Hello!
Today I'm going to share my brush cleansing routine. I really want to go ahead and put this on TaylorPieBeauty.com because it's such an important step to take in your beauty life. I can't believe I use to skip washing my brushes. I hope I can convince you to wash yours as well! It makes a hell of a difference.
A lot of people think it's ok to skip cleaning your brushes but it's not! You're brushes are a breading ground for bacteria and it's unsanitary to use them when they're unwashed. BUT that's not the only reason... When you have build up of products on your brushes, you can't possibly get the best finish. It's the same thing as your face. Do you apply makeup with yesterday's makeup still on? No, I'm sure you don't. So why do the same with your brushes?
Brush cleaning removes
Old makeup
Dirt and debris
Oil
bacteria
Dead skin
Benefits
Keeps the bristles soft
Prevents breakouts
Better makeup application
Brushes last longer
What can brushes be cleaned with?
Brush shampoo
Baby shampoo
Dish soap (my favorite)
Coconut oil mixed with shampoo
Soap bar
How often should you wash your brushes?
It really varies from person to sperson. If you're not prone to breakouts I think cleaning your brushes every 7-10 days is fine. Now if you ARE prone to breakouts then I recommend washing all of them once a week. Just to be safe though, I wash my foundation and concealer brush after every single use. I'm constantly running those specific brushes over my breakouts and I prefer sanitizing them before my next use. I just think it's better for my skin this way and ever since I started this routine I have seen a huge difference in my acne. If you don't have the time to wash them at least spritz them with alcohal when you're done with your makeup.
It's also a good idea to wipe off your eye brushes after every use. It's a horrific site when you go to apply a light shade and it's black from yesterday's look. Just trust me on this one.
Baby wipes are just fine for wiping them off. So don't think you have to go through the whole cleansing routine everyday, it's unnecessary.
What about beauty blenders?
I use Dawn dish soap to wash my beauty blender before every use. Your suppose to dampen them before you use them anyways so it's not really another step added to your routine.
One thing I like to do is put my beauty blender in the microwave for 20-30 seconds(after washing).This kills the bacteria, takes the extra water out of the sponge and helps "melt" your foundation into your skin during application(if still warm). I do this every single time I use it and I don't think I will ever stop. Just be sure not to leave it in there for too long. The last time I did it I pushed zero twice(3 mins) and it melted. Now I have to go purchase a new one, boo!
What you will need...
Dawn dish soap
Towel for drying
Running water
Some people use a brush egg or mitten to clean their brushes. I don't really find them to be necessary. I have always used my hands and will continue doing so.
If you have a million brushes then it might not hurt to have one. However, don't feel the need to purchase one if you can't dish out the money for it. It's not a must have.
The first thing you need to do
Gather all of your supplies and dirty brushes. For this tutorial I'm using the e.l.f brush shampoo and dawn dish soap. Usually, dawn is the only thing I use but I recieved the brush shampoo for free so I'm trying to finish off the bottle. So far I do like it but later on I will post a full review. So keep an eye out for that post.
When I wash my brushes I always do them at the same time but just for this post I'm going to be washing three different kinds of brushes. A Multi purpose face brush, eye blending brush and a comb brush.
Also be sure to find a decent sized towel. The bigger the better, depending on the size of your brush collection.
Everytime I go to wash my brushes I go to my bathroom sink. I think it's best when you have a clean environment, so be sure to sanitize your sink before washing.
Now let's start cleaning!
The first thing I like to do is dampen my brush in lukewarm water. It's the same as when you wash your hands, hair and teeth. The soap will lather up a lot easier and more efficiently. All I do is turn on the faucet and hold my brush under the running water for about ten seconds.
Grab your soap
After my brushes are drenched in water I pour a dime sized amount of soap onto the top of the brush. You don't have to use that much soap but I personally enjoy a good lather.
Now firmly hold the ferrule of the brush and rub the brush on your hand in circular motions. It doesn't take very long. I usually keep on going until I don't see anymore makeup on the bristles. After I suspect the brush is clean, I rinse it off and add a dot of soap to start the process all over again.
If the soap is clean, then the brush is clean.
Drying
After you're done washing rinse your brushes off.
Now gently swirl your brushes on your towel. This helps with getting the excess water off of your brushes before shaping/drying them.
Shaping
Make sure you shape your brushes! To shape them I run each brush through my hand while it's closed(fist). Do this step as many times as you want. I personally like to do it until the brush is a smooth as I can get it.
All done!
Now just lay them down and you're all done! You can leave them there or move them to a convenient area. I prefer my vanity and I like to put something under the towel to prop up the ends. That's not needed but your brushes will last longer if you do it. The reason being, the water will run into the ferrule and loosen up the glue over time.
There are many ways to clean your brushes but this is the way I like to do it. It's easy, fast and cost effective.
How do you clean your brushes?
Have any questions? Leave a comment below!
Thanks for reading, TaylorPie.
