Makeup Brush Maintenance

One thing that seems like common sense, but often gets overlooked in a makeup lover's routine is cleaning the brushes that are used to apply your makeup. Of course, some clean their brushes after every single use, and it's a great habit to get into, but most of us don't' have the time to do that or it just slips our minds. 

It almost goes without saying that it's very important to keep your makeup brushes clean. Not only does regular cleaning ensure that your makeup looks great every time you put it on, but it also prevents bacteria from building up and causing breakouts. 

You should try to wash your brushes as often as you can but certain brushes certainly need to be cleaned more often than others.  Brushes used for powders like eye shadows and loose or pressed powders should ideally be cleaned at least once a week. 

The brushes that you use for creams, concealers and liquid foundations should really be cleaned daily or after each use.  These brushes in particular can build up a lot of bacteria very quickly because of how the product and natural oil from your skin settle into the bristles. 

There are a lot of products on the market from companies like Clinique, M.A.C, Sephora and many others that are made for cleaning makeup brushes and the prices can range anywhere from $5-$15 a bottle. However, for the money conscious makeup geek, using a mild soap or shampoo can work just as well and achieve just as thorough a clean.        

One important thing to remember about washing makeup brushes is, after you've washed them, to never let them dry with the handles facing down and the bristles pointing up. Letting your brushes dry like this will allow water to seep down into the glue that holds the bristles together and eventually even the nicest brush will begin to fall apart.

A great way to dry your brushes is to take a towel with one side rolled up and place your brushes with the handles on the rolled up part of the towel so that the brushes are angled slightly downward.  Some brushes will take longer to dry than others but make sure that each brush is completely dry before using it.

Once you get into the habit of cleaning your makeup brushes regularly you'll be amazed at the difference you'll see in the quality of your brushes and the overall health of your skin.