In Spades

Okay, I know.  It seems pretty obvious, right?  Is there really a wrong way to clean your makeup brushes?

I’m one of those people that loathes cleaning my brushes, so much so, that I have backup brushes to use just so I can prolong cleaning.  :S

Laziness aside, what I’ve picked up over the years are some hero products and techniques that prolong the life of your brushes AND thoroughly clean them.

Favorite Products

This brush cleaner is hands down the best on the market.  Made for a deep clean, I wet my brush and put 2-8 pumps of product in my hand while I swirl the brush around.  Depending on how dirty the brush is, I may repeat this process 3 times.

Bonus points: it’s currently on sale.

I do own a silicon brush mat to get deep into brush bristles, but 9 times out of 10, I prefer using my hand.

Why?

It’s gentler on the bristles and prolongs the life of your brushes.

For Artis brushes or brushes that are made to be used wet or dry, this brush cleaning pad is a must.

The antimicrobial cloth contains one million fiber strands per square inch making it the most effective cleanser on the market.

The cloth is machine washable.  They also sell replacement cloths.

I have also tried Artis cleansing foam and brush cleansing wipes but don’t recommend either.

For beautyblenders or makeup sponges, I recommend this soap.  They’ve added a charcoal (bacteria killing) soap and lavender scent to the lineup.

Finally, another technique I use to clean my beautyblenders is the microwave method.  I recommend using this for sponges that are only slightly dirty.  For a deep clean, use the bar soap and cleansing mat.

Microwave Method for Cleaning Makeup Sponges

1. Place beautyblenders in a microwave safe bowl of water with a couple drops of dishsoap.
2. Microwave for 1 minute.
3. Let cool.
4. Rinse with cold water.
5. Repeat process as many times as necessary.