Answer this question honestly. When did you last clean your makeup brushes? I'm not judging you! Let's be honest, it may be weekly or monthly for most people but for Makeup Artists, it is EVERY DAY of having clients without fail.
I know what you're thinking...its a lot of effort! Basically, if you don't wash your brushes regularly, they can accumulate bacteria, dust and dirt. It has been proven that every time you use an unclean brush, you are spreading microbes that live on your skin. Gross. Bacteria living on your brushes = acne breakouts.
There are so many products out there to clean your brushes with, but the fancy products that companies sell you aren't necessarily any different to the products you have lying around at home.
What products do I need?
Baby shampoo or washing up liquid
A hair conditioner of your choice. Not essential.
A makeup brush cleaning mat. Again not essential, but if you are a Makeup Artist, I highly recommend getting one to prevent your hands from drying out. I purchased mine from Primark for £2.00.
Kitchen roll
If I was to be deep cleaning my brushes at the end of each day of having clients, I would firstly spot-clean my brushes. Spot-cleaning is what Makeup Artists do in-between each client to remove any product from the brushes before using them again. To do this, we use a fast-working spray that gets dispensed onto the brush directly. The brush is then swirled around on a piece of kitchen roll until no more makeup product is coming off onto the tissue. This may need to be repeated until you are completely satisfied with the cleanliness of your brushes. I currently use the MAC Brush Cleanser If they are your own brushes for personal use, you do not need to do this step (unless you want to).
My favourite Spot-Cleaners
Iso-Clean Makeup Brush Cleaner with Spray Bottle 500ml - this particular size is £24.50 but you can get smaller sizes to suit.
Cinema Secrets Professional Brush Cleaner Spray 60ml - £7.50, available in different sizes.
The steps
Rinse your brush in lukewarm water.
Apply a dollop of washing up liquid/ baby shampoo into the mat and begin swirling your brush until it is completely lathered in soap and bubbles.
Rinse your brush again until the water is running clear and your brush is free of product. Repeat again if necessary.
Repeat on all of your makeup brushes. Once all of your brushes are clean - lather your clean brush in a hair conditioner of your choice using the palm of your hand (or mat). I usually complete this step on all of my brushes to ensure that they will be super soft and fluffy. You can skip this step if you don't fancy doing it - go to step 6!
Rinse in lukewarm water and make sure that all of the conditioner has been washed out completely!
Grab a long piece of kitchen roll or a towel and lay it out on a flat surface. Place all of your clean brushes out on the kitchen roll/ towel spaced evenly so that they are not touching each other.
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