Beauty on a Budget: How to Clean and Extend the Life of Your Makeup Brushes
Beauty is pain; more specifically, beauty is pain for your wallet. However, with the proper beauty supply care, this doesn’t have to be the case! How many times have you replaced a makeup brush prematurely because of a botched cleaning attempt?
Though the intent is a good one, cleaning your brushes without following the proper procedure can cause them to fall apart. But not washing them at all will shorten their life too. Never fear! Your efforts can lead to extending the life of your beauty products instead of their untimely demise if you simply adhere to the following washing instructions.
Powder Puffs
These applicators will last the shortest amount of time; however, you can still extend the life of these brushes with weekly cleanings. Gently massage soap (or baby shampoo) and water into the puff, rinse it, squeeze out the excess water, and put it out to dry.
Natural Bristle Brushes
Natural bristle brushes can last for years if they are given the proper care. This applicator is often used for bronzer, blush, and powder foundation. Wash these brushes weekly in one of these two methods:
- If dark makeup is used, clean the brush with a moisturizing white bar soap. Rinse the bar in water, and then spin the brush on top of the soap until lathered. Rub the soap through the brush, ensuring that the soap cleans the entire brush. Rinse the brush until the water runs clear.
- If you use neutral or light makeup, use a gentle shampoo to clean the soft bristle brushes. Massage the shampoo throughout the bristles in order to clean the brush from root to tip. Again, rinse the brush until the water runs clear.
Synthetic Bristle Brushes
Synthetic bristle brushes, commonly used for cream or liquid products, generally last between 4 to 5 months when they are cared for properly. These brushes should be cleaned every other day.
Purchase an alcohol-based brush cleaner. The alcohol will break down the grease left by your lipstick, gloss, and other creamy products. Dip the brush head in the cleaner and massage through the bristles until they are clean.
How to Dry Your Brushes
After cleaning a brush, gently squeeze a towel around the bristles to remove excess liquid. Then place the brush on a dry towel, and hang the bristles off the edge of a hard surface, like a table or counter top. Try to place it near windows or a heater while drying.
While beauty products will always require some financial investment, you can extend the life of each of your applicators by giving them the proper care.
At Canadian Beauty College, the makeup courses we offer at our makeup school in Toronto will provide an in-depth understanding of proper care for beauty products and more! Call us at 416-901-9422 to learn more about the classes we offer.
We have 5 locations across Ontario including Vaughan, Barrie, Bolton, Newmarket, and Toronto. Contact us today for more information or to register for classes in September!