It is very important to clean your beauty brushes.   Why?

Here are five reasons:

Acne Prevention:  Whenever you use your makeup brushes, they are collecting everything that is on your face — namely, oil, dead skin cells, dust, and anything else clinging to your skin. This is a recipe for disaster.  Every time you use a dirty brush, you are wiping this disgusting combination all over your face, clogging your pores as a result.

Your Makeup Will Look better and more vibrant–  Dirty makeup brushes are also ineffective for applying color precisely. With old makeup caked on your brushes, you are unable to get the look you’re going for, whether that is naturally blended contour or a dramatic eye shadow.

Maintain Soft Brushes- Dirty brushes become more abrasive and dry as they become more caked with product and debris from your face. In turn, this irritates your skin. Cleaning your brushes regularly keeps them soft enough to not cause damage to your face.

Bacteria – Dirty makeup brushes are also a breeding ground for bacteria. Not only is this terrible for your face, it also is bad for your makeup products. Transferring all this bacteria to your products taints them, and what should have lasted you a year will spoil within months.

Brushes Will last Longer– When you clean your makeup brushes regularly, you are preserving them. The more frequently you clean them, the longer your investment will last.

Many experts agree that once a month is fine. “Dip the brush in warm, soapy water—use shampoo or a mild bar soap. Rinse it, blot the brush with a clean towel, then use a blow-dryer to dry the bristles gently,” suggests Ellen Marmur, a dermatologist in New York City.  I think this is CRAZY.  According to world famous makeup artist Bobbi Brown, Foundation and Concealer brushes should be washed at least once a week to prevent product build up.  She also goes on to state that “Brushes that are used around the eyes should be cleaned at least twice a month, while all others can be washed once a month.”  Really Bobbi Brown? Twice a month for eye makeup brushes?  That seems too infrequent to me.

I believe in cleaning your makeup brushes and beauty Blenders at least weekly, if not more frequently for Foundation and lip brushes.  I do mine faithfully on Sunday’s or the first chance I get if I am working that day. If I use different foundations I will wash before switching to another foundation type (ie: liquid or solid) I especially keep my Heavenly Skin Smoothing Complexion Brush by It Cosmetics as clean as possible and ready for use.

Many people just use a baby shampoo or simple soap and water to clean their brushes.  I prefer to use a commercially prepared brush cleaner.  My cleaner of choice is the Japonesque Solid Brush Cleanser Cleansing Balm.  It’s made from Goats Milk and does a very good job cleaning my brushes. I recently got a ESARORA Makeup Brush Cleaner Pad Set of 2 which has  a wonderful multi textured large pad which acts like a washboard for different types of brushes.  It has suction cups on the bottom which stick to your skin for ease of use.  It also has a smaller round pad for rinsing your brushes. It really works great.

Limelight by Alcone also makes a wonderful Come Clean Brush and Sponge Shampoo. Clean, condition, and restore your tools with Come Clean brush and sponge shampoo. This formula uses pure, chemical-free and vegan ingredients including tea tree oil and natural coconut oil to clean and condition natural and synthetic brush hairs. Wet, swish, rinse, and watch your tools Come Clean right before your eyes.  When I run out of my Japonesque I am going to purchase this cleanser.

Sometimes My Heavenly Skin  Brush and my beauty blenders get stained and just soap won’t due for adequate cleaning. In this case I Keep a jar of organic coconut oil in my vanity to clean such stains.  I rub the sponge or the brush by hand with a generous amount of coconut oil until the stains are gone and then wash with the balm as normal and allow to air dry. I always air dry upside down on a rack or if you don’t have a rack roll a towel and place the brushes so that the bristles are lower than the handles to allow to dry well.

Always use look warm water as hot water can cause the bristles to fall out of your brushes over time.