JOIN Our E

KITTY COLLECTION NOW AVAILABLE!
What you need to know NOW but probably don’t want to!

Bacteria in Makeup Brushes - From Shelley With Love

You follow a daily skincare regime.
You wash and style your hair multiple times per week.
You use makeup to enhance your natural beauty.  

With all this primping and preening, who has time to think about what could be lurking in your makeup brushes?

Well, it’s time for me to paint a picture of the not so glamorous facts.  

[pullquote width=”230″ float=”left”]74% of women, confessed that they have never washed their makeup brushes[/pullquote]

Without regular cleansing, bacteria, dust, dirt, dead skin cells, and oil can be found in your makeup brushes.

These nasties could be contributing to your skin problems – breakouts, clogged pores and redness. They could even be aggravating your hay fever or contaminating your makeup stash! Gasp!

An overwhelming 74% of women, confessed that they have never washed their makeup brushes – most of which stated that they had simply never thought about it.
 

So how often should your makeup brushes be cleansed?

Brushes used for liquid, gel or cream products should be cleansed at least every two weeks and powder brushes no less than every four.

There are two cleansing methods that I recommend for keeping your makeup brushes free from stomach churning bacteria: deep cleansing and spot cleaning.
 

Method 1:  Deep Cleanse

Deep cleansing is like washing your hair – it utilizes warm water and a brush shampoo to remove build-up and grime.

A deep cleanse should be performed at least once every:
::  two weeks for brushes used in liquids, creams or gels; and
::  no less frequently than every four weeks for powder brushes.

Having said that, if you’ve just recovered from an illness, including the common cold or you loaned a brush to a friend, cleanse that sucker immediately to prevent cross contamination of bacteria and general nasties to your face and your makeup.

My favourite product to use for deep cleansing my brushes:
Regular ol’ baby shampoo.

Yep, that’s right!  Save those hard earned pennies my friend, you really don’t need a fancy-shmancy deep cleanser for your brushes. Baby shampoo is extremely gentle, smells great, is uber cheap and totally effective.

*I strongly recommend staying away from dishwashing liquid.  It’s far too abrasive for your delicate brush hairs, which could be detrimental to the lifespan of your brushes.

This method works best after you have finished using your brushes for the day, due to the amount of time they take to dry.
 

Method 2:  Spot Clean

Spot cleaning is just that, a light clean.  Much like pre-treating a boo-boo on an article of dry clean only clothing.  

Brushes can easily be treated and used again almost immediately – from daily to weekly cleaning, this is a super sparkly and quick method.

Spot cleaner contains alcohol which sanitizes the brush and promotes a quick drying time, minutes in most cases.  It’s ideal for keeping the bacteria at bay between deep cleansing days!

A good quality makeup brush will set you back a pretty penny – they’re definitely an investment. So just like any investment, you want to ensure their optimal performance.

Regular spot cleaning prevents product build-up and allows the brush hairs to efficiently and seamlessly buff and blend the product into the skin, rather than dragging it around the face.

And just as importantly, you will also be prolonging the life of your brushes. It’s a win-win situation all round!

My favourite spot cleaning products include:

:: MAC Cosmetics Brush Cleanser (virtually scent free) – it’s readily accessible and relatively inexpensive.

::  Bobbi Brown Brush Cleaning Spray (a light lavender fragrance) – I used this on my wedding day because my brushes were being shared between three bridesmaids, my Mum, hubby’s Mum, and me.  Perfectly sanitary with next-to-no drying time!

::  Cinema Secrets Professional Brush Cleaner (vanilla fragrance that lingers) – I find this cleaner to be the most effective of the three which is probably why its preferred by so many makeup artists.
 

Is it time to cleanse your makeup brushes?

Your ‘Makeup Brush Cleansing 101’ Tutorial is waiting for you right here.  CLICK!!

Know a bestie that needs to clean her brushes too? Why not share this article with her.

If you liked this article, you’ll love my FREE morning makeover eBook and Facebook Group – Style Lovers & Glittery Besties.

Simply, pop your details in the sign-up box below this post to be emailed your pressies and all the sweet smelling details!

With love and sparkles,
Shelley Cohen