For natural-bristle brushes, makeup artists prefer liquid cleansers. Beautyblender's Liquid Blendercleanser is a popular go-to, but Puckey prefers the Parian Spirit Professional Makeup Brush Cleaner specifically for his lip brushes because it's the best way for removing strong pigments from them.
And the winner is... Plain dish soap and water was the best method for cleaning my makeup brushes by far. Depending on how dirty your brushes are, you might need to go several rounds gently swirling your brushes around a cleaning mitt or mat, but the effort is minimal and so is the cost.
99% alcohol maintains sanitized conditions. Parian Spirits work well if you have a second brush. I have a condition where I cannot use brushes from others, and use 99% (found at beauty supply shops) alcohol on my brushes between clients and they have maintained great quality-no shedding, drying, etc.
1. Rubbing Alcohol Alcohol is your friend. For synthetic brushes, you can use a simple mix of one part water to one part alcohol and add a dash of dish soap or shampoo. In fact, many professional make-up artists clean their brushes with natural or organic shampoo.
3️⃣ A splash of Dawn dish soap – because it's amazing at cutting through oils and breaking down buildup without damaging bristles. 4️⃣ Add warm water to soften the bristles and loosen dried particles.
Be careful to never submerge the brush in water. Dry: Once it's completely clean, reshape the brush head and lay it flat with the bristles sitting on the edge of a counter—if it's left to dry on a towel it can cause mildew to build-up. Let it dry there overnight. The denser the brush, the longer it takes to dry.
Mix two parts of water with one part of apple cider vinegar in a small bowl. Swirl your brush in the solution, ensuring the bristles are fully saturated. Rinse with lukewarm water to remove the vinegar smell and any remaining makeup residue. Lay the brush flat on a clean towel to air dry completely.
Beautyblender Blendercleanser Solid Pro
Beautyblender's Blendercleanser Solid Pro is a great pick for cleaning both your brushes and your makeup sponges.
Before makeup application always spray your products with cosmetic sanitizer mist and organize your kit before each client and make sure the products and tools are clean and sanitary (it's a great extra step to also give your clients peace of mind if they visually see you sanitizing your workspace and tools in the ...
Ingredients. Isoparaffin Hydrocarbon, Hydrotreated Heavy Naptha, Isopropylparaben, Isobutylparaben, N-Butylparaben, Vanilla Planifolia (Vanilla Bean) Fruit Extract and D&C Green #6.
Otherwise, the Real Techniques cleansing gel is a tried-and-true choice at an affordable price. For a quick solution, Cinema Secrets and Clinique offer liquid cleansers that require no lathering to get the job done. A favorite of Surratt's, Oribe's Signature shampoo is also gentle enough for makeup brushes.
A cleansing agent
You could choose a gentle soap or shampoo – baby shampoos work well for this. It cleans thoroughly while leaving your brushes smelling like soothing lavender. To remove particularly stubborn makeup, you could also use a bit of washing-up liquid diluted with water.
Makeup pros typically spot-clean with sprays to quickly sanitize their brushes in between each client, says Jonet Williamson, a NYC-based makeup artist. The Sephora Daily Makeup Brush Cleaner Spray is a favorite amongst the artists for this reason, or the Parian Spirit Brush Cleaner in a spray bottle.
Be careful of “cleansers that have a high alcohol content or contain harsh solvents, as they can loosen the glue that holds the brush together, eventually affecting the life of the brush.” Sesnek is a fan of the Cinema Secrets Professional Makeup Brush Cleanser.
For synthetic brushes, I use dish soap like Dawn, which helps cut through the cosmetic oils and silicones used in makeup that can be hard to get out. The number one thing I've found that I love is the Sigma Beauty Spa Brush Cleaning Glove.
After you've cleansed your brushes, to further disinfect and ensure they are thoroughly sterilised, you can also spray the rubbing alcohol or 70% isopropyl alcohol over the bristles.
You could also try using a facial cleanser, like the L'Oréal Paris RevitaLift Radiant Smoothing Cream Cleanser, to wash your brushes.
Understanding the Lifespan of Makeup Brushes
However, most brushes warrant replacement every two to three years, with heavily-used ones requiring renewal every 6-12 months. Regularly cleansing your makeup brushes is key to prolonging their lifespan. Aim for a weekly washing routine to keep them in optimal condition.
Makeup and oils from your skin combine and build up a residue on your makeup brushes. While you can buy specific makeup brush cleaner, baby shampoo works just as well because it is so gentle. To clean your brushes with baby shampoo, turn on the tap and wet the bristles.