How To Clean Makeup Brushes

An artist is only as good as their tools and that rule applies to makeup, too! Makeup brushes are an integral part of most makeup routines; without them, smokey eyes would be unblended, foundation would be streaky and applying powders would simply just not be possible.

Taking care of your makeup brushes is important for so many reasons – but how do you go about giving them a really good deep clean? Which cleaning products should you use? How often should you be cleaning them?

So many questions… but luckily, our guide has the answers. Read on to find out how to clean your makeup brushes properly and in only 4 easy steps. 

There are two major reasons why your makeup brushes need to be cleaned:

To maintain brush quality

Regularly cleaning your makeup brushes properly will keep them in good condition for as long as possible. 

Brushes that are left with oily, greasy makeup on their bristles for a long period of time will not only be more difficult to clean, you’ll lose more bristles in the cleaning process thanks to the effort required to remove the dirt. Brushes that are left dirty for a long time will also lose softness, fluffiness and perform at a lower level than those that have been cared for. 

Not only that, unclean makeup brushes can spread greasy makeup wherever you put them – inside your makeup bag, for example. 

To keep your face clean and healthy

As you use them, makeup brushes are constantly collecting oil, dirt and bacteria from your skin, products and the environment around them. 

Dirty makeup brushes then spread this grime and bacteria on to your face with each use – this can exacerbate conditions such as acne, and even cause nastier conditions like conjunctivitis in the eyes. 

First things first, prevention is always better than cure, so we recommend spot cleaning your brushes regularly. 

How to clean makeup brushes quickly

Spot cleaning makeup brushes is a quick and easy task! This is useful for makeup brushes that were already clean, but you’ve used; it’s a simple way of getting surface dirt off the brush and prolonging the time in between deep cleaning sessions. 

What do you need?

• Tissues
• Water spray or makeup brush cleaner

Step 1: Grab a couple of layers of tissue and spritz with water or brush cleaner. 

Step 2: Wipe the brush bristles side to side over the wet tissue in sweeping motions. 

Step 3: Swirl the brush around on the wet tissue, making sure to use the tips of the bristles. 

Step 4: Repeat this process on a clean, dry tissue to remove the moisture from the brush. 

Do you really need to clean all the brushes you use daily? 

In short, no. 

Brushes that are used to apply liquid products, like foundations or cream blusher, need to be spot cleaned daily. They’re the most likely to build up a stock of bacteria and grime in their bristles. The same goes for blending sponges! Bacteria prefers wet conditions, so they’ll thrive the most on these types of brushes and sponges. 

Any brush used close to the eyeball should also be cleaned daily: eyeliner brushes or mascara spoolies, for example. 

For brushes that are used to apply powder products, like bronzer or eyeshadow, once per week (or every two weeks if you don’t wear makeup daily) should do the trick!

How to wash makeup brushes for a deeper clean

Generally, it’s best to wash your makeup brushes thoroughly once per week if you use makeup every day. For sensitive or acne prone skin, you might want to increase this to twice per week!

Deep cleaning brushes gets deep into the bristles to unearth grease, grime and dead skin cells. 

What do you need?

• Makeup brush cleaner or baby shampoo
• A soft towel
• Warm running water
• Brush cleaning tool (optional)

Step 1: Wet & lather up

Select a brush to wash, and wet the bristles thoroughly with warm water. Squirt a penny-sized amount of baby soap or makeup brush cleaner into the palm of your hand. Swirl the brush around in the soap until it’s nice and lathered up, ensuring all the bristles are coated. 

For sponges, run warm water over them until fully soaked, then massage in soap or cleaner until saturated. 

Step 2: Use a makeup brush cleaning mat

If you like, you can use a brush cleaning mat or tool to really get deep down into those bristles. Sweep and swirl the soapy brush bristles across the textured surface of the mat. Don’t forget to give the mat a quick rinse after each brush!

Step 3: Rinse

Rinse out all the soap under warm running water. It’s crucial that you point the brush bristles down toward the ground when rinsing – if water makes its way from the bristles up into the brush’s handle, it can damage and loosen bristles over time. If possible, don’t get the handle wet at all. 

Rinse sponges thoroughly, squeezing regularly until all the soapy suds are gone. 

Step 4: Squeeze out and dry

With the brush still pointing toward the ground, squeeze as much water as possible from the brush bristles. Don’t pull or tug the bristles to avoid any of them loosening and coming out. 

Shape the damp brush bristles with your hand, then lay them flat on a soft towel to dry. 

Wrap cleansed sponges in a soft towel, squeeze to soak up some moisture, then leave to dry. 

Ta-da! Clean, soft and shiny makeup brushes. 

Sometimes, cleaning just isn’t good enough.

If you have a makeup brush that’s particularly old or particularly gross (one that’s never been cleaned since it’s purchase, for example!), you’re better off replacing it.

One of the first signs that an old brush needs replacing is bristle loss: if you notice a few bristles left behind on your face after using it, it’s probably time to bin the brush – the bristles are most likely falling out due to deterioration within the handle, which could even harbour hidden bacteria and mould.

At McGorisks, we only stock the best products out there, so you can rest assured our makeup brushes are of the highest quality. 

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