Keeping Your Brushes Clean: The Essential Guide to Choosing a Brush Cleaner
Have you ever tried to blend out makeup using a brush that is, admittedly, past its prime? Not so great, is it? Using a clean, well-kept brush can improve your makeup application, and leave your skin looking flawless.
To keep your brushes in optimal condition, you need a brush cleaner. Today we’re covering what a brush cleaner is, why it’s important, and how to use it.
Why Cleaning Your Brushes Matters
Over time, if you aren’t keeping up with brush cleaning, they can start to get dirty. They absorb oil, collect dirt, and build up products from use.
This can cause skin issues, like breakouts and irritations, and lead to an uneven makeup application. Used correctly, a brush cleaner can help preserve the life of your brushes and help maintain skin health.
Picture applying your favorite blush color just for it to appear muddy and settled. This can happen as your makeup brush is likely covered in other colors from previous use. Fear not, a simple cleaning can help resolve this.
Types of Brush Cleaners to Consider
There are a few different types of brush cleaners, all with their own set of benefits, to cater to the needs of those who require a faster solution as well as those with a little more time to spare.
Liquid Cleaners
These are probably the most common and typically come in a bottle with an easily poured or sprayable formula. Liquid brush cleaners tend to dry quickly, which makes them great for daily use.
To clean with a liquid formula, you simply spray or apply it to the desired brush and wipe it dry. Allow it to rest and dry before giving it another use.
Solid Cleansers
These come in bar form and are used when you really want to give your brushes a good cleaning. Use these by wetting the brush, swirling it over the bar, rinsing, and repeating. They are generally very soft on your bristles but cut right through any built-up grime on the brush.
Brush Cleaning Pads or Mats
Brush cleaning pads and mats have tiny bumps and ridges, which help loosen debris from the bristles. This is very helpful for brushes that are tightly packed because the exfoliating texture can penetrate bristles for a deep clean.
Quick-Drying Sprays
Quick-dry sprays are a good addition to a refillable brush cleaner. These formulas are best for professional situations, or if you are in a rush to clean brushes in between clients. Therefore, give a few spritzes, and they will be clean and dry in mere minutes. A great swap-in for other products, these cleaning solutions are a must-have for busybody makeup mavens.
How to Clean Your Brushes Using a Brush Cleaner
- Rinse Your Brush: Before you get to the deep cleaning, rinse your brush under lukewarm water to get rid of any leftover residue. The key word is rinse. Don’t soak your brush, as it can loosen the glue that keeps the bristles together.
- Apply the Cleaner: Again, depending on your makeup brush cleaner, you’ll want to apply a small amount of the solution to the bristles. Liquid cleaner? You can pour some on a towel or spray it on there. Solid cleaner? Gently rub the bristles against the cleanser.
- Swirl on a Cleaning Mat: If you use a cleaning pad or mat just swirl your brush on the textured surface to get off any leftover debris, particularly for the thicker-bristled makeup brushes.
- Rinse and Reshape: Rinse the brush under running water until completely clean. Squeeze out excess liquid, then reshape bristles with your fingers.
- Dry the Brush: Lay flat on a towel to air dry or prop brush bristles up with brush guards or by dangling upside down. This step helps prevent water from entering the ferrule, which eventually weakens the glue that holds the bristles in place.
Clean Brushes for a Flawless Finish
Brush maintenance is one small step but makes a truly big difference in your beauty routine. A good brush cleaner works to not only extend your tool’s life but also provide a better makeup application.
