Taking Care of Your Makeup Brushes, articles, fashion beauty

Taking Care of Your Makeup Brushes

by Ariane Boisvert
published June 06, 2012

rating: (63 Ratings)

Make your beauty tools last

If you look inside any makeup fanatic’s toolbox, you will likely find cosmetic brushes. However, some of these makeup lovers may not know the basics when it comes to taking care of their tools, or don’t make the effort to clean them regularly. Know that by not keeping the bristles of cosmetic brushes sanitized, you risk the appearance of blemishes. Also, in order to keep those handy helpers around for a long time, you need to be good to your brushes.

1. Daily cleaning

Whether you use a makeup brush for your complexion, eyes or lips, it should ideally be washed after each use. For a quick clean, we like an antibacterial solution designed for just this purpose and packaged in a spray bottle. Spritz the bristles a couple of times and gently remove any excess product with an absorbent cloth. It’s as simple as that!

Makeup Brush Cleanser, $16.50 at Clinique counters

Some brush cleansers come in disposable tissue form. They’re the less environmentally friendly choice and can be easily replaced by products packaged in screw top bottles. Just put a good amount of the product on a cotton cloth (an old facecloth will do the trick) and clean your brushes without any muss or fuss.

Makeup Brush Cleanser, $15.50 at M.A.C. counters

2. Weekly cleaning

Depending on how often you use them, makeup brushes also need to be cleaned more thoroughly on a weekly or monthly basis. To do so, you can shampoo the bristles with a gentle product, such as baby shampoo. There are also formulas specially designed for this purpose available at pharmacies and beauty counters.

Be sure to only immerse the bristles in water when washing the brushes in order to avoid damaging the handle, especially if it’s made of wood or metal. Swirl the bristles gently, being careful not to twist them, so they don’t lose their shape. To dry, lay the brushes flat on a paper towel.

Sephora Purifying Brush Shampoo, $8 in stores and online

And for the cherry on top, we present the makeup brush set we’d love to see take pride of place in our own bathroom. Tangerine Tango, Pantone’s colour for 2012, is perfect for the sunny days to come.

Pantone Universe Tangerine Tango Brush Set by Sephora, $82 in stores or online.

Tag(s): beauty, makeup, makeup brushes