Brush health you should be practicing at home
What if I told you our cosmetic brushes are a breeding hotbed for bacteria…
What if I told you this very bacteria causes unwanted acne…
What if I told you this very blog post will help guide you on how to protect your skin and promote brush health and wellness; would you follow my lead? Would brush cleansing become a part of your weekly hygiene like doing a load of laundry? Sis! even your basic antibacterial soap can help protect your skin and kill harmful bacteria.
You’ve heard it before, dirty, old cosmetics can wreak havoc on our complexion - hello breakout! This info is for every person that has ever wondered “what’s the best way to clean my makeup brushes?” Let’s start with the obvious, running dirty bristles across a baby wipe (even in a hurry) is not the move or far enough. Now brush health doesn’t have to be complicated but there are some Do’s and Do’nts to follow.
Here’s a known fact: to kill bacteria and properly disinfect you need antibacterial soap - period. Any time water or liquid (ie. your handy dandy concealer, liquid foundation, gloss etc.) is present you could be inviting un-wanted fungi, microorganism’s, virus, pathogens, microbe, germs - see where I’m going with this? With the COVID pandemic, we have enough problems!! Sure, beauty blenders and brushes are dampened to help the application of eyeshadows or foundation but this environment has the potential to promote rapid bacterial growth - again watch for that hotbed!
Artistry brushes aren’t cheap, so for me - last thing I want is for mold to ensue.
Another mindful tip is how you’re storing your tools - using a cup on your bathroom counter can be a misstep because it’s also where you might go ham with hairspray, perfume, etc. Think about it, dust and other invisible culprits are floating around in your bathroom’s air, not a good look for brush storage.
Now that I’ve shared some essentials about brush sanitation, here below are some basic steps you can practice:
What to Buy: Antibacterial soap & water (baby shampoo or Dr. Bronners are 2 suggestions)
What to have nearby: Paper or Microfiber towel, running water - don’t come for me critics.
Rinse the tip under lukewarm water to remove residual product, (only the tip) submerging the whole brush head can damage the ferrel/handle. The ferrel is glued to most handles and connects the brush head to the handle - you want this to stay intact for years, ideally.
Fill a small bowl so you can dip the bristles in a tablespoon of soap solution, swirl for a good later; I aggregate /massage each tip in the palm of my hand or use those cool silicone makeup mini mats (found at Target, Walmart or in my favorite clearance section of TJMaxx - that’s tea!!)
Rinse the brush under running water - "this is a no judging zone”…continue shampooing and rinsing each bristle til water runs clear.
Squeeze out excess moisture (remember h20 is not your friend when drying down), pat dry, reshape and lay flat to thoroughly dry on a clean paper or microfiber towel. (Do not, I repeat, do not stand your brushes upright in a container) - this again, messes with the ferrel/loosens the glue that binds the brush heads with the handles.
Lastly, fluff the bristles next day to gage dryness
Before I dip out of here you might be asking yourself how often should you clean your tools - a general rule, 7-10 days Yasssss! even if you don’t use a drop of makeup that week. Why: because like I said above - dust and other invisible culprits are floating around in our spaces.
Stay safe & stay woke friends!!