Brushes are a major and integral makeup investment. Follow these easy steps to protect them long into the future!
I recommend washing your brushes about once a week for solo use. If you are using brushes on multiple people it is essential that they be cleaned after each use. This not only removes product and bacterial build-up but also makes your blending easier resulting in more beautiful makeup on your face. It also extends the life of your brushes. Several of my favorite brushes are 7-10 years old and they are just as good now as they were the day I bought them.
There are two basic ways to clean brushes - with water and shampoo or using a brush cleaner that does not require rinsing - and each comes with its advantages and disadvantages. I prefer to use a combination of the two depending on how dirty my brushes are and what sort of time constraint I am dealing with.
When I use a brush cleaner, I prefer to use the brush cleaner from Cinema Secrets but there are other options that you can spray on your brushes (the method of cleaning is the same for both of these). The advantage of using a brush cleaner is the ease and how quickly it dries. The disadvantage is that some brushes may need to be cleaned several times to get all the product out. Additionally, some brush cleaners have really greasy ingredients in their formulas and it can makeup your brushes feel a little yucky so be sure to research products before you use them.
When using Cinema Secrets brush cleaner, I recommend using the metal tin they provide. Fill it with a half inch of cleaner and start by cleaning the smallest of your brushes to ensure that the product lasts longer. Dip the entire head of the small brushes or just the tips of large brushes into the cleaner and wipe your brushes on a towel until no more makeup is coming off of them and they are relatively dry. If your brushes are dirtier or if it is a nylon brush such as a foundation or concealer brush, you may need to repeat this.
When I clean with a shampoo, I like to use a baby shampoo. This is typically a very gentle product and won't strip the bristles. Make sure to stay away from a product with sulfates as these are very drying. The advantage of cleaning with a shampoo is the squeaky clean factor. My brushes always feel so amazingly soft once they've dried and I love being able to see all the brown liquid rinse away down the drain. The disadvantage is that it can take several hours for your brushes to dry. I like to shampoo my brushes at night time to ensure they will be dry by morning.
I start with a small amount of shampoo in the palm of my hand and wet the brush I am about to clean with some warm (not hot!) water. Then I swirl the brush through the shampoo and massage the shampoo into the bristles to make sure they get really clean. I finish up by rinsing them thoroughly with warm water, repeating if necessary, gently squeezing them to ring out any excess water. Always lay your brushes flat to dry with the tips hanging over the edge of the counter rather than standing them on end. If you want to hydrate your brushes you can always work a little olive or jojoba oil into the bristles.
Good luck and happy makeup! xo
Amy Gillespie, makeup, makeup artist, makeup artistry, Portland Oregon makeup artist, makeup brushes, how to clean brushes, Cinema Secrets
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