Cleaning Your Makeup Brushes

          To stay away from pimples, you need to maintain the cleanliness of not only your face but also the things that come in constant contact with it. These include your hands and your make up paraphernalia such as sponge applicators and most importantly makeup brushes. I've had a few instances when I would trace the possible cause of my pimple break outs down to not having been able to judiciously clean my makeup brushes. Now I really make it a habit to clean them as often as I possibly can.

Perfectmakeups.com

          To keep your face healthy, you need to clean your brushes regularly by spot cleaning them every after use or deep cleaning them at least once a week.

          Spot cleaning is when you use a brush cleanser every after use to immediately clean off residual make up from the brushes. In this way, you get to have a clean set of brushes each time. It's a very simple method and only requires a few minutes of your time. Materials needed are clean paper towel and any brand of makeup brush cleanser.

1. Lay your brush on a dry paper towel and pour a small amount of brush cleanser on the strands.

2. Brush the bristles back and forth on the paper towel, you will notice residual make up staining it, do this for a few minutes or until the brushes don't give off stain. For bigger brushes, you may need to do a circular motion to reach the inner portion.

3. Allow the brushes to lay flat on a clean paper towel to dry (this usually takes a few minutes depending on the type of cleanser you use).

          If you don't have a makeup brush cleanser, you may use facial cleansing wipes. All you have to do is brush the bristles back and forth directly on the moist towel until no stain comes off. Lay flat on a dry surface and allow to dry.

          Deep cleaning on the other hand is done less frequently with the use of a mild baby shampoo, facial cleanser or antibacterial hand wash. I've tried several of these but I am currently hooked on Safeguard Antibacterial Handwash which I also use to clean my Clarisonic brush head. I sometimes use facial wash with tea tree like The Body Shop Tea Tree Facial Cleanser. Tea tree has antibacterial properties that are not too harsh or drying hence can better preserve the quality of make up brushes. You may also use your less favorite facial wash or nearly consumed facial cleansers.

          Deep cleaning once a week is enough to keep your brushes in good shape and prevent your skin from breaking out but if you spot clean your brushes after each use or you don't use make up brushes everyday you may do deep cleaning every 2 weeks. All you need is an antibacterial wash, water and paper towels to do the following:

1. Wash the bristles under running water with the tip of the brush pointing down. Avoid getting the metal part of the brush handle wet.

2. Apply a few drops of liquid wash on your palm or directly on the bristles.

3. Swirl the brush on your palm repeatedly in a circular motion and allow to lather.

4. With continued swirling, put your palm under running water to rinse off the brush. Continue doing this for a few minutes until the water is cleared of dirt or makeup residue.

5. Gently squeeze the brush to remove excess water and allow to lie flat on a paper towel overnight or until the bristles are totally dry.

totalbeauty.com

          It doesn't really matter if you spot clean or deep clean your brushes or both, what matters is you CLEAN them regularly. Always remember that a few simple steps can help a lot in maintaining a healthy skin. After all, it is your most valued investment.