TLC Tips for your Makeup Brushes

We all are too lazy to clean our makeup brushes. However, cleaning makeup brushes is as important as washing clothes! It's a part of basic hygiene. They are so intimate just because they get in contact with our delicate skin, carried around in our bags and pouches with loads of other crap. So these workhorses do need some TLC.

Proper brush care will lead to longevity, as over a period of time, brushes lose their softness due to makeup buildup. We spend so much on buying good quality brushes! Hence, why allow the bacteria to harbor in them? We should clean them on a regular basis/or after every use to remove makeup buildup, dirt & debris, bacteria, oils, dead skin cells.

We may either use regular shampoo or a professional cleaner designed for cleaning makeup brushes. Well, I prefer using both. 

 I am always in a rush while doing my makeup and I don’t usually have enough time to clean them. So I give my brushes a quick wipe with my MAC cleaner (INR650 for 235ml), after each use (you may have noticed MAC sales girls quickly wiping brushes with some liquid before use). However, this product is meant for cleaning and rinsing. Nevertheless, I give my brushes quick wipe so that makeup doesn't settle in them. Thorough cleaning is left for later. And even later, if I forget to clean my brushes for days, I am not worried because using MAC solution provides me with some kind of solace. It cleans, disinfects (as it contains alcohol) and conditions. Brush cleansers from Estee Lauder, Sephora, Makeup Forever and Clinique are other options available in our country  If you don't want to spend on these bottles, than just go for face cleansing wipes :)

Next day or whenever I am free, I rinse them with the same liquid and they are ready for my next use.

Once every month I deep cleanse them using oil and a shampoo. Yes, I oil them to break the buildup. It also adds softness. Then I dip them in a shampoo and water solution and let it sit for five minutes. Finally, I rinse them and Voila! they are squeaky clean. If you find this boring, a quick rinse with a normal shampoo or a professional cleanser is also good enough (depending on the usage and dirt).

I know you must be thinking that I am some kind of a nerd with loads of time to waste!! However, besides the fact that I am actually a finicky person and I prefer everything clean and tidy, trust me, your pampered brushes will reciprocate by loving your skin just as much :):)

Last but not the least, do not forget to:

• ensure that they are completely clean: Rub the brush head back and forth over a paper towel or tissue repeatedly until there is no more product coming off
•  rinse with the hairs pointing downwards to prevent water entering the ferrule (metal part) or in to the handle. Doing opposite may lead to loosening of the glue that holds the brush together. Again for the same reason, don’t dry your brushes on paper towels/ cloth towel in an upright position. Keep them tilted pointing downwards by creating an elevation in the middle