to get rid of any soap suds.
For this I like using Johnson's baby shampoo, a regular anti-bacterial soap or any of Dr Bronner's Liquid Soaps

Step 3 - Rinse

When the suds turn clear with no sign of makeup left in the bristles, rinse your brush under warm running water. Be sure it's not too hot as I think this can affect the bristles. This is difficult when you have a hot tap and a cold tap... I leave both of them running and jump between the two when things get too hot! Point the brush head down into the water to ensure that no water gets into the handle. Squeeze the shampoo and water out of the brush as many times as it takes until all of the shampoo and makeup has washed out. When you think it has all gone, swirl the brush in your palm to see if any suds are left, if so rinse and repeat.
I usually repeat this step a couple of times to make sure the oil has also been rinsed out. 

Step 4 - Leave to dry


Drying brushes is a difficult task! I've tried so many ways and this one works for me. Lay your brushes on a rolled towel and leave to dry. Always roll the towel under a couple of times so there is a slope, making sure the brushes are on a gradient with the head pointing toward the flattest part. This is so that water does not get into the handle as the brush is likely to shed if the glue gets wet. I usually leave my brushes to dry overnight and reshape them throughout the process. Come morning they are ready to use.

This little cleaning routine has made washing my brushes quicker, easier and weirdly a bit more exciting. How do you wash your makeup brushes? Do you have any tips I could use?