Ok, so be honest: When was the last time you cleaned your make up brushes? If they’re currently caked in makeup and you can’t remember the original colour of the bristles, it’s probably time to make friends with a cleanser.
“Layers of oil from your skin, mixed with makeup pigments and dead skin cells, make brushes a breeding ground for bacteria,” reveals makeup artist, Caroline Barnes, who works with Pixie Lott.
And this isn’t exactly good news for your skin…
What using dirty brushes does to your skin
‘If you are one of those people that does all the right things and yet can’t understand why you have rashes and spots, take a look at the tools you use to apply your products with,’ says Lynne Sanders, cosmetic scientist and founder of Cosmetics a La Carte.
With the daily grime comes consequences like breakouts, congestion and skin irritation. Let alone the brushes limp, clogged bristles that no longer blend evenly. At worst, it can also lead to infections, like folliculitis.
Think your beauty blender is exempt? Hell no. That bouncy sponge can harbour just as much filth (if not more) than a brush and should be cleaned regularly, as well as replaced every three months.
And it’s an even bigger no-no for sharing unclean makeup applicators – it’s the ultimate sin, and virus-spreader, including cold sores and conjunctivitis. It’s the reason pros clean their brushes after every use.
Steps on how to clean your brush
You probably don’t need much more convincing after reading about dirty brushes, but clean makeup brushes will also leave the skin far more radiant and ensure your favourite cosmetics glide on like a dream. Here, makeup pro, Christabel Draffin, reveals her brush cleaning routine in four simple steps.
1. Dip each brush individually under hot running water, and then into a bowl of gentle shampoo or soap and rub gently with fingers to get a good lather for a few minutes.
2. Hold brushes under running water, checking until there’s no lather left on it. Hold for a further 2-3 seconds, ensuring they are sparkling clean.
3. If there is still residue on the brush, I repeat the process. If not, I squeeze the water out of the brush and lay it flat on a towel next to the sink to dry.
4. After all of the brushes are washed, I lay them in a neat row underneath the radiator (if you stack them on top of each other, they don’t dry properly and smell strange – not good!)
