How To Clean & Disinfect Your Makeup Brushes

Cleaning your makeup brushes is effective in preventing acne causing bacteria from accumulating on your tools. Cleaning and disinfecting them regularly will prevent pore clogging breakouts, will soften the bristles of your brushes, and supports optimal makeup application. Not cleaning your brushes can cause dead skin cells to also gather on your brushes, this can transfer into your makeup causing it to be a home for bacteria to grow. Beside the fact that cleaning your makeup brushes is a great way to practice great hygiene, dirty brushes alters the efficacy of your products. For example, your bronzer may appear streaky, or your foundation may not properly set due to over saturated bacteria breeding brushes. Below is an affordable simple recipe that you can make with household products. This technique will clean and disinfect your brushes.

Step 1: Mix two parts of antibacterial dish soap to one part of extra-virgin olive oil in a clean bowl or plate (do not use paper products, as the oil will seep through).

Step 2: Grab your first brush and wet it slightly with lukewarm water. Make sure the brush stays bristle-side down throughout the entire process. If water gets into the middle tube part that holds the brush together, it can loosen the glue, causing the bristles to fall out.

Step 3: Dip the damp brush into the soap mixture and saturate the brush in the mixture. Next, work the mixture into the bristles using the palm of your hand and fingers. Continue until the soapy residue is makeup free.

Step 4: Rinse the brushes under lukewarm water until no soap runs from the bristles.

Step 5: Roll a dish towel like you would a yoga mat, drape a paper towel over the towel that way most of the paper towel hangs off. (The paper towel should look like a slide coming down from the dish towel). Next, arrange the brush so the top of the handle sits on top of the towel, pitching the rest of the brush down onto the paper towel. This will allow your brushes to dry on a slant, while keeping moisture away from the inner tubes for .

Repeat these steps with any remaining brushes that needs to be cleaned. Some may take two washings to get completely clean, depending on the amount of residue left behind. Allow them to dry overnight, and repeat about once a month.