Beauty DIY/Tips: How to clean your makeup brushes

I’m probably not the only one to admit that she doesn’t really think about her beauty products too much after she has purchased them.

I forget how long a tube of mascara has been open (don’t worry though, it isn’t over 6 months!) and grab my makeup brushes to set my mineral foundation, but can’t recall the last time I’ve washed them.

Yikes, right?

Think about all of the bacteria that could remain on those makeup brushes after a sweaty day creating their own little haven – Germy Brush City.  I have a professional brush cleaner liquid back in New York, but had simply forgotten about it here.  So I set about researching how I could wash my makeup brushes.

1. I could use a DIY solution(outlined below) of baby shampoo and coconut oil.  The baby shampoo (you could also use clarifying shampoo) gently cleanses the brush and the coconut oil is not only a conditioner, but also has anti-viral and anti-bacterial properties.

2. I will occasionally use a professional brush cleaner which can thoroughly clean brushes. This Ulta version is less than $4 – I paid a lot more for my MAC brush cleaner!

DIY Gentle Brush cleaner

Ingredients

• 1 teaspoon baby or clarifying shampoo
• 1 teaspoon coconut oil
• 1/4 cup water
• shallow bowl
• towel

Preparation and instructions

1. Mix all liquid ingredients together in the shallow bowl.

2. Gather your brushes and rinse them quickly in warm water with the bristles facing downward.  Try to only get water on the bristles and not on the metal part towards the handle.

3. Dip your brushes in the cleaning solution and rub it throughout the bristles.  If you press the bristles down and rub the inner bristles, you will get to a lot of makeup!

4. Rinse the bristles in warm water and repeat step 3.  Keep cleaning and rinsing until the water runs clear.

5. Shape the wet bristles back into the shape of the brush. Lightly pat dry with one end of the towel (you can also determine if the brush still needs to be clean if foundation comes off).

6. Place a clean end of the towel on a flat surface with a ledge (or create your own incline with a plate or marker).  Lay the brushes down on the towel with the bristles pointing downward and handles slightly inclined. This will prevent water from seeping into the brush head where the brush hairs meet the glue.

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