The first step in washing your brushes is choosing a cleanser that won’t destroy them (aka no harsh detergents).
Many brands sell products specifically designed for makeup brushes, but you can also use a mild soap, baby shampoo, or a gentle face cleanser.
4 Must-Try Makeup Brush Cleansers
But wait! Soap isn’t the only thing you need. You’ll also need to round up a few supplies to help with the scrubbing and drying steps of the cleaning process.
While your hand would work just fine, you’ll also find a cleansing mat or another textured surface helpful in removing stubborn makeup faster.
The goal when drying your brushes is to prevent water from seeping into the glue at the base and loosening the bristles.
When setting them out to dry, keep your brushes tilted with the bristles pointed downward (a drying rack can help with this) instead of throwing them bristles up in a cup to dry.
Here’s what you don’t want to do: Fill up the sink and let the brushes soak, handles and all.
Not only will the water warp the wood over time, but it’ll also seep into the base of the bristles and loosen the glue.
You know how annoying it is when you’ve just perfected your foundation application, only to find a loose bristle embedded in your base makeup? If you soak your brushes, you’ll end up with a dozen loose bristles on your cheek (my personal nightmare).
Makeup artists are able to maintain the integrity of their makeup brushes for years and years by cleaning their tools regularly but also very carefully.
As demonstrated by a makeup artist in this YouTube video, pour a little bit of the soap onto either hand, a cleansing mat, or another surface, then lightly swirl the wet brush into the cleanser, rinsing and re-dipping until the bristles are totally clear.
Tools That’ll Make Cleaning Brushes A Lot Easier.
