There are a few reasons to clean your makeup brushes. The first, and most important is bacteria. Bacteria, dead skin cells and any dirt or oil that may be on your face is now in your brushes. Over time, this collects and not only fills your brushes with bacteria, which you are then rubbing all over your face and your makeup products each time you use that brush but this can in turn cause blemishes and irritate the skin.
All of that build-up can also affect the way your makeup applies. When you have a fresh clean brush, you are more likely to get a smoother, more flawless application versus when your brushes have gone one too many days (or weeks, or months) without having a good clean. You might find that your foundation just doesn’t look as good as it could, or your blush starts to look a little patchy. You might be having what I call a ‘bad skin day,’ or you might just need to give your brush a good cleanse.
Clean your brushes weekly
Remember the gross residual makeup, dirt, and oil we just talked about? That disappears after a good brush cleaning. If you’re a makeup artist or just someone who wears a significant amount of makeup regularly, brush should be cleaned after each use.
A step-by-step brush cleaning method
– Squeeze a dollop of gentle shampoo into a glass/mug and fill with warm water
– Swirl your brushes in the water and gently massage the bristles to further remove the gunk
– Rinse with clean water and carefully squeeze the water out
– Lay flat to dry
– Pour a small amount of the blue liquid into a small cup and dip your brush to saturate
– Gingerly swirl the brush on a paper towel which will absorb the cleanser, taking the dirt with it.
Bacteria can settle on brushes,
which are not clean
When you are not particular about hygiene and don’t wash your brushes, they become a breeding ground for bacteria and dirt from the environment around them. This can lead to breakouts and a serious acne problem.
Dirty brushes won’t give you
the desired look
Application of makeup involves using brushes to blend it in properly so that you can achieve a flawless, even look. However, dirty brushes make it difficult to achieve that. If you have a lot of residual makeup on brushes, it may not pick the right colour of the product that you are using. Hence, it will alter the shade and look you are working at. It also affects the overall look as it can look patchy and streaky.
Save money
If you take care of your brushes, and clean them regularly, they will last longer. You won’t have to keep spending money on purchasing new makeup brushes, and will end up saving money in the long run.