How to clean your make-up brushes
When was the last time you washed your makeup brushes? If you're anything like us, you're probably ashamed to answer that question.
However, think about it. When you leave your brushes in the bathroom, the heat and moisture, combined with the naturally occurring bacteria by the sink and the faeces-flecked mist from the toilet every time you flush, creates the perfect breeding conditions for all kinds of nasties.
You may have a clean complexion, but apply a germ-infested makeup brush with caked-on sebum, dust, dead skin cells and remnants from hair products lingering between the bristles and you're putting yourself at risk of breakouts and allergies. You cringe at only washing your bed sheets every three weeks, and yet you put that thing to your face every morning? Wiping a concentrated mass of grease and grime over your T-zone can't be good for anyone.
Dirty tools aren't as effective when it comes to putting on makeup either. When working with a clean brush, you know exactly what colours you're applying and can better distribute the product. And don't forget your eyelash curler - product build-up on your curler can stick to hair, pulling out precious lashes every time you use it. Give it a good wipe down with an alcohol-soaked cotton bud if you can't be bothered replacing the pad.
It's good practice to wash your brushes every one to three weeks. Giving them a good clean on the regular keeps them in good shape and prolongs their life. When you can start to see caked foundation in the bristles, you know you've gone too long.
Here are five simple steps for keeping your make-up brushes (and your others cosmetics) fresh and clean.
1. Wash
Gather your brushes and sponges and rinse them in lukewarm water. Always turn the brushes so that the water runs down the length of the bristles. This prevents water from streaming into the ferrule (a fancy-pants word for the metal bit where the bristles connect to the handle), which can weaken the glue and shorten its lifespan. Wash your tools with baby shampoo, rinsing as you go.
2. Repeat
Continue washing until the water runs clear. (Watching that colour run into the sink is the most satisfying thing.) To draw out the debris without ruining your brushes, swirl them against your palm using light pressure.
3. Disinfect
Why drop coin on brush cleaners and wipes when you can DIY? Create an effective disinfecting solution by mixing one-part vinegar to two parts water. Swirl your brushes in here for a minute without fully submerging the ferrules.
4. Dry
Squeeze the excess water out of the sponges and brushes and reshape the bristles, paying special attention to pointy tips and contour brushes. Let them dry by laying them out flat on a tea towel, rotating once or twice so they maintain their shape.
5. Spray and wipe
As for the rest of your makeup collection, get a spray bottle of rubbing alcohol to spritz onto lipsticks and mist a tissue with the solution to wipe off the surface of your bronzers, blushes and eye shadows. Your makeup, face and OCD side will thank you for it.
Do you have a different method for cleaning your make-up brushes to share with the community? Let us know in the comments below.
Written by Kathleen Lee Joe. First appeared on Stuff.co.nz.
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