The Importance of Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

Makeup Hygiene Matters

In these times where we are more aware than ever that increased hygiene is key, we wanted to remind our fabulous customers of the best way to ensure your daily makeup routine remains as hygienic as it can be. Here are some quick tips to elevate your makeup hygiene game:

• Clean Your Makeup Bag: Please follow the below routine, we would recommend this to be carried out at least fortnightly with your at-home makeup tools. Now is the perfect time to clean out your makeup bag – pop it in for a gentle wash in your machine, if this is not possible then wipe inside and out thoroughly with antibacterial wipes.
• Don't Share: As always, please do not share any of your makeup brushes/tools with anyone, not even your BFF.
• Be Mindful on Public Transport: Please be mindful of applying your makeup on public transport – you cannot see those small germs flying around that train carriage.
• Sanitize After Illness: If you have been poorly with any type of illness it is an absolute must that you not only clean your makeup brushes regularly and thoroughly but also stock up on some isopropyl alcohol to clean your products. It goes without saying if you have had any type of eye infection you must throw away your mascaras and eyeliners and take this opportunity to purchase some sparkly new products.

PRO TIP: For quick on the go no rinsing required formula try Makeup Brush Cleaner Liquid Spray

• Let Your Skin Breathe: Finally, if you are isolating at home, take this chance to let your skin breathe and take a rest from full-face makeup. However, we all know a touch of brows, mascara and your favourite lip gloss is a perfect pick me up. Who says you can’t wear a bright red lip whilst still in your PJ’s?

Why Cleaning Your Brushes is Essential

You have your daily makeup routine, but do you have a regular brush cleaning routine? Many people don’t realize just how important it is to clean your brushes regularly. When you let makeup pile up on your brushes, it can lead to serious hygiene issues and can also affect the quality of your makeup application. Here are some of the most important reasons why you should be cleaning your makeup brushes on a regular basis.

1. Bacteria Accumulation

When you don’t wash your brushes, they naturally accumulate bacteria and dirt from the environment around them. A dirty brush is a prime breeding ground for nasty bacteria that can exacerbate your acne and other skin conditions. To nip this bacteria growth in the bud, you need to be washing your brushes very regularly.

2. Skin Irritation

When you don’t wash your brushes, they become caked with makeup. When this happens, your brush no longer has the soft, flexible quality that it had when you first purchased it. The caked-up makeup makes your brushes feel much more harsh on the skin, and it also makes it much more difficult for you to apply your makeup effectively. When you’re continually rubbing dirty brushes against your face to apply your makeup, you are much more likely to experience uncomfortable redness and irritation. When your brushes are clean, you’ll be able to enjoy their soft, luxurious feeling and more effective makeup application.

3. Difficulty Achieving the Desired Look

Blending is one of the most important steps in achieving a beautiful makeup look, but it’s very hard to blend properly when you haven’t cleaned your brushes in a long time. When you have makeup built up on your brushes, you won’t pick up the true color of the product you’re using, and therefore will end up with a shade that’s a blend of all the buildup already on your brushes. Your makeup also won’t apply as smoothly as desired, and you may end up with a streaky look you aren’t particularly happy with. Clean brushes will make it much easier to achieve the flawless looks you’ve seen in magazines or YouTube tutorials. Try Nanshy’s soft makeup brushes for easy makeup application.

4. Negative Effects on Your Health

In addition to the potential skincare problems already described here, dirty makeup brushes can actually affect your internal health as well. Dirty brushes actually make you much more likely to catch a viral infection, particularly if you are sharing them with others (another major makeup no-no). Dirty brushes are just much more likely to pick up bacteria, dirt, even dead skin cells in their general environment, and over time, that puts your health at risk.

5. Makeup Contamination

When your brush has been sitting out uncleaned for a long period of time, it collects bacteria and dirt. Then when you go to dip that brush into your favorite blush or eyeshadow, for example, that bacteria gets into the makeup product. Once the bacteria is in the makeup product, it is likely to grow at a very fast rate, because the dark, moist environment of makeup storage places is somewhere where bacteria can grow very easily. This not only is very dangerous for your skin if you continue to use that product, but it also means that the product is going to break down much more quickly. It’s also important to note that you should always throw your skincare and makeup products away after a certain period of time, as they have a very limited lifespan. Powder products like blush and eyeshadow can last as long as two years, while liquid products like lipstick and cleanser last for less than a year. Mascara and liquid eyeliner are typically only good for three months. Knowing when to get rid of these products should play into your overall strategy for keeping your makeup clean and healthy.

6. Increased Brush Lifespan

Your brushes are an investment, so it’s important to take care of them to make the most of the money you spent. When you clean your brushes, it ensures that they will maintain their quality and won’t be bent or damaged by makeup buildup. It may be helpful to purchase a brush cleaning solution at the same time you purchase your brushes if you struggle to remember to clean your brushes. When a brush cleaning solution is part of your financial investment, you will be much more likely to use it.

How to care for your brushes

Washing your brushes on a regular basis may seem daunting if you’ve never done it before, but it’s actually quite simple. Once you make it a part of your regular routine, you will wonder why you never did so before. To start, you’ll need to find an appropriate soap.

Nanshy offers both a quality brush scrubber and a cleaning soap designed specifically for brushes and makeup sponges. Work the brushes into the soap, making sure to gently move the bristles in different directions so that the soap fully permeates each bristle from all sides. Then, run the brush under lukewarm water. Gently push the soap and water out of the brush using your fingers. Run the brush under water until all the soap and makeup has come out, and then gently press the bristles of the brush together until all the excess water has come out. You may need to repeat this process more than once to get all the makeup out if it has really caked up over time.

PRO TIP: for extra deep clean use the Electric Makeup Brush Cleaner Machine

After you’ve washed your brushes, use your fingers to reshape them, and then leave them out on a clean washcloth to dry. Make sure you keep them in a cool, dry area where bacteria is less likely to grow. If you do this at night, they should be dry and fresh for you to use your makeup in the morning. You should clean your brushes two to four times per month, depending on how often you are using them.

Cleaning your makeup brushes might seem like a chore, but once you start doing it regularly, you may notice that you experience skin irritation, clogged pores, and acne less regularly. Clean makeup brushes are part of a healthy home environment and skincare routine, and they are worth the time it takes to make this happen. Fresh brushes also result in better makeup application and longer-lasting brushes.

Conclusion

Cleaning your makeup brushes might seem like a chore, but once you start doing it regularly, you may notice that you experience skin irritation, clogged pores, and acne less regularly. Clean makeup brushes are part of a healthy home environment and skincare routine, and they are worth the time it takes to make this happen. Fresh brushes also result in better makeup application and longer-lasting brushes. Our full Cleaning Tutorial is available here.

Pin to your Pinterest board: