Why You Need to Clean Your Makeup Brushes Stat!

Over time, your brushes become dirty; there’s no denying that. Between getting ready in a rush and spending hours attempting the perfect eyeshadow gradient, we can end up with a dirty brush or two. But your brushes might be carrying more grime than you thought.

Leftover makeup on your brush is one thing, but what if we told you there’s hidden muck lurking in the bristles of your brushes. That’s right, your brushes are carrying more than just specks of glitter, and you’re going to want to handle the situation stat.

A brush cleaning regimen is something you should think about just as much as your makeup and skincare routines. All three self-care practices bring you happier skin and brighter looks.

Why Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes Is Important

Keep Your Skin Happy

The grime on your brushes isn’t just grime; it’s also a trigger for breakouts and unhappy skin. Your makeup brushes carry bacteria, dead skin cells, oil, and whatever other debris they’re catching in the air (yikes).

If you’re not cleaning your brushes, all of that gunk is basically hitching a ride onto your skin right alongside your makeup. Y’know where excess oils and bacteria love to hide away? Your precious, precious pores.

Your skin naturally sweats and secretes sebum, but dirty makeup brushes pile that all back on right after you’ve washed and prepped your face for makeup application. All that good skin-pampering goes to waste when you let a dirty brush crash the party.

Using clean brushes means the only thing going from brush to skin is the makeup you apply. Keeping your makeup brushes clean can help minimize breakouts and keep your skin clean, ready for whatever makeup look you’re going for.

Get That Impeccable Smooth Finish

That grime we mentioned before doesn’t only get into your pores; it can also lay right on top of your skin and below your makeup. Dirt and bacteria can keep makeup from applying smoothly onto your skin.

Lumps and bumps in your makeup can create a cakey look or just remove the natural feel from your foundation. A smoother surface makes applying, layering, and blending your makeup much easier. If you were having issues with a smokey eye before, clean your brushes and give it another go! You’ll find yourself surprised by how flawless your eyeshadow blends out.

Make Your Brushes Last Longer

It’s not the first time you’ve heard it, and it won’t be the last: take care of your possessions, especially your makeup brushes. 

It’s easy to start neglecting your brushes over time, but you have to keep reminding yourself of all the makeup looks, vacations, and emergencies they got you through. You don’t want to neglect that tried and tested relationship.

Washing your makeup brushes regularly can help them last longer and make them so much more worth the initial investment. Taking care of what you own is also an important  sustainability practice as well; the more uses you get out of one brush, the fewer brushes need to be manufactured each year.

Taking care of your brushes by washing and safely storing them away prevents frays, bunching, and dullness, allowing you to get more uses out of them.

Best Way To Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Now that we’ve got you convinced, we’re not just going to leave you hanging without a tutorial. Here’s your new makeup brush washing routine:

1. Wet the bristles with lukewarm water.
2. Place a drop of makeup brush cleanser, shampoo, or liquid soap into the palm of your clean hand. (Try to use an antibacterial soap to breakdown the stubborn buildup in your brushes)
3. In your palm, deep clean the grime out of the brush hairs.
4. Rinse the bristles thoroughly but gently, try to avoid any pulling movements.
5. Squeeze out excess moisture with a clean washcloth or towel.
6. Re-form the brush head back into its original shape.
7. Let the brush air dry with its bristles hanging off the edge of a counter. If you leave your brushes flat on a surface or towel, they won’t dry in the correct shape and can keep overly damp.

Cleaning your brushes should be a ritual that you incorporate into your life at least once a week. We shed dead skin and produce oils every day, so the buildup of grime can happen pretty quickly; it’s best to stay on top of it all.

Clean and Comfy

A clean brush means comfier skin, smoother makeup applications, and a longer-lasting tool to rely on; the smallest changes can make the greatest differences. 

If you’ve been keeping up with your skincare routine but are still seeing breakouts, it might be a sign to start taking better care of your brushes. If you’ve bought a silky smooth foundation or eyeshadow that isn’t living up to the hype, it could be due to poor brush maintenance. And if it feels like a new set of makeup brushes is on your wish list every month, time to turn your care levels up a notch.

The upkeep of your makeup brushes might be what was missing all along. Invest in a brush set that you adore and treat it with some extra love and attention.