Throwback Thursday - HOW TO: Clean your makeup brushes

If you knew me back in the day, my makeup obsession started out on Tumblr. Lucky for me I use to be pretty pro-active with my posts and I still have my archive so here's a Throwback post that will always come back. As a makeup artist, some of the most common questions I get are related to brush care, so I'm gonna knock it off in today's post by answering one of my Instagram followers questions from last week;

What brush cleaner do you recommend? The interwebz says everything from proper brush cleanser to baby shampoo and even DIY mixtures of olive oil and other natural stuff...help!

Photo taken with my Samsung Galaxy S5

Different makeup artists will have various ways of cleaning their tools. I use baby shampoo because it’s gentle on the brush hairs. To be specific I buy this particular type of Baby Shampoo & Conditioner in one. I don't doubt that other brush cleansers won't do the job just as well but I prefer an all-in-one type cleaner. It also saves time from having to condition them separately since it's done in the first washing process. There are also other alternatives such as DIY washing detergent and olive oil. For me I find it hard to get the right mix, too much detergent will be too harsh on the brush hair or too much olive oil will leave the brush hairs too soft to pick up any product. Furthermore, different tools such as sponges and synthetic bristles will require different cleaners. As an MUA it's so important for me to ALWAYS have clean brushes so from me to you, here's my cleaning routine... 

You will need:

• Baby shampoo (I'm not that fussy, I use this brand) or makeup brush cleanser
• Paper towel
• Hand towel

 How to clean your brushes in 5 steps

1. Rinse them in warm water (not hot).
2. Place a small amount of shampoo on your palm and stroke the brush back and forth until it starts to lather up, continue doing this until you’re satisfied that there is no more colour on the brush. There are tools you can use to help the cleaning process such as this.
3. Rinse the brush again in warm water then brush it on the paper towel/hand towel to see if there is any remaining colour on the brush.
4. If needed, repeat step 2 until there is no more soap left in the hairs.
5. Squeeze the brush to remove an excess water then place it on your hand towel. Lie it flat, do not dry your brushes standing up. Alternatively you can buy brush dryers such as this.

Spot Cleaning (quick fix)

1. Spray a small amount of brush cleaner on white paper towel or tissue and stroke the brush back and forth until the colour is gone. Remember to be gently, you don't want to ruin the bristles.
2. Continue doing this until the colour is gone.

My picks are anything in a spray bottle. Be aware that some brush cleaners may contain alcohol so read the ingredients if you don't want particular chemicals in your cleaners.

Some great cleansers I've come across lately

• Benjabelle Organic Foaming Brush Wash
• Blender Cleanser
• MAC brush cleanser (great for spot cleaning)

 

Cleaning your sponges

If you know me as an MUA, you know my #1 tool is the Beauty Blender. Cleaning this is so simple, I prefer the Solid Cleaner. The cleaning process is similar to that of normal makeup brushes, just follow these simple steps;

1. Wet your sponge under warm water, and squeeze it a few times making sure it's wet all the way through.
2. Rub it on the Solid cleaner to collect some soap and then keep squeezing it until product comes out.
3. Wet your sponge by squeezing it under warm water until all the soap is gone.
4. If needed, repeat step 2 until there is no more soap left in your sponge.
5. Squeeze your sponge to remove an excess water then place it on your hand towel to dry.

TIP: For synthetic brushes (ie. lip brushes), if you can’t seem to get the makeup off, you can try using washing detergent for a deeper and stronger clean.