Hello, gorgeous collegiette! Quick question for you: how often do you clean your makeup brushes? Once a week? A month? Never? Believe it or not, there’s excess makeup hiding on your brushes, but aside from that, there’s bacteria! Think about where you set your brushes and what they go through day-to-day.
You may feel a bit grossed out now, but never fear! All you need are three simple things, and after that, you can clean your brushes with ease and increase their lifespan by keeping the bristles in pristine condition.
Brush shampoos are so expensive! I have tried a few for myself to see what the hype is all about, but after trying this home made formula recommended by a friend, no price point is worth it to me. Are you intrigued to learn more? Here’s the recipe:
1. You need three basic items, some of which you might already have:
- A container of some sort—this can be glass, ceramic, Tupperware, anything really.
- Dish soap—any brand or scent will work just fine. I prefer Dawn because it does a fantastic job of removing the oil from the bristles.
- Olive oil—I know what you’re thinking: Anne has gone off the deep end with this idea! But I’m telling you, it works wonders! You don’t have to buy anything special, and it doesn’t matter if it is extra virgin, light, fat-free, etc.
2. Mix your soap and olive oil in your container. For every one part olive oil, add two parts soap. For example, if you add one tablespoon of olive oil, add two tablespoons of dish soap.
3. Take the brush you are starting with and wet the bristles with warm water. Dip the bristles into the mixture and stir the contents of the container. You should see some of the makeup coming out of the bristles almost immediately.
4. Once your brush is saturated, rub the bristles lightly in the palm of your hand. This helps ensure that the solution gets dispersed evenly to all parts of the brush.
5. Rinse your brush thoroughly with warm water again and squeeze out all of the cleanser. Lay flat or upside down on a towel or wash cloth to dry.
And there you have it! I recommend cleaning brushes either weekly or biweekly. Depending on how many brushes you have, it typically only takes about ten minutes. Cleaning your brushes will benefit you long-term by making them last longer, and also short-term by helping keep your face clean by avoiding less dirt and bacteria.
If you have any questions, feel free to tweet me @anneleigh306. Stay gorgeous!