GirlsGuideTo | Beauty How-To: Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

Unlike your eye shadows and mascaras, makeup brushes are meant to last awhile. Quality makeup brushes are an investment, and to get a great return on that investment you need them to last. Ensure their quality through proper storage, cleaning, and use. Here are 4 simple steps to keep your brushes clean and in superior condition.

You Will Need:

All of Your Makeup Brushes
Paper Towels
Mild Shampoo or Hand Soap*

Follow these 4 steps:

First, wet the hairs of the brush under tepid to warm running water from your faucet. Make sure the hairs are pointing downward at all times. You do not want to get water up in the handle, because it may loosen the glue.

Next, squirt a small amount of mild shampoo or hand soap into your hand. Swirl the damp brush into your hand and gently work some of the soap from the top of the bristles down to the ends. Add water when needed.

Rinse, with the brush angled downward. Continue “shampooing” and rinsing until all the water runs clear.

Finally, store the brushes on their sides to dry. Take this opportunity to reshape the brush as well, just by using your hands to recreate the original shape. Allow the brushes to dry completely before use.

You’ll be amazed how much softer your brushes will feel just from a good cleaning. Plus, if you suffer from acne, keeping clean brushes will prevent any extra bacteria and oils from contacting your skin. For best results, clean your brushes at least once a month depending on your use.

*There are also cleansers available made specifically for cleaning brushes, such asbeautyblenderandSephorabrands.

How do you clean your makeup brushes? Share your techniques in the comments below!