Makeup 101: How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes

Hello beauties!   It's that time again... Time to clean my makeup tools.  I thought it would be a good idea to blog about how I clean them!  When I first started dabbling in the makeup world,  I had no idea how to clean my brushes!  I would use them over and over and over again.  Looking back at it...that was kinda gross but then again, all teenagers go through a gross faze (no offense).  Well, since then, I have educated myself and I thought I would educate you all as well.  


So why do we clean our makeup tools?

Our used makeup brushes harbor old makeup, oil, dirt, and bacteria.  There is only one word for that....Ewwwwwww!  Who wants that all over their face?  NOBODY!!!!  This is why it is important to clean your brushes often.  I generally use my brushes a few times before I put them in the "do not use pile."  Between uses I will do spot cleaning with a makeup brush cleanser. Then, every two weeks, I do a deep cleaning of all my brushes.  

So what can you use?

These are just some of the cleaning products that I use.  Not all of them are necessary; I just want to give you beauties some options :)

Brush Cleaner

Dawn Antibacterial Dish Soap (or Baby Shampoo) and Olive Oil 

Solid or Liquid Brush/Sponge Cleanser or White Soap 

Kitchen Gloves and/or Rubber Oven Mitt

Bowl and Towel 

Spot Cleaning

I generally do spot cleaning between each and every use.  This is a super quick and easy way to clean the makeup off my brushes.  This is especially helpful when you're using colorful eyeshadows so you don't have any color left behind. The spot cleaning processes is very easy.    

 Step 1: Take your dirty makeup brush and your choice of cleanser.  If it's not in a spray bottle, you can make the process easier by purchasing one at the drug store.  Just spray 1-2 spritzes to the brush bristles.  

 Step 2: Take a paper towel (or makeup remover wipe) and in a circular motion, run the bristles over the towel.  

 And ta-da!  There you go...you have spot cleaned your makeup brush.  Easy, right?

Deep Cleaning Beauty Sponges

There are two methods that I use to deep clean my beauty sponges.  I do this after each and every use of the beauty sponge.  I use the Beauty Blender: Beauty Cleanser Solid or Liquid.  These products can be found online or in Sephora.  This product is a touch pricey so I also recommend a white bar of unscented soap.  I have used Dove or Cetaphil bar soap in the past with similar results.  If you prefer a liquid, you can also use dawn antibacterial liquid soap or baby shampoo.  

Step 1: Take your beauty sponge and run it under lukewarm water till its saturated.  

Step 2:  Rub the sponge into the solid cleanser or the bar soap in circular motions.  Really work the cleanser into the sponge so you can remove all the makeup residue.  

 Step 3: Once again, take the sponge and run it under lukewarm water while squeezing to remove all the gunk.  

-OR-

Step 2b:  Take the wet sponge an apply the liquid cleanser.  Work the product into the sponge.



Steps 1 and 3 are the same as above

And there you go!  A clean disinfected sponge.  

Deep Cleaning Makeup Brushes

There are also two methods I use to clean my makeup brushes. It just depends on how lazy I am feeling.  I either use a solid bar of soap or the solid beauty cleanser like we did above - or - I use a combination of dish soap and olive oil.  You may ask yourself...Why olive oil?  Well, the oil really helps to break down the makeup products especially with the dark eyeshadows.  It also conditions your brush bristles keeping them soft.  

Take a look at how dirty this makeup brush is!  

Step 1: Get the bristles of the brush wet. Make sure to keep the brush upside down.   

Step 2: In circular motions, run the bristles over the solid cleanser or the bar of soap.  You will see the makeup starting to break up while you do this.  

Step 3:  Work the brush with the product over an oven mitt or glove.  The reason why I use an oven mitt is because it has a ton of ridges to get the residue out.  

Step 4:  Run the brush under lukewarm water (with the brush facing downwards) to rinse the makeup and product out of the bristles.  Honestly, sometimes this step takes a bit of time because I can still feel that the brush is soapy.  Sometimes I will repeat steps 2 and 3 if the bristles aren't clean.  When the bristles are all clean, ring the water out between your thumb and your hand.   

Step 5:  All clean!  Now place the brush down on a towel and leave it to dry.  

-OR-

Using the liquid soap and a little bit of olive oil, mix them together in a bowl.  When I say a little bit, I mean a little bit!  Go for an 80/20 mixture of soap to olive oil.  Otherwise the bristles get too oily.   

 Step 2b: Dip the brush into the concoction.   

Repeat the other steps as directed above and you will have a clean brush!

So, a few helpful hints when you are cleaning your brushes.  These are things that I wish someone would have told me instead of finding out the hard way!  

• Cleaning your makeup tools will take some time!  I usually do it on an evening where I have an hour or two free.  I will have music playing or have my iPad in the background watching YouTube.  
• Use kitchen gloves.  The first time I tried doing this, my hands came out so pruney looking!
• Always point the makeup brushes down when you are wetting them.  If you get water into the ferrule of the brush it can separate the bristles from the glue or cause rust and destroy your brushes.  
• Make sure you clean out all the product from your brushes.  The residue can build up if not rinsed properly and affect the bristles and your next use.
• Let the brushes lie down flat or upside down to dry.  Do not place them right side up into a brush holder until they are completely dry.
• Let your brushes dry for 24 hours before reusing them. 

I hope you beauties found this edition of Makeup 101 helpful!  Please leave any comments, feedback, questions, or requests down below.  You can also follow me on Instagram and Twitter @geek2chicbeauty for updates, mini reviews, hauls, etc!  Stay Beautiful, Stay True!

Geek2Chic - Christine