How To Care For Makeup Brushes

Your Step By Step Guide is Here

Many people who use makeup know that great products can make a world of difference when it comes to nailing the look you want. One overlooked element in the world of makeup, though, is your tools. The brushes, sponges, and other tools you use can be just as important as the products you use for getting a flawless face. And if your tools are that important, then it only makes sense that taking care of makeup brushes should be high on your priority list. Luckily, it isn’t hard to take care of makeup brushes. Here’s everything you need to know to make sure that your tools are always ready to help you look your best.

Makeup Brush Types

Before you can start the care for makeup brushes, it’s a good idea to know them. Not all makeup applicators are cleaned or stored the same way. While there are some very specific types of brushes, such as kabuki brushes, this list is just a basic collection of the types of brushes that you may have in your kit:

Flat brush: Used to apply foundation

Powder brush: Fluffy, rounded brush used for blush, highlighter, and bronzer

Angled brush: Mainly used to apply powder

Eyeliner brush: Used to apply eyeliner

Eye shadow brush: For applying eye shadow

Lip brush: Used to apply lip color

The specific type of brush that you have in each of these categories could differ, but these are the main types of brushes that you will find.

Related: How to Shave 10+ Minutes Off Your Morning Routine

Cleaning Your Brushes

Cleaning makeup brushes is very important. A dirty brush will not only work less effectively, meaning you’ll waste more of your product, it can also be a leading cause of acne breakouts. In worse cases, dirty brushes can spread bacteria that can cause infections. Finally, dirty brushes will break down themselves, meaning you’ll have to buy new brushes sooner. In order to keep your makeup application looking great, your skin healthy, and to protect your makeup budget, cleaning your brushes is essential.

There are two types of cleaning routines that you should follow to care for makeup brushes. The first is a routine to follow after every time you use a makeup brush. The point of this routine is just to get any excess makeup off, and to remove any skin oils that were transferred to the brush. All you have to do is spritz the bristles with a daily makeup brush cleaner and wipe them clean to get rid of surface bacteria.

Deep Cleaning Your Brushes

The second type of cleaning routine you should follow is a deep cleaning routine. This ensures that your brushes are not only clean, but are sanitized. To do this, follow these steps:

1. Holding the brush by the handle with the bristles facing down under running water. Squeeze out excess water until the water is running clear.
2. Put a drop of makeup brush cleanser or a mild hand soap into your palm, and rub the brush into the soap in gentle circles.
3. Rinse the brush and squeeze out the excess water.
4. Reshape the bristles.
5. Put the brush on a towel so that the bristles are hanging off the edge of the counter. This ensures that the bristles dry in the correct shape, and also prevents the bristles from mildewing against the towel.

Do not dry the bristles standing up straight. This can loosen the glue that keeps the bristles to the brush. Also, as you are rinsing the brush, it’s a good idea to keep the water on the bristles themselves, and not on the area where the bristles join the handle, for the same reason.

How Often to Clean Your Brushes

If you ask any dermatologist, they’ll tell you that it’s healthiest for your skin if you perform this deep cleaning routine at least once per week. The cleaner your brushes are every time they touch your face, the better. If you don’t use makeup all that often, you could likely get away with one or two times per month – but it’s best to be on the safe side with brushes that will be near your eyes, because it’s easier to get an infection in this area.  As you can see, your care for makeup brushes is essential.

Storing Your Brushes

Another thing you can do to care for makeup brushes and to make them last longer is to store them correctly. Once they are totally dry from a cleaning, you have several options when it comes to storage. You can store them upright like pencils in a vase or jar (use beads or even coffee beans to keep the brushes upright), or you can keep them in a wrapped holder if they came in one. Make sure when storing brushes the bristles are not being bent or smooshed in any way. Having them out in the air, such as in a vase, can ensure that no mildew is encouraged to form.  

When to Replace Brushes

If any of your brushes start to lose bristles, fray, or just won’t retain their shape anymore, it’s time to replace them. You aren’t getting the best application with these brushes anyway, and they’ll cause you to use more of your product – which costs you money. It’s much better to invest in a new brush and save yourself the cost of expensive product. As long as your brush is being regularly cleaned, and is still in great shape, there’s no reason to replace it.

Now Let’s Get Started with High Quality Brushes

We hope this was helpful to you in learning to care for makeup brushes.  At Beauty Junkees, we offer a wide range of makeup brushes and applicators. One of the best ways to get started with a quality range of brushes is to try out one of our kits, like our 5 Piece Pro Contouring Highlighting Kit. If you try it for 30 days and don’t fall in love, you’ll get a no-questions-asked refund. This kit includes a foundation sponge, a contouring brush, a bronzer brush, a highlighter brush, and a small detailer that is perfect for the eyes and the sides of your nose. And it all comes in a storage case for easy travel. Try it out today!

Related: The User’s Guide to Our Contour and Highlight Kit – Plus 4 Great Ways to Use It!