When I learned about makeup it was many years ago. My friends and I would share cool stuff with each other and we poured over magazines like YM for hints and tips. To be honest, I was not very good at makeup then and I am not much better now. I have learned a little as I go though.
One of the things I did not learn until I was an adult was that my makeup brushes needed washed, and often! I am sure one of those magazines I read as a teenager said to do it also, but apparently I skipped that page. I’m sure that had to contribute to those stupid zits back then.
Now that I am all grown up (ha!) I can assure you I wash my makeup brushes. I did it today – which is why I am blogging about it. There seems to be some debate on how often you should wash your cosmetic brushes. If you never wash them – start now and do it at least once a month. Some people say daily, but I find that a bit excessive. What I noticed once I started washing them regularly is that you can start to feel when they need to be cleaned – the texture changes a bit it seems like. I think how often you wash them is also going to depend on the type of makeup you use, how often you use them, and the type of skin you have since the oils go onto the brushes when you touch them to your face. For me, I find every couple of weeks seems to work.
Washing them is very simple. I happen to use bare Minerals well-cared for brush conditioning shampoo to wash my makeup brushes. This bottle I have had for a long time, a little goes a very long way. Many also suggest baby shampoo. I used to use that, but I honestly prefer the bare Minerals shampoo instead. But, baby shampoo is better than nothing. Do not use liquid hand soap or regular shampoo though, those are going to be too harsh on your makeup brush bristles.
- Wet your makeup brush under warm water
- Apply a small amount – pea size or so depending on brush size – directly to the brush and gently massage it to lather and work it thru the bristles. Do this under lightly running water.
- Then continue to gently massage as you rinse the brush under the water. You will see the water is colored from the makeup. Keep rinsing until it runs clear.
- I give my brushes a couple of gentle taps on the side of the sink to help remove some excess water.
- Now lay them to dry – I tend to wash them in the evening and they are dry by the next morning.
See, I told you it was easy. You will notice your makeup goes on much better after washing your makeup brushes. Make sure if you have a young person in your life just starting to use makeup that they understand how important washing their makeup brushes is as well and get them learning good habits from the start.
How often, if ever, do you wash your makeup brushes?
Disclosure: None – just sharing with my readers.
© 2012, Robyn Wright. All rights reserved.
