You may be surprised to learn that maintaining these tools is just as important! If you neglect to regularly clean and care for your makeup brushes, you risk irritating your skin, clogging your pores, and even running into potentially more serious issues. In this article, we’ll cover the basics: which types of brushes should be cleaned most frequently, how often you should deep clean them, and which methods work best. Read on for all the details, and get ready to have lasting clearer skin with or without makeup!
Why is it important to clean your makeup tools?
Not cleaning your brushes regularly can have detrimental effects on the effectiveness of your makeup and the health of your skin. When makeup builds up in the bristles, it prevents the brush from absorbing new product, resulting in streaking and uneven coverage. Additionally, bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus or Pseudomonas aeruginosa can pile up in dirty brushes and cause skin irritations, acne and other problems. Also, oils that come from your face can also transfer to your brushes if they are not constantly cleaned, which can lead to breakouts. Keeping your brushes clean is key to healthy skin and looking flawless every time you apply makeup.
How do you clean your brush set and how often?
To ensure your brushes last and stay fresh, it’s important to clean them often and properly. Depending on how often you use your brushes, they should be cleaned between once a week and once a month.
To effectively clean your brush and paintbrush set, start by running the bristles of the brush or paintbrush under warm running water. Make sure the water is not too hot, as it might damage the bristles! Also, avoid submerging the entire brush or paintbrush head in water, as this may also damage it. Once the brush is wet, apply a small amount of mild shampoo or soap to the bristles, then gently massage in circular motions to remove makeup residue and buildup. Rinse thoroughly with lukewarm water until the soap has been removed from the bristles and there is no more suds. After rinsing off all the soap, use a clean or paper towel to dry the brush head before setting it aside to air dry completely.
Once your brushes are completely dry, it’s important to store them properly. Keeping them upright helps maintain their shape and prevents the buildup of bacteria inside from lingering moisture on their heads. For extra protection once morest dirt and dust particles, you can also store them in protective cases or bags when not in use.
What regarding beauty blenders and sponges?
When cleaning your beauty blenders and sponges, it is important to use the correct products. Whether you’re using distilled water or a specific cleanser like the Beauty Blender Solid Cleanser you’ll find at Sephora, make sure it’s specially formulated for makeup tools and not a generic product. This will help protect your tools from damage and make them last as long as possible. You can also use an ultra mild and hypoallergenic baby soap.
It is necessary to wet the sponge before applying foundation, concealer or any other makeup product. However, it can also leave residue that needs to be removed by deep cleaning.
To clean following each use, gently squeeze out excess water and lightly rub the soap solution onto both sides of the beauty blender or sponge in circular motions until all residue is gone. Then rinse with running water until all the soap has been removed. It’s also important to squeeze the remaining water out of the sponge, being careful not to stretch its fibers too much, as they may degrade more quickly over time. Once your beauty blenders and sponges have been cleaned, let them air dry completely before putting them away; this keeps bacteria and mold away while preserving their longevity.
And don’t forget to replace them every couple of months or so, as they tend to trap bacteria over time.
A few tips to keep in mind to keep your skin healthy while using a makeup set.
- Use separate brushes for different areas of your face. For example one for foundation, one for eye shadow and one for blush/contour/highlighter, to avoid cross-contamination of bacteria between different areas of the face.
- When applying makeup, apply light pressure and work product into skin by dabbing or patting rather than rubbing, to avoid irritation which may lead to dryness, redness, rashes or other skin problems.
- Invest in quality makeup brushes with soft bristles to help the product sink into the skin without irritating it too much.
- Avoid sharing your brushes and sponges with other people, this can increase the risk of transmitting bacteria and infections from one person to another.
- Always wash your hands before applying makeup.
