How to Properly Clean Your Make-up Tools
Whether you wear make-up every day or just for special occasions, most of us turn to tools to help achieve a flawless finish. However, a shocking 61% of women clean their brushes and sponges less than once a month if it all according to a 2015 survey. Not only does this mean that you won’t be getting the best results from your tools, but you’re potentially opening yourself up to developing acne due to the bacteria build up or even dermatitis which is a medical condition where skin becomes irritated and inflamed.
Most of us would probably think that running a brush under a warm tap will do the trick, but it won’t properly clean the brush and can leave behind makeup and grime. Read on for our guide on how to properly clean your make-up tools.
How often should you clean them?
If you wear a lot of makeup every day or are a make-up artist, then you should clean your bushes every day to keep them in good condition and stop a build-up of product from happening.
For anyone who wears make-up every couple of days or only lightly uses a brush to say pat in product then you need to clean them once a week. This applies to foundation brushes, concealer brushes or powder brushes.
Eyeshadow brushes should really be cleaned in-between every new colour that they’re used for however to make sure you get the best results and no transfer from the previous product.
How should you do it? – Brushes
Brushes, especially those made with natural hairs, need a gentle soap or makeup cleanser to really clean them without damaging the bristles. Run the brush under lukewarm water and put a small amount of mild soap or cleanser in the palm of your hand. Use the brush head to massage the product around in circles and thoroughly coat the bristles.
Run the brush back under clean water and be surprised at just how much product they can cling onto. You can repeat this process if you think the brush isn’t completely clean. When it is, gently squeeze the bristles to remove water and lightly pat them dry with a clean towel and reshape the bristles. Never let your brushes fully dry on a towel as they could become mildewed, instead, let them dry on a clean, flat surface.
How should you do it – Sponges
Much like brushes, you can use soap or a cleanser to get your sponges squeaky clean again. While some people say that microwaving sponges in soapy water does the trick, we wouldn’t recommend it as there’s a much easier way to do it without the risk of burning your house down.
Like a brush, wet the sponge thoroughly with lukewarm water and place soap or cleanser in your hand. This time roll the sponge in the product until it is completely covered. Massage the product into the sponge, kneading and squeezing to make sure that the centre will have absorbed the soap or cleanser.
Squeeze the sponge firmly to remove excess soap, rinse under the tap and squeeze again. You may want to repeat the rinse and squeeze a couple of times to really make sure that there is no soapy residue left behind as sponges are trickier to clean. When the residue and excess water has been squeezed out, pat the sponge with a clean towel and leave to dry.