How To Clean Your Makeup Brushes

When I looked up how often you are supposed to clean your makeup brushes, I gasped. Some dermatologists recommend daily cleaning, and others say at least once a week. Me? I haven’t washed them in probably 4 months, and this weekend I finally needed to clean them.

I know it is gross that I barely wash my brushes, but I have a few different sets and rotate them out and I kind of like when they have some makeup residue on them because I feel like it helps blend my makeup better and the brushes are sort of primed. Nonetheless, they were starting to get to the point where I could do my eye makeup with the leftover eyeshadow and I was ready to wash my collection.

Since I wash my brushes so infrequently, I wanted to know I was doing it the best way possible.  I have tried a few Pinterest concoctions ranging from vinegar and soap to different oils, but felt like I wasn’t getting the best results. The Dawn Dish Soap mixed with olive oil and white vinegar worked well to clean them, but left my brushes smelling really gross. Then the recipes that call for mostly oil left them sticky and needing another wash. So I figured I would ask what all the wonderful bloggers and beauty gurus I follow on Instagram do. I was thankful for all the suggestions and interested in learning everyone’s go-to brush cleaning methods.

I got a few recommendations to try Sephora’s brush cleaning spray as well as Clinique’s brush wash. I definitely want to pick one of them up on my next trip to the black hole that is Sephora, but in the meantime I tried out another frequently suggested method; Shampoo. I loved suggestions with tea-tree oil and other ingredients, but when so many ladies suggested using their favorite shampoo to clean their brushes I went with that since I had a few options to choose from in my shower.

I chose this Shampoo that I get at Costco because it is sulfate-free and really gentle on my hair so I figured it would be the same on my brushes, plus it smells amazing as in inexpensive compared to my nicer Wella shampoo. For the ladies looking for a vegan option, this Kirkland shampoo is 100% vegan!  I was also suggested to use Monat shampoo that is all natural and vegan, but I am sure anything from Whole Foods would fit the bill.

I also decided to do a little bit of Olive Oil to merge my pinterest experiences but next time think I will stick to just shampoo.

What I Used:

• Favorite Shampoo (Sulfate-free)
• Olive Oil
• Warm Water
• Tupperware
• Paper Towel
• Towel

What I did:

1. Start by drizzling Olive Oil and Shampoo into the bottom of a tupperware container.
2. Fill the container with warm water and create lots of suds.
3. Submerge brushes into soapy mixture and swirl the brush along the side of the bin to help work out the makeup.
4. Let brushes soak in the mixture.
5. Pour out dirty water and add more shampoo into the bin over the brushes then fill with more warm water.
6. Let sit again. I ended up running errands that took longer than expected so they probably soaked for 40 minutes but when I came back all the remaining makup had settled on the bottom and the brushes were so soft and clean.
7. I rinsed them off and reshaped the with a paper towel to get the excess water off.
8. Place them on a super absorbent towel so that each brush head has room.
9. After an hour or two, flip the brushes so the other side can dry and place them in the opposite direction so it is on a dry spot of the towel.
10. Wait till they are all dry and your brushes are good to go!