A dirty makeup brush can give you pimples and allergic reactions and if you don’t know how, here is a short guide on how to clean makeup brushes. If you’re looking for bath brushes, see the top 10 bath brushes here.
Cleaning your brush depends on what type of makeup you used with it and also the material of the actual bristles. You can also create some do-it-yourself makeup cleaners at home. See this video or learn about it here.
Why do you need to know how to clean makeup brushes?
The skin is sensitive and others are more sensitive than normal. Makeup has properties that can be irritating to the skin. Over time, the makeup accumulates on the brush. Dust and other particles get stuck in there, too. You should know how to clean your makeup brushes the same way you wash and cleanse your face. If you’re having breakouts and wondering where they came from, your dirty brushes could be one of the reasons.
Here are some of the things that can happen when you don’t clean your makeup brush:
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Accumulating Bacteria
Bacteria will build up if you don’t clean your brushes. This includes dust and dirt. As a result, you reapply the microbes onto your skin every time you use the brush. It will even be worse when you keep it in a warm and moist environment. The bacteria will breed faster in the bristles themselves.
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Pimples and Rashes
You might have uncontrollable breakouts by using dirty makeup brushes. When you swipe a bacteria-infested brush all over your face, it will have microbes and your skin is not used to that. Your skin might react by getting rashes, blisters, or eruptions. If you notice bumps coming out in the same particular areas that you apply makeup on, it could be a reason.
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Skin Irritation
Your skin will react to dirt and oil buildup in different ways. It could result to irritation which would also lead to breakouts. Knowing how to clean makeup brushes will help you keep the fibers of the bristles soft. It means it will be gentler on your skin. When your brush gets very dirty, the bristles or hair become stiff and it will feel like you are scraping your skin.
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Infections and Infestations
Much worse than irritation, your skin could get infections. Be very particular in learning how to clean your makeup brushes especially when you’ve shared it with others, even just once. If it gets in your eyes, it could get infection. Your brush may also attract bugs.
Other effects include clogging your pores, damaging your brush, and getting a muddy makeup application when you use it.
How to Clean Your Makeup Brushes
Here are some of the things you can do to ensure that you keep your brushes clean.
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Wash the bristles with water.
Rinse the bristles thoroughly under water. But try not to wet the handle because it might loosen the hold of the brush and it will come off.
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Use gentle soaps.
Put a gentle soap on your hand and very gently swipe your brush on it. Massage it repeatedly. When washing multiple brushes, make sure to wash and soap each one separately.
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Rinse and squeeze the water out.
Give it another rinse and then press on the bristles with your fingers to squeeze the excess water.
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Air dry.
Let the brush lie flat on a towel at least overnight.
When you know how to clean makeup brushes, you will not only protect your skin from irritation and pimples. You will also have better makeup application. Clean them regularly or whenever you see there’s buildup on it.
On the other hand, you may check out our take on the best rolling makeup cases.
