Content

• To step
• Method 1 of 3: Clean lightly soiled makeup brushes
• Method 2 of 3: Clean heavily soiled makeup brushes
• Method 3 of 3: Maintain and keep your brushes clean
• Tips
• Warnings
• Necessities

Rinse the bristles of the brushes under lukewarm tap. Dip the brushes in a cup of water and baby shampoo. Give the mixture a quick stir and then rinse the hair with lukewarm water. Pat the hair dry and bring it back into shape. Then let them dry. When the hair is dry, make it soft and fluffy with your fingers.

To step

Method 1 of 3: Clean lightly soiled makeup brushes

1. Check out the brushes. Have you used the powder-based or cream-based makeup brushes? If you used the brushes for cream-based make-up, you should clean them more thoroughly than brushes you used for powder-based make-up. To do this, follow the steps in the section on cleaning heavily soiled makeup brushes.
2. Rinse the bristles of the brushes under lukewarm tap. Do not let water get under the metal part of the handle as this will release the glue that holds the bristles. Run water through the hair until you have mostly rinsed off the old make-up. Make sure you hold the brushes diagonally downwards in the water jet. The brushes can be damaged if water gets under the metal part of the handle.
   • Do not use hot water as the heat can damage the hair.
3. Fill a small bowl or cup with a little water. You need 60 ml of lukewarm water. Do not use hot water as the heat can damage the hair.
4. Pour a little baby shampoo into the water. Add 1 teaspoon of baby shampoo to the water in the cup and gently stir to mix the shampoo into the water.
   • If you don't have baby shampoo, use liquid castile soap instead.
5. Dip the brushes in the mixture and stir with the mixture. You should only stir the mixture with the bottom half of the bristles to avoid getting the handle wet too.
6. Remove the brushes from the mixture. Loosen the makeup residue and dirt by gently massaging the soapy water into the hair with your fingers.
7. Rinse the hair under a lukewarm tap. Continue to massage the hair while holding it under running water. Stop when the water is completely clear. Do not get the handle wet.
8. Pat the hair dry. Use a towel to gently remove some of the moisture. Fold the towel around the wet hair and squeeze it gently with your fingers.
9. Reshape the bristles of the brushes. If the hair has become warped, you will need to reshape it. Use your fingers to smooth the bristles, distribute them evenly and pull them back to their original shape.
10. Let the brushes dry. Do not put them on a towel as this can cause mold. Instead, lay the brushes on a counter or other flat surface so that the bristles hang over the edge.
11. Make the hair soft and fluffy. When the brushes are completely dry, make the bristles a little soft and fluffy. Your brushes are now ready to use.

Method 2 of 3: Clean heavily soiled makeup brushes

1. Check out the brushes. If you have used the cream-based makeup brushes, a mixture of soap and water will not be enough to remove the makeup from the hair. You need a little oil to help loosen the makeup - especially if the makeup has been in the bristles of the brush for a while.
2. Pour a small amount of oil onto a paper towel. Fold a paper towel over and pour a small drop of oil on it. You can use light olive or almond oil. Dip the bristles of the brush in the oil and stir the oil. Do not soak the brush with oil. Gently brush back and forth across the paper with the brush to release the dirt.
3. Rinse the bristles of the brushes under lukewarm tap. Make sure you hold the brushes diagonally downwards in the water jet. The part where the hairs are attached to the handle should not get wet. This can cause the metal part to rust or the adhesive on the inside to peel off. Let the water run through the bristles of the brushes until you have mostly rinsed off the old makeup.
   • Do not use hot water as the heat can damage the bristles of the brushes.
4. Squeeze a little baby shampoo into your palm. If you don't have baby shampoo, you can use castile liquid soap instead.
5. Stroke the brush around your palm. Dip the hair in the puddle of shampoo in your palm. Gently brush through it and make circular movements. The hairs should keep touching your skin. You will see the shampoo getting dirty in your palm. That's because the dirt is removed from the bristles of the brushes.
6. Rinse the hair under a lukewarm tap. Use your fingers to gently massage the hair while rinsing out the shampoo. Again, try to prevent the part where the hairs are attached to the handle get wet. Keep doing this until the water is completely clear.
7. Pat the hair dry and reshape if necessary. When the water running out of the bristles is completely clear, remove the brushes from under the tap and gently wrap a towel around the bristles. Use your fingers to squeeze the excess water from the hair. Remove the brushes from the towel and reshape the bristles if necessary. You can do this by gently pressing on them, spreading them out, or pulling them together to a point. Try to get the hair back to its original shape as much as possible.
8. Lay the brushes flat to dry. Do not put them on a towel as this can cause mold. Instead, place the handles of the brushes on a counter or table, leaving the bristles over the edge.
9. Make the hair soft and fluffy. If you have a thick brush, some of the bristles may be stuck together even after the brush has dried. If this happens, pick up the brush and shake it vigorously.

Method 3 of 3: Maintain and keep your brushes clean

1. Know how often to clean your makeup brushes. Dirty makeup brushes not only cause bacteria to grow, but can also change the color of your makeup. Some types of make-up can also damage the hair of your brushes if you leave the make-up on for too long. Here are some tips for cleaning your brushes based on the type of hair:
   • Clean brushes with natural bristles weekly. This also applies to brushes that you use for powdered make-up, such as eyeshadow and bronzer.
   • Clean brushes with synthetic bristles every other day. This also applies to brushes that you use for cream-based and water-based make-up, such as lipstick, cream blush, and liquid eyeliner or gel eyeliner.
2. Do not place the brushes upright during drying. The water will run down into the metal part, causing rust or rot. As a result, the glue that holds the hair together can also come off.
   • You can safely set the brushes upright when they are completely dry.
3. Do not use a hair dryer or flat iron to dry your brushes. The intense heat that these aids give off will ruin the fibers, even if they are natural fibers such as camel hair or sable hair. The bristles of a makeup brush are more delicate than the hair on your head.
4. Let your brushes dry in a well-ventilated area. If you dry your brushes in a closed area like the bathroom, you probably won't get enough fresh air to the brushes. This can make them mold and you have brushes that smell musty. Bah!
5. Store your brushes properly. When your brushes are dry, place them upright in a cup or lay them on their side. Do not store them with the bristles down, or the bristles will become crooked.
6. Consider sanitizing your brushes. You can disinfect your makeup brushes with a vinegar and water solution before drying or between washes. Don't worry, the strong vinegar smell will dissipate when the bristles are dry. Fill a small bowl or cup with two parts water and one part vinegar. Stir the solution with the brushes, taking care not to get the area where the hairs are attached to the handle get wet. Rinse the brushes with clean water and then let them dry.

Tips

• Baby wipes and cotton wipes are great for wiping your brushes and makeup boxes.
• Makeup cleansing wipes are perfect for this job.
• Do not use cleaners that leave a strong odor or residue, or damage the brushes (such as dish soap, dishwasher detergent, almond oil, olive oil, vinegar oil, or exfoliating cleansers).
• If possible, hang the brushes to dry. You can do this by clamping them to a clothes hanger with a paper clip or a clothespin.

Warnings

• Let the brushes dry completely before using them again, especially with powdered makeup. If your makeup brushes are even slightly damp, you're already ruining your makeup powder.
• Do not dry your brushes with heat. Just let them air dry.
• Do not soak the brushes in water. This will release the glue in the handle.

Necessities

• Water
• Baby shampoo or liquid castile soap
• Light olive or almond oil (for heavily soiled makeup brushes)
• Towel